MILWAUKEE — There's a buzz growing in Milwaukee as the district-wide MPS Spelling Bee draws closer.
This year, for the first time, students at Honey Creek Elementary School will compete.
A first-place finisher and a runner-up have been chosen for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade levels. And now, each duo is practicing with a pool of over 400 words.
Mrs. Melannie Trudeau, who is leading this group of young spellers, says she's already noticed their vocabulary expanding and also adds that learning how to master difficult words helps with reading comprehension and all kinds of classroom assignments.
"Research shows that spelling is super important for all literacy skills," she explained.
Her students are excited to compete, but they already realize that spelling is a lifelong skill they'll need to succeed.
"If you can't spell words it might be hard to read the word that you're spelling," said Josiah Smith, the first-place finisher in 5th grade. "Reading is very important in almost anything you do! History, Social Studies, Math... you have to read."
TMJ4 is once again a proud sponsor of the MPS district-wide spelling bee.
Spellers from grades three through five will compete on April 13. Six through eighth graders will have their turn a week later on April 20. You can watch it all live on our website.
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