Almost 150 elementary and middle school students from across Central Texas are expected to walk through the doors of the Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre on Saturday — but only one will emerge a regional spelling champion.
For the second year in a row the Brauntex is playing host to some of the brightest spellers representing public, home, charter and private schools from Bexar, Comal, Gillespie, Kerr and other surrounding counties.
Last year’s spelling bee at the Brauntex only welcomed 87 school champions because of COVID-19, but now that restrictions have been lifted 149 students will spell it out for the chance to compete on the national stage.
“Last year we did social distancing in the audience and on the stage, and we took more precautions,” Brauntex production coordinator Risa Miller said. “We’re happy to have a traditional oral bee this year.”
Three schools from Comal Independent School District and about seven elementary schools from New Braunfels Independent School District are scheduled to participate in this year’s regional spelling bee competition.
Fifth grader Marley Chamberlin will be representing Veramendi Elementary, fourth grader Wyatt Gomez is the spelling champion for Voss Farms Elementary, fifth grader Aryana Clack is competing for Memorial Elementary and County Line Elementary is sending fifth grader Andy Cortes, who has competed at the campus level for three years.
“We are very proud of our students’ efforts, time, discipline, and courage,” Rebecca Villarreal, the executive director of communications for New Braunfels Independent School District said. “Participating in a spelling bee is a big achievement.”
Last year’s regional champion Harini Logan from The Montessori School of San Antonio is also expected to compete this year for her last regional spelling bee at the elementary and middle school level. Logan, who has won the last several regional competitions and gone on to compete nationally, finished last year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee tied for 31st.
When students arrive at the Brauntex they will undergo a written spelling examination to determine who competes in front of an audience. Based on the results of the written test, one student from each school district will advance to the oral competition in the afternoon.
Following the test, visiting competitors and their families will get a chance to explore downtown New Braunfels during a two-hour break in the schedule as a way to encourage visitors from surrounding counties to take in everything the city has to offer.
“It’s our hope that these families plan to come spend the weekend in New Braunfels,” Miller said. “I’m hoping that they’ll take the opportunity to do a lot of fun things.”
After the competitors return to the Brauntex, spelling bee officials will announce the results of the exam and those who qualified for the oral competition will take the stage.
The winner of The Brauntex Bee will get to stay in Washington D.C. while competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee being held in National Harbor, Maryland on May 29 through June 3, and will be awarded four tickets to Schlitterbahn Waterpark.
All regional spellers will get movie passes from event sponsor Stars & Stripes Drive-In Theatre, and those that make it to the stage will get several passes to Natural Bridge Caverns, courtesy of their event sponsorship.
This year’s sponsors include Krause’s Cafe, Security State Bank & Trust, the Rotary Club of New Braunfels, the New Braunfels Community Foundation and H-E-B.
Carol Bissett, a retiree from the New Braunfels Public Library Services will act as the pronouncer while history professor Judith Hoffmann from Texas Lutheran University, New Braunfels Library Director Gretchen Pruett and retired English and math teacher Bonnie Leitch return as judges for the bee.
The bee kicks off at the Brauntex at 2:30 p.m. For ticket information or to find out more about The Brauntex Bee, please visit the Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre website.
