Every year millions of students participate in spelling around the country. Some dread these annual school and are relieved to drop out in the early rounds. Some, however, study for a day, hoping to take part in the glory of "Bee Week"-the National Spelling Bee finals.

Bee Week
In 2006, the National Spelling Bee took from May 31-June 1. But the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee actually started before, as, every year, competition is narrowed at school, local, and events. Ultimately about 250 spellers are sent to Washington DC for the national . At that time must be under sixteen years of age and not yet promoted beyond grade eight.
Bee Week isn't all spelling. Competitors also enjoy , ice-cream socials, barbecues, and a talent show. In 2006, Katharine Close, an eighth grader from New Jersey, took home $30,000 in cash, scholarships and bonds, among other , for correctly spelling "ursprache." This was her fifth time competing in the spelling bee and she is the first to win since 1999.

How It Came to Bee
The National Spelling Bee was by the Louisville, Kentucky, Courier-Journal in 1925. With competitions, cash prizes, and a to the nation's capital, the Bee hoped to stimulate "general interest among pupils in a subject."
The Scripps Howard News Service took over the Bee in 1941. Over the years, the Bee has grown from a mere 9 contestants to the 2005 high of 273.

What's a Bee?
The word "bee" has long been used to describe a gathering of people who come together for a special , such as quilting, spinning, logging, or raising a barn. "Spelling bee" in particular is an American term that came into use by the 1870s.
Many think that this use of "bee" was inspired by the hard-working social of the same name. But some scholars believe it comes from the Middle English "bene," meaning a favour, which was sometimes used to describe helping out with a particular activity.

The Spelling Bee on the media
Spelling bees have been featured on and stage in recent years. The 2002 Oscar-nominated documentary Spellbound followed eight real-life contestants to the National Bee, showing a variety of cultural and economic , and revealing the Bee to be a microcosm of America itself. The National Bee, while not the subject of the film, also plays a key role in 2005's Bee Season. And 2006 has brought Akeelah and the Bee, the story of an African American girl from Los Angeles who finds inner and community support in her drive for the National Bee. And while not about the National Bee, a spelling bee is the focus of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a Broadway musical that won two Tony awards in 2005.

The final day of the two-day National Bee has been shown on ESPN for thirteen years. In 2006, the preliminary rounds of that day were on ESPN, but the final rounds were aired on ABC in prime time, reflecting the increased of the competition.
Adapted from www.factmonster.com