The Bee Must Go On: Kaplan and Hexco Team Up to Hold Live, Online National Spelling Bee During Week of July 26
June 16 2020 - 10:10AM
Business Wire
Kaplan Inc., a premier provider of educational programs and
services, has teamed up with Hexco, Inc., DBA Hexco Academic, to
co-host a national online spelling bee during the week of July 26,
2020. The bee will provide an opportunity for the nation’s top
spellers to compete online, giving priority to eighth-grade
students who were scheduled to spell at the Scripps National
Spelling Bee, which was cancelled due to COVID-19. Hexco, a
50-year-old company, has provided materials for National Spelling
Bee contestants for 38 years.
The online spelling bee will utilize computerized quizzes as
well as oral spelling rounds in which contestants will spell words
out loud. Vocabulary rounds and tiebreaker tests will also be
included. Cash prizes and trophies will be given to the top three
spellers and medals will be awarded to the finalists. The 2017
National Spelling Bee Champion, Ananya Vinay, who correctly spelled
the word “marocain” (a type of dress fabric), will serve as
pronouncer in Round One. In 2018, Ananya joined SpellGenius by
Mathus Academy to work as a spelling coach, while attending high
school.
The award prizes for top competitors are subject to be
increased, but the minimum prizes to be awarded by Hexco are:
Champion (1st Place), $10,000; 1st Runner-Up (2nd Place), $4,000;
2nd Runner-Up (3rd Place), $1,500. Winners will also be granted
free access to Kaplan’s PSAT, SAT and ACT test prep programs. With
just a few weeks to organize this first-rate online spelling bee,
Hexco is seeking additional support to reach its enrollment goal of
a few hundred participants and increase prizes amounts for the
winners, all of whom will have prepared for the competition under
unprecedentedly challenging circumstances. Sponsors will be
recognized on the competition’s website as well as on Hexco’s
social media pages.
“We know just how important the bee is to young spellers and
thought it was imperative to give them a chance to compete in
something that gives them such pride and joy every year. Kaplan is
excited to partner with Hexco, which has such a rich tradition of
helping spellers be their best selves, to bring the bee to a new,
live, online format. We are looking forward to delivering an
unforgettable experience to competitors and viewers,” said Dennis
Yim, director of academics, Kaplan.
Pronouncers are David Riddle and Charlie Underwood. Riddle of
Pacific Grove, CA, is a National Senior Spelling Bee Champion,
former Hexco spelling coach, and retired lawyer. He coached his son
for the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2004 and has served as
pronouncer in over 50 adult and student spelling bees. Underwood of
Auburn, PA, has coached spellers for 32 years and serves as
pronouncer for the spelling bee sponsored by the Republican-Herald
newspaper of Pottsville, PA. Winner of the 2005 Pennsylvania State
Senior Spelling Bee championship, Underwood is a retired teacher,
administrator, and adjunct instructor who has coached 15 spellers
to compete at the national level.
“These challenging times provide a unique opportunity to inspire
a new generation,” said Linda Tarrant, President of Hexco, Inc.
“Kaplan’s capacity to facilitate a highly professional virtual
stage experience, combined with (our) decades of spelling bee
involvement, gives us great confidence that our collaborative
online spelling bee will honor the hard work and study by some of
the brightest young minds today.”
“While I was sad to hear that the in-person National Spelling
Bee was cancelled, I am excited to be a part of this live, online
spelling bee and pronounce in Round One,” Ananya said. “This is a
great opportunity for all spellers to test their skills and have
fun!”
In 2019, Hexco celebrated 22 years of consecutive spelling
champions who used Hexco study products. Hexco has provided direct
support for two other national spelling contests─North South
Foundation and the South Asian Spelling Bee─and has participated in
the production of two well-known spelling bee documentaries. The
company was the first to launch a professional Personal Spelling
Coach (PSC) program and has since added numerous online spelling
courses which include “spell bees” as well as one-on-one
tutoring.
Anyone who has not reached the age of 15 on or before August 31,
2020, and has not passed the eighth grade by the end of the 2019-20
school year, may register. The entrance fee is $125 and
registration is open until July 19, 2020, or, until full capacity
is reached.
For rules, or more information on registering or becoming a
prize sponsor or student sponsor, please visit
www.onlinespellingbee.com. For press inquiries, contact Russell
Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com.
About Kaplan
Kaplan, Inc. serves over one million students globally each year
through its array of higher education, test preparation,
professional education, English-language training, and university
preparation programs, and offerings to individuals, institutions,
and businesses. Across its 80-plus year history, first as a small
test-prep pioneer and then an early online education leader and now
a global education provider, Kaplan has been recognized for
expanding educational access and using technology and learning
science innovations to continually improve outcomes for its
students and partners. Kaplan has operations in nearly 30
countries, employs more than 12,000 full- and part-time
professionals, and maintains relationships and partnerships with
more than 1,000 school districts, colleges, and universities, and
about 10,000 corporations and businesses. Kaplan is a subsidiary of
Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC) and its largest division. For
more information, please visit www.kaplan.com.
Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings
Company (NYSE: GHC)
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200616005704/en/
Press: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com,
917.822.8190 Twitter: @KapTestNews
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