March 03, 2010
Sixth grade Teton Middle school student Tom Bates wins local spelling bee.
LEFT: Tom Bates holds up his prize for winning the second annual Teton County Spelling Bee last Thursday, a new Webster’s Dictionary, which may come in handy while he studies for the national spelling bee in Washington DC in June. CITIZEN PHOTO / JEANNETTE BONERTom Bates monopolized the second annual spelling bee event last Thursday. The sixth grader at Teton Middle School correctly spelled that very word; “monopolized” to win the spelling bee and a trip to “Bee Week” in Washington, D.C. for the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee tournament hosted the first week of June.
“It was unbelievable that I won,” Bates, 11, said on Monday.
This was Bates’ first spelling bee and it will be his first trip to Washington D.C. Bates will join more than 300 students from across the nation at the week long event in D.C. He is the first student in the state of Idaho this year to win the local spelling bee that earned him the trip to the national bee. He will likely join two other Idaho students who are sponsored by the Coeur d’Alene Press and the Lewiston Tribune newspapers whose local spelling bees will take place until at the end of this month.
The Teton Valley News sponsored this year’s bee. The bee played host to 15 students from valley schools. Students participated in smaller spelling bees during the day that narrowed the field for the Thursday evening event that took place on stage at the Teton High School auditorium. Bates’ may have looked nervous competing with his peers, but in the end, he said he more excited than anything.
“It was really exciting,” Bates said. “It made my heart pound that I might stand a chance,” he added of winning.
Bates admitted after his win that he had spent little time preparing for the spelling bee. He said on Monday that he is an avid reader, something he credits to his good spelling skills. He also said that he would be studying quite a bit in preparation for the national competition.
“I’m going to study an hour a week. Well, maybe more because it’s a once in a lifetime experience and if you’re going do sometime once, you might as well win,” Bates said.
Teton Middle School principal Steve Burch said that the event is great way for students to not only sharpen their spelling skills, but a good way to build confi dence by getting on stage and in front of peers to spell words.
“I was really proud of them,” Burch said of all the spellers. “Confidence is a big part of (the program). It’s amazing to me how the kids get so excited about it.” Bates is the third child of eight and the son of George and Susan Bates of Driggs. Last year, eighth grade home schooled student, Melanie Shea won the inaugural Spelling Bee.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the nation’s largest and longest-running educational promotion, administered on a not-for-profit basis by the E.W. Scripps Company and local spelling bee sponsors in the United States, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Department of Defense Schools in Europe; also, the Bahamas, Canada, China, Ghana, Jamaica, New Zealand, and South Korea.
Nominate
Valley Citizen of the Month for February, Bob Gammelin, received a night’s lodging at the Teton Springs Lodge and Spa. Citizen staff will choose an individual or group each month highlighting exceptional work or character based on your nominations. Teton Springs Lodge and Spa will recognize the Citizen of the Month with a similar gift from the resort. Please send your March nominations to news@valleycitizen.com or call 208-354-NEWS.
