Illinois Times hosting regional spelling bee

Illinois Times will host a regional spelling bee in February, giving students from central Illinois a chance to compete with other top spellers at the Scripps National Spelling Bee held in Washington, D.C. Kate McKenzie is the CEO of Local Journalism Matters, a nonprofit organization that oversees Illinois Times, Springfield Business Journal and several niche publications. “The spelling bee promotes literacy and academic achievement, and I thought it was a wonderful way for us to give back to our community,” a key goal for the recently formed nonprofit, she said. Scripps National Spelling Bee encouraged Illinois Times to be a regional partner and launch a spelling bee for the area, with the winner earning a spot to compete in the national competition. There’s been no contestant from central Illinois in the Scripps National Bee since 2015. Elementary and middle school students are eligible to participate.

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