Registering your student for at least the first round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee! The first part is a written test which will take place on Wednesday, December 9th at 2:30 PM in the Design Lab. The written round will include words from only the 2027 School Spelling Bee Study List. The top 12 students from the written test will participate in the School Bee (Oral round) on Wednesday, February 24th at 2:30 PM in the Church Building on campus. This round will include words from both the 2027 School Spelling Bee Study List and the Words of the Champions. Eligibility: The Bee is open to all students in grades 5-8. Spellers must not have reached their 15th birthday on or before August 31, 2026, to qualify for the 2027 National Competition. The first, “450_words_with_def,” contains 450 words with definitions and serves as the official 2027 School Spelling Bee Study List. The second, “Words of the Champions,” is the supplemental list for the Final School Bee along with the 450 words from the list above. The third list is the “Bees Bookshelf” recommended reading list. Every word from the 2027 Study List appears in these books, giving students the opportunity to encounter their study words in the context of engaging stories. The School Bee winner will represent Willows Prep at the Regional Competition in Seattle in March (date not announced yet). *Once registration closes, you will be sent all documents and words lists to prepare!