Students from all over the county are starting to practice their I before E except after C’s to gear up for the Stanislaus County Spelling Championship next week.

Competitions will start in November with the Elementary Spelling Championship for children in grades four through six competing Nov. 3 at Gregori High School in Modesto and the Junior High Spelling Championship for those in grades seven and eight competing Nov. 9 at the Peterson Event Center in Modesto. Both competitions will run from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

Each school in the competition will bring two students who have been dubbed the top spellers in their schools.

For students to prepare for the competition Stanislaus County Office of Education posts the list of words they will be testing the students on with definitions and practice sentences.

Local schools participating in the Elementary Spelling Championship are Chatom, Denair, Hughson, Keyes, Sacred Heart and Turlock. They are among 21 schools competing at this level.

Local schools participating in the Junior High Spelling Championship are Denair Middle and Turlock Junior High Schools. They are among 22 schools competing at this level.

The top two spellers at the Elementary School level will compete at the state competition in Sonoma on May 21, 2011. The top two spellers at the Junior High level will compete at the state level in San Rafael in May 2011.

To contact Maegan Martens, e-mail mmartens@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2015.