12 February 2017, American Corner of Karaganda Regional Universal Research Library named after N.V.Gogol has held first round of the Regional Spelling Bee contest. Spelling Bees have been part of American culture for the last 90 years.  In 1925, the first National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C. with 8 contestants.  Now, every year in June, the National Spelling Bee brings together the top 248 spellers from throughout the United States. 

It is a two-day contest and it is so popular that it broadcast live on national television. In this contest 27 students of universities took a part of orthographical competition. The MC (Master of Ceremonies) Kristina Spiridonova has opened the Spelling Bee. TarynO’ Hailie English Language Fellow and Polina Bashlova the foreign language teacher from Murager School were judges, who decided if the word spelled correct or incorrect. Elizabeth Blackburn Fulbright English Teaching Assistant was pronouncer of this contest and Kulmagambetova Dinara, library staff was the Timekeeper.

 For the warm-up, we hold a practice round to make sure what it would be like in the real one.

The contest consisted of several rounds. Participants were very prepared and were able to make through each round easily. At the end of last round we had 3 winners:

  • 1st place: Medina Kanzhetay (Karaganda State Medical University)
  • 2nd place: AblaiAbdissaparov (Academy Bolashak)
  • 3rd place: AmiraDoskhanova (Karaganda State University)

Our winners received certificates and amazing prizes such as i-Pod Touch and i-Pod Shuffle from Apple Company. Also all the participants received certificates of participation.

We congratulate our winners and wish them luck in the Final competition of Spelling Bee which will be held 4th March in Astana.

This event was completed by the big photo shoot. Also, local mass media journalists visited us: Olga Moos, newspaper ”Vzglyadnasobytie” and television channel “Kazakhstan Karagandy”.