Tuesday, December 16, 2008

BEEing a Good Speller and Learning to BEE an Even Better Person!!



Recently, our annual school Spelling Bee was held on a Friday afternoon. The winner will participate in the district Spelling Bee in January. Cameron was one of two representatives from his class. He was very excited and very proud! He studied the week of the contest and was fairly confident in a good way. His Tia came all the way from Douglas to see him. I told him how proud I was of him just being a participant. I also shared with him how I still remember the word that I missed when I was in seventh grade in our spelling bee at Loretto School in Douglas.

I think that having the opportunity to participate is great for kids. They go up in front of all the students in third through sixth grade, as well as teachers, staff, and parents. The students are very nervous. I always stand by the benches and give the students encouragement and a hug if needed when they miss.

The first round is a practice round so that the kids can learn the rules and get a bit of nervousness out of their systems. Cameron spelled his practice round word correctly. His words that he spelled correctly were "diplomat, tundra, feldspar, and Frankenstein." This year the students were able to write the word before spelling it. Cameron did this every time. I believe that he is a good speller because he is such an avid reader. I think that is why I have never had trouble with spelling (until I got old, that is).

Anyway, all of a sudden there were just three spellers left and Cameron was one of them. Then we were down to two and again there was Cameron. The other speller is a great young lady who is a sixth grader. Cameron was given the word "ramada." He spelled is "rOmada." The young lady spelled her word correctly and so she was the champ.

The last three students were asked to give their names and whose class they were in. I think that the most proud moment with Cameron was when he clapped for the winner. To me, that good sportsmanship was the absolute most important "winning" that he could do! What a life lesson the Spelling Bee can bee.................

5 remarks:

Carol Dunton said...

Way to go, Cameron! Not only is he smart as can 'bee', but such a wonderful boy who is equally supportive of his peers! Great sportsmanship will always serve him well! I'm proud of him, too! He's growing up so fast and he's such a wonderful boy! Congrats to Cameron and his whole family! : )
xoxo
Carol

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Cameron ~ I was proud of you up there in front of all of us! Love & hugs, Nancy

Susie of Arabia said...

To make it to the final two is something Cameron can be very proud of. He's a winner in my book - Wow! And to show such grace at his age is amazing. He deserves an award!

Julie said...

Oh that is wonderful! Not only that he came so close to winning but that he clapped for the winner. Cameron is a special kid.....has been since he arrived in this world! Congrats to you Sheila for the wonderful influence and support you have provided!

Dottie said...

Dear Sheila, First, the music you put to your post about Cameron cracked me up!! Good memories too!! :o)

I am SO proud of Cameron!! As a fourth grader, he had an extraordinary amount of courage and confidence to compete against fourth, fifth, and sixth graders! He was holding his own competing against the sixth grader who won up to the very last word! And, to have such social grace to congratulate the winner! Way to go, Cameron! What an incredible young man!!

Kerri, you're doing an excellent job raising such a fine young man!! He's going to continue to make you proud throughout his entire lifetime!! Does he appreciate yet all the time and effort you put into helping him study for the spelling bee??!?! I hope so!!! :o)

Cameron, you continue to make us PROUD!!!!!! You're an AWESOME kid!!!

Lots of love,
Dottie