Have you ever thought of signing up for the Spelling Bee? You really should.

    The sixth annual Watertown elementary school Spelling Bee will be on Jan.31, 2016, for grades 1-5.

    “We have a Spelling Bee so [elementary school] students can get outside of their home, learn about spelling, and have fun,” said Elaina Griffith of the Cunniff School PTO.

     Students will compete in teams of three. Students need to be in the same grade but they don’t need to be from the same school. Teams should be formed and registered by Friday, Jan. 22.

    The teams come up with fun names and the students sometimes dress up in costumes

    The Spelling Bee works like this: When your grade gets called, there are groups called “hives”. When your team is called, you will go up to a table with your friends. Everyone will have a whiteboard and an Expo marker.

    “I love seeing how much kids have on stage with their microphones and whiteboards,’’ Ms. Griffith said.

    The judges will announce the first word and the students will do their best to write it down correctly. If it’s wrong, then they put down their picture of a bee, which will be in front of them.

     It is a non-competitive contest for the first-graders. The other grades  have three chances until they are out. The last team remaining wins.

   “Three strikes and you’re out,” said Ms. Griffith.

    The event will be held at Watertown Middle School at 68 Waverley Avenue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    The Spelling Bee raises money for the Watertown Education Foundation.

    The PTOs at the three Watertown elementary schools run the event. The event began six years ago. Amy Donohue of the Cunniff School and Watertown Education Foundation came up with the idea for the event.

    The words come from individual grade spelling lists. Last year, some fourth-graders in the final round used high school-level words.

     Winners in each grade receive a trophy, but fifth-grade winners also get $50 each.

    Any Watertown student from first to fifth grade can participate. Students can sign up either by filling out a paper flyer or by going to the Watertown Education Foundation website (http://watertowned.org/).

    Registrations are due Friday, Jan. 22. Registration costs $20 per student (or $60 for team of three). This year’s T-shirts are available for $10 each. Each year the T-shirts are designed by a student in the Watertown schools.

    If you have any questions, email either Amy Donohue ([email protected]) or the Watertown Education Foundation ([email protected]).

–CKN–