Argentina TESOL, artesol@bcl.edu.ar
Spelling bees are busy working in 12 countries this year.
Franklin Electronic Publishers in cooperation with TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) has launched the second global spelling competition for students who are learners of English. Last year seven countries participated in the 2009 event. They were Argentina, China, Germany, Italy, Mexico, South Korea, and Turkey. This year, five more countries were invited to participate. Chile, France, Russia, Senegal, and the United Arab Emirates.
The event consists of two stages. First, a local event, which is held in each participating country, results in the selection of first- and second-place winners. For the second stage, winners from the different countries travelled to New York City, where they participate in the final competition. The champion is awarded a scholarship valued at US$10,000. In Argentina, this year's kickoff was held May 14, 2010, at the Centro Cultural Borges.
ARTESOL contacted the Argentine participating schools. Students from Colegio Boston, Colegio champagnat, Instituto Euskal Echea, Escuela Normal Superior No.°2 "Mariano Acosta," Instituto Federico Leloir, Resistencia Chaco, Instituto Sta Maria de Nazareth, and Colegio Nacional Buenos Aires competed at the local event.
Last year, an Argentine student, Clara Brunetto, was the champion at the international event held in New York on August 9, 2009. What really matters is that these kids have taught us a lesson on how to compete. The energy, enthusiasm, marvelous sense of humor, and camaraderie these teenagers showed during the local event was worthy of adults' admiration and perhaps even some healthy envy.
Franklin representative | Maritza Lorge |
Judge | Maria Brisk, TESOL Board of Directors |
Judge | Craig Triplett, TESOL Central Office |
Pronouncer | Nila Clemente, Vice President 1° ARTESOL |
Timekeepers | Grace Martin, Vice President 2° ARTESOL, and Ana Maria Rocca, ARTESOL Past President and Board Member |
Master of Ceremonies | Mabel Gallo, ARTESOL President |
First Place Winner | Andreina Brugaletta, Escuela Normal Superior No.°2 "Mariano Acosta" |
Second Place Winner | Alex Tu, Colegio Nacional Buenos Aires |
Third Place Winner: | Cristina Pradier, Colegio Nacional Buenos Aires |
Fourth Place Winner | Ana Inés Spagnolo Lopez, Instituto Euska Echea |
2009 International Spell Event Winner | Clara Brunetto |
It is an honor for Argentina TESOL to have been given, once more, the opportunity to cooperate in the organization of this exciting educational event.
For further information, contact artesol@bcl.edu.ar or visit ARTESOL's Web site at http://www.artesol.org.ar.