Who?	All students in grades two and three of participating schools
		What?	Spelling Bee for each grade level represented to emphasize the importance of word knowledge at an early age
		When?	See the Academic Rodeo General Schedule and the Academic Rodeo Contest Timelines for specific dates and deadlines.
“Promoting excellence in education and showcasing the talents of all our youth.”		Where?	Contest will be held at the fairgrounds.

See General Guidelines for general event rules and award information.

Click links for 2nd Grade Word List and 3rd Grade Word List.

Word lists were last revised in February 2007.

Contest Rules 

(Revised July 2008)

Rules and Procedures:

• Grades 2 and 3 of all East Texas area schools are eligible. No more than 4 students (plus 2 alternates) per grade level per school can be designated to present each school.
• Each school must have a teacher/sponsor present at the event. The teacher/sponsor will certify contestants and alternates present at the event. Any and all necessary grievances with the judges MUST be filed by the teacher/sponsor. The judges will retain the right to disqualify any child whose parents or other representatives interfere with the flow of the competition.
• Contests at the campus level may be conducted in writing or orally, or a combination of the two to determine contestants for the East Texas State Fair Spelling Bee. However, we encourage an oral competition for the student to gain experience in spelling before an audience. The East Texas State Fair Spelling Bee shall be an oral competition, with elimination on a "miss-and-out" basis in the traditional Spelling Bee manner.
• Words used in the East Texas State Fair Spelling Bee shall be selected from word lists (2nd Grade Word List and 3rd Grade Word List) presented and designated for this contest. Words on the list may be arranged in levels of difficulty.
• After the pronouncer has given the word, the speller will have ten (10) seconds to begin to spell the word. THE JUDGES MAY DISQUALIFY ANY CONTESTANT WHO IGNORES A REQUEST TO START SPELLING. Words shall be pronounced according to the diacritical markings on the word list furnished. With the approval of the judges, fuller explanation of the meaning of the word to supplement the dictionary definition or definitions quoted will be given.
• In competition, after the pronouncer gives the speller a word, the speller should pronounce the word before spelling it and after spelling it . However, no speller will be eliminated for failing to pronounce a word.
• The speller may request the pronouncer to repeat the word, define it, or use it in a sentence. No other information about the etymology or history of a word will be given. If the speller has a specific root word in mind, the speller may ask if the dictionary lists that word as the root of the word to be spelled. The pronouncer shall grant all such requests until the judges agree that the word has been made reasonably clear to the speller.
• Due to the large number of participants expected and the time constraints involved, the judges retain the right to move the competition along by instructing the pronouncer to begin using the word list for the next level of difficulty. This change in word lists will only occur at the beginning of a round, and will be announced to the contestants and audience. Upon missing the spelling of a word, the speller immediately drops out of the contest. The next word on the pronouncer's list is given to the next speller.
• When the number of spellers is reduced to three (3), the elimination procedure changes. Students will draw numbers to determine the order in which each will spell. In order to prevent the speller's position in line from determining winning placements, the competition will continue as follows:
  • Scenario 1 : Each student will be given the opportunity to spell one (1) word. If each student spells their word correctly, or, if all three miss, they move on to the next round.
  • Scenario 2 : If one student misspells their word in a round, and the other two spell correctly in the same round, the student that missed is declared third place winner and the other two compete for first and second place in the play-off round.
  • Scenario 3 : If one student spells correctly and two spellers miss in the same round, the student who spells his/her word correctly, will be declared first place winner. The two spellers, who miss, will compete for second and third place in the play-off round.
• PLAY-OFF ROUND : When the spellers are reduced to two, the play-off round commences. The two students will again draw numbers to determine the order in which each will spell. Both students must spell their word correctly or both students must misspell their word in the same round to move on to the next round.
• When one of the last two spellers misses, and the other spells correctly in the same round, the one who spells their word correctly will be declared the winner of the play-off round.
• The lists, indicating grade level for competition as 2nd or 3rd Grade, shall serve as the final authority for the spelling of words in the East Texas State Fair Spelling Bee. If more then one spelling is listed for a word, any of these spellings will be accepted as correct if the word either matches the pronunciation and definition provided by the pronouncer, or if it is clearly identified as being a standard variant of the word that the contestant has been asked to spell.
• If a word has one or more homonyms, the pronouncer will indicate which of them is to be spelled. If the listed word is not properly identified either by defining it or by explaining the homonym, any correct spelling of any homonym will be accepted.
• Any question relating to the spelling of a word should be referred to the designated official immediately before the next contestant is given the next word to spell. No grievance will be entertained after the word has been given to another speller. Grievances must be submitted to the designated official(s) by the teacher/sponsor, and no one else. When only two spellers remain, the grievance must be made immediately before the second speller has started to spell the word given.
• The judges are in complete control of the Academic Rodeo Spelling Bee. All decisions made by the judges shall be final on all questions.

Spelling Bee Contest Timeline

(See Academic Rodeo Timeline for specific dates and deadlines.) 

• Primary Contact for school or organization will submit the School/Organization Registration Form by the deadline. See the Academic Rodeo Timeline for specific deadline.  Click here to see if your school is registered.
• Sponsor will select student participants for each grade level contest.
• Sponsor will register students using the Student Registration Form by the designated deadline. This can be coordinated with sponsors for other contests.
• Check the Academic Rodeo Schedule and Timeline for contest date and times for each level (2nd Grade or 3rd Grade) of competition.
• Winning students will be recognized at the Academic Rodeo Awards Celebration. Students and/or school sponsors should attend to accept awards for the school.