Oakland Unified School District Press Advisory

Vincent Matthews Communications Office Interim State Administrator Contact: Troy Flint

Oakland Unified Phone (510) 879-8242 School District Cell (415) 902-8589 1025 Second Avenue Fax (510) 879-8800 Oakland, CA 94606 [email protected] www.ousd.k12.ca.us

Oakland Unified School District Press Advisory For Immediate Release

Oakland Unified School District to Hold Spelling Bee Today Event is District’s second spelling bee since reviving dormant competition last year

Oakland – Dec. 13 2007 – The Oakland Unified School District will hold its annual spelling bee today at 5:00 PM in the Havenscourt Campus Auditorium at 1390 66th Avenue in Oakland, California. The Spelling Bee features two divisions of schoolchildren, an Elementary School Division consisting of 4th graders and 5th graders and a Middle School Division comprised of 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. The top eight spellers at each level will advance to the Alameda County Spelling Bee in March where they will have a chance to qualify for the statewide competition.

This year’s OUSD Spelling Bee continues a surge of interest which began with the event’s revival in 2006 after years of dormancy. Inspired by the example presented in Akeelah and the Bee, a popular movie centered on the exploits of an unlikely spelling bee champion, OUSD resurrected its own competition to wide acclaim.

One of last year’s winners, 4th Grader Alexis Hager of Crocker Highlands, advanced to the Alameda County competition and captured third place while competing against older entrants from the 5th and 6th grades. Yet, even for those competitors who don’t become champions, the benefits of taking spelling seriously are substantial.

“Spelling is an important part of learning to write,” explained Jeannie Griffith, Manager for K-12 English Language Arts in the Oakland Unified School District. “At OUSD, we are committed to equipping our students to explain and understand how they spell words, read and write at grade level and develop a deeper understanding of language patterns. As we continue to propel our students toward higher standards, it is important that we recognize their achievements and encourage them with events like the Spelling Bee as they prepare for future successes.”

Event Details Event: Oakland Unified School District Spelling Bee Day: Thursday Date: December 13, 2007 Time: 5:00 PM until approximately 8:00 PM Place: Havenscourt Campus Auditorium 1390 66th Avenue Oakland, CA 94621

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