As the director of marketing for the Evansville Courier & Press, Kathryn Nix has been running the Tri-State Spelling Bee for 16 years. Each year, she watches as 142 students from 36 counties in Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky compete for a trip to Washington, D.C. She was there last year, when the Tri-State Spelling Bee went a record 42 rounds.
And yet, through all the years, she still can't pinpoint her favorite moment.
"I really don't have one favorite memory," Nix said. "What makes the job of bee
director so rewarding is to hear parents and teachers tell us how much they
appreciate the learning opportunity the spelling bee provides to the students."
The Tri-State Spelling Bee is a signature
community event for the Evansville Courier & Press.
According to Nix, it's an event where students compete in a healthy, supportive
environment and become more confident while gaining competency in the areas of
vocabulary, word origins, reading and writing.
"It's great to see the pride and excitement displayed by the bee champion each
year, and to witness the support from family, friends, teachers and
principals," Nix said. "I also enjoy watching the students support and cheer
each other on."
Every student that completes the Saturday morning written test receives a
backpack that includes a special medal and certificate. The students who
advance to the oral rounds receive trophies. The runner-up and champion of the Evansville
Courier & Press Tri-State
Spelling Bee each receive two trophies-one to display at school and one for
their home.
This year, there was even a designated photo area with a customized backdrop so
students could show off their medals and trophies. Nix said it was a popular
place for students and their families all day long.