Spelling bees are a lot more competitive than they were when I was a kid. Many of the contestants have personal coaches and spend all of their waking hours studying. Also,
Another game-changing development is the new invitational program known as “RSVBee,” now in its second year. In the past, spellers reached the national event only by winning a regional bee and securing a sponsor, often a newspaper, to cover expenses. But with the advent of RSVBee, which supplied 292 of this year’s 562 contestants, families who can afford a $1,500 entry fee — plus six nights at the $300-a-night Gaylord and other expenses — can bypass the traditional path to the Bee.
—National Spelling Bee uses ‘octochamps’ in a sentence, crowning eight co-champions
That pay-to-play aspect bothers me, so I console myself by thinking of Cheoah, a senior pup at The Thundering Herd.
Recently she was running in the yard with the youngster Landon when he picked up speed and raced to the house. Instead of vainly trying to compete she stopped to sniff at things for a bit, then raced to house by herself when she was ready.
Yes, I’m with Cheoah!
June 1, 2019
YES!!! she’s so beautiful. and smart! YAY Cheoah!
She’s one of my role models. 😀
I wonder how Cheoah’s name is pronounced.
It means “otter” in Cherokee. Here’s the pronunciation: https://www.howtopronounce.com/cheoah/
Cheoah is beautiful and wise to stop and sniff around first. Why be in such a rush.
That’s kind of crazy about the spelling bees. Sounds to me it’s not really for the best spellers, it’s more for the ones with rich parents.
The kids worked hard and did a phenomenal job, but they couldn’t have done it if they hadn’t paid for coaching. No poor students need apply, unless someone would pay for it.
What a beautiful dog and I know I would place in bottom half on spelling bee.
Coffee is on
When I was that age I was very shy — standing on a stage to spell would have been torment. I used to be a good speller, but now I get a lot of help from Google. 🙂
That doesn’t seem quite fair to the students who work hard to compete for their spot.
The Thundering Herd is a wonderful pack – we love them too.
Woos – Lightning, Misty, and Timber
That’s my feeling too. 🙁
that’s bonkers – the spelling bee, I mean…
hope someone is doing one of those longitude surveys of the paid v the unpaid spellers…where are they today, tomorrow, a decade away?
Did their wonderful prowess at spelling get them ahead…
reminds of those child beauty pageants…that seem to be in the USA…
I imagine all the winners will do well in life — they’re smart and hard working and have the support of their parents. The pay-to-play aspect of it does bother me.
no, I kind of disagree – many of those children, get so spoiled with extra this and that – and then when they are free of parents – go off the rails…OR as some find out when they being interviewed for that fabulous job, they aren’t going to have parents “paving (paying) the way” and they find themselves without that fabulous job.
I have heard of so many of our younger generation, expecting to “just have it” without too much effort – it from earlier times when parents paved the way/$ through to people who didn’t have that hand up but somehow got ahead of the pack…
I agree some kids are spoiled, but these have been working incredibly hard. If they go off the rails it will more likely be that it starts to feel meaningless — there must be more to life than that.
It seems to be the trend for parents these days—have your child achieve excellence at whatever cost, to make you feel you are a successful parent! Yesterday, I spent the afternoon at a dance recital that went on for almost three hours for children at all ages. Parts of it were beautiful, and the kids did some amazing stuff, but I couldn’t believe what their parents paid to have that happen!
I know. I think it’s sad.
Well that just makes me sad.
Life can be so unfair…
That’s why I prefer animals.
Cheoah is beautiful and wise!
xo
The need for such competition makes me sad too. Cheoah is my role model. 🙂