PEWAUKEE — Dozens of students from across southeast Wisconsin gathered in Pewaukee this week to compete in a regional spelling bee, hoping to advance to the Badger State Spelling Bee in Madison and eventually the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The competition, hosted at Cooperative Educational Service Agency 1 (CESA 1), brought together about 130 students over four days who won spelling bees at their schools or districts.
One by one, students approached the microphone to spell words in front of judges, families, and fellow competitors.
Watch: Students compete in regional spelling bee in Pewaukee for chance to advance to state
Sixth grader Ade Marquez of Manitoba Elementary School in Milwaukee said she has participated in six spelling bees.
“I memorized the list except the eighth-grade words because that’s really hard,” Marquez said.
Her mother, Kara Rodriguez, said studying happens throughout the day at home.
“It’s us doing dishes and spelling the word or in the she's in the shower spelling,” Rodriguez laughed.
Across the room, seventh grader Muhammad Saadqadri of LakeView K-8 Academy in Kenosha said preparation for the bee involves studying thousands of words.
“We get a list, and it has approximately 3,000 words that we get two months to study,” Saadqadri said.
Teresa Barch, Central Services Coordinator at CESA 1, said the regional competition is about more than just spelling.
“Public speaking, study skills, composure — and what I really love to see is when kids know each other and cheer each other on,” Barch said.
Barch said she's been doing the regional bee for 14 years and enjoys how it brings together students and families from across the region.
The top eight regional winners move on to the Badger State Spelling Bee in Madison on March 21.
The top speller at the state competition advances to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
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