Busy, buzzing, spelling bees, from early morning to afternoon. The best English spellers of the land arrived in warm clothes that covered hearts brimming with hope. Heads bursting with words learnt and repeated until etched on their scalps, letter by letter. Each word on stage, taking the trip from the top of the palate to the tip of the tongue. 

It’s hard! Of course! A stumble is but a detail away, and in front of so many people. Peers as anxious and triumph-hungry as you, ready to pounce from your flanks. Expectant teachers and parents in front, probably even more angst ridden than you. And those judges, telling you whether you live or you die? Did we say it’s hard? It’s horrendous!

Ok, maybe nobody died (allegedly) and it’s not technically horrendous. But oh is it exhilarating! It bears repeating: spelling bees can become heated affairs both on-stage and off-stage. Gasps are heard and stifled almost in the same moment, applauses burst when a kid wins and a consoling shoulder is offered to hide the tears of a little one that has to come down the stage, taking the last few steps just that little bit quicker. 

Such are spelling bees, as real as life, breaking everybody’s hearts as much as filling them with joy. We cannot but admire the participants, some as young as eight, to have such courage. To not only be there, but to stand up for themselves and their school. Respect.

We’d like to thank all the people that have made it possible for our Spelling Bee to succeed this year. 

The British Royal School: Carolina Durán, Francisca Tapia, Marta García, Angélica Durán, Svetlana Griazova, Don Luis, all their internal collaborators and their students. You’ve made as all feel as welcome as ever.

The Colegio Pumahue Chicureo: Alejandra Rodriguez, Nicole Quiñones, Andrea Correa, María José de la Cerda, María Francisca Galaz, Edna Vidal, Jimena Castro, Tatiana Bustos and so many others we hope we aren’t forgetting about!

And of course Casey Crandon, from Librería Inglesa, who officiated as our MC during the second day.

A big special thanks goes to all our judges, who sometimes have to take very tough choices and tell students on stage that they have to come down because of very small details. Big applause to: 1st Day: Manuela Cisternas (Colegio del Verbo Divino), Irene Gómez (American British School), María Zambrano (Arizona State School Teacher); 2nd Day: Alicia Paez (Universidad Diego Portales) and Daniza Falcón (American British School).

We’d also like to thank our sponsors Education First, who provided us with some prizes for our winners on both days that elicited some very excited responses from them!

Our Traveling Trophy for Outstanding Achievement in Spelling Bee this year went to Colegio del Verbo Divino, Las Condes, as they collected the most points for participation, rounds passed and top places. Congratulations!

This year the table of winners stands as following: