PORT ANGELES — The second annual spelling bee for Port Angeles School District fourth-graders starts at 9:30 a.m. today.
The first spelling bee in the district last year was only open to fourth-graders at Franklin Elementary School in southeast Port Angeles.
This year, the sponsoring Port Angeles Soroptimist Club-Jet Set decided to expand the event to all fourth-graders.
Today’s district-wide bee is open to the public and will be held in the Port Angeles City Council Chambers of City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St.
The Soroptimists purchased a new spelling program for students in the first through eighth grades last year.
All of today’s words will come from the first 500 in the Rebecca Sitton Spelling Workbook.
The Jet Set Soroptimists set aside $1,000 to sponsor the spelling bee.
“We rented a bus to get the kids there, so it won’t cost the school district anything,” President Jean Fairchild said.
The winners will get bee bobblehead dolls, Fairchild said.
“They are just darling,” she said.
The judges for the contest will be Marian Mertz and Billie Grauberger, while Sandy Keys will be the pronouncer. Fairchild will be the timer, and Marsha Robin will be the master of ceremonies.
