The Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre in New Braunfels will host the regional spelling bee March 27. The event will see participation from students in Comal and 17 adjacent counties, according to a press release from the Brauntex Theatre.
Risa Miller, production manager for the Brauntex Theatre, said so far 83 schools are registered, including two from New Braunfels-area districts.
Comal ISD's Rahe Elementary School and New Braunfels ISD's Veramendi Elementary School have registered, but Miller said she hopes many more schools locally and regionwide will sign up ahead of the Dec. 20 deadline.
Miller said more than double the number of schools that are currently registered participated in the 2019 regional bee, and the 2020 national bee was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"The biggest problem is getting the word out," she said. "There were 200 schools that participated last year."
Miller said getting the word out for the upcoming event has been a challenge, but also acknowledges the COVID-19 pandemic has likely played a large role in the underperforming number of registrants.
Miller emphasized that participating schools can still hold their qualifying bees with COVID-19 precautions in place, and the main event at the Brauntex Theatre, with its seating capacity of 600, can more than accommodate social distancing.
Another big need for the regional bee, Miller said, the event is in need of more sponsors. One of the largest sponsors of previous regional bees, the San Antonio Express News, has so far not enlisted for the 2021 regional bee, Miller said.
"We need sponsors as soon as we can get sponsors," she said. "We would like to have them by the end of January, but I haven’t set a deadline yet."
How to sign up:
- Schools may sign up at www.spellingbee.com.
- The deadline to do so is Dec. 20.
- The cost per school is $175 and includes teaching guides and spelling bee tools.
- For all other information, including how to sponsor the regional bee, visit www.brauntex.org.
