The New Zealand Vegemite Spelling Bee 2010 is a nationwide event for courageous Year 9 students who are keen to experience the twin challenges of spelling tricky words and competing in front of an audience.

There will be five regional competitions, held in the Lower South Island (Dunedin) on Monday 8 March, in the Upper South Island (Christchurch) on Tuesday 9 March, in the Central North Island (Hamilton) on Wednesday 10 March, in the Upper North Island (Auckland) on Thursday 11 March and in the Lower North Island (Wellington) on Monday 15 March. The top three finalists from Auckland and Wellington and the top two finalists from Hamilton, Christchurch and Dunedin, will then meet in Wellington for the final on Saturday 20 March.

In each regional competition, ten of the 20 words in Round 1 and all of the words in Round 2 (oral test) will be selected from the New Zealand Vegemite Spelling Bee 2010 word list. Up to twenty spellers will go on to round 3, the competition main.

The New Zealand Vegemite Spelling Bee 2010 includes a number of amazing prizes, including the overall prize of a trip to Washington DC to the 82nd Scripps National Spelling Bee. Other prizes include airfares to the New Zealand Vegemite Spelling Bee final and more than $3000 of electronic dictionaries kindly donated by sponsor, Franklin Electronic Publishers.

Overall Winner
The New Zealand Vegemite Spelling Bee 2010 champion will win the New Zealand National Spelling Bee champion trophy and a trip for two (airfares, six nights accommodation at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel and US$500 spending money) to Washington DC to represent New Zealand at the 83rd Scripps National Spelling Bee in May (dates to be confirmed).  He/she will also win a Speaking Collegiate Dictionary Hi DMQ-1870, rrp $399.95 donated by Franklin Electronic Publishers, a copy of Webster's Third New International Dictionary, unabridged, donated by Merriam-Webster and the Samuel Louis Sugarman Award - a US$100 Saving Bond, donated by Mr Jay Sugarman and he/she will also win a 12 month subscription to the New Zealand Listener. The winner will also receive athe Collins Dictionary and Thesaurus #DMQ-118, rrp $99.95.

School Prizes
The school at each regional competition with the most spellers competing will receive $400 worth of Pocket Spellers (8 Collins Spellchecker # SPQ-109, rrp $49.95) donated by Franklin Electronic Publishers as a prize for supporting the event wholeheartedly. (Schools must be at the prize giving to receive their prize.)

Teacher Prizes
The teacher at each regional competition with the most spellers competing will receive a 12 month subscription to the New Zealand Listener.

Upper North Island Regional Spelling Bee
The winner, second and third place getter will receive return air tickets to the New Zealand National Spelling Bee final in Wellington on Saturday 21 March for themselves and their parent or caregiver. The winner will also receive the Collins Dictionary & Thesaurus # DMQ-119, rrp $99.95 and the second place getter will receive the Collins Spellchecker # SPQ-109, rrp $49.95 both donated by Franklin Electronic Publishers.

Central North Island Regional Spelling Bee
The winner and second place getter will receive return air tickets to the New Zealand National Spelling Bee final in Wellington on Saturday 20 March for themselves and their parent or caregiver. The winner will also receive the Collins Dictionary & Thesaurus # DMQ-119, rrp $99.95 and the second place getter will receive the Collins Spellchecker # SPQ-109, rrp $49.95 both donated by Franklin Electronic Publishers.

Lower North Island Regional Spelling Bee
The winner, second and third place getter will qualify for the New Zealand National Spelling Bee final in Wellington on Saturday 20 March. The winner will also receive the Collins Dictionary & Thesaurus # DMQ-119, rrp $99.95 and the second place getter will receive the Collins Spellchecker # SPQ-109, rrp $49.95 both donated by Franklin Electronic Publishers.

Upper South Island Regional
The winner and second place getter will receive return air tickets to the New Zealand National Spelling Bee final in Wellington on Saturday 20 March for themselves and their parent or caregiver. The winner will also receive the Collins Dictionary & Thesaurus # DMQ-119, rrp $99.95 and the second place getter will receive the Collins Spellchecker # SPQ-109, rrp $49.95 both donated by Franklin Electronic Publishers.

Lower South Island Regional Spelling Bee
The winner and second place getter will receive return air tickets to the New Zealand National Spelling Bee final in Wellington on Saturday 20 March for themselves and their parent or caregiver. The winner will also receive the Collins Dictionary & Thesaurus # DMQ-119, rrp $99.95 and the second place getter will receive the Collins Spellchecker # SPQ-109, rrp $49.95 both donated by Franklin Electronic Publishers.

* The travel is booked by the event organizer and it is for return airfares from where the regional spelling bee was held.

Here is the New Zealand Vegemite Spelling Bee 2010 word list. After you have registered, start learning the word list. This is available to download here in pdf form so you can print it out. (If you need to download a pdf reader go to http://www.acrobat-reader-8.com/.)

In each regional spelling bee, ten of the 20 words in Round one (written test) and your one word in Round two (oral test) will be selected from this word list. Up to 20 finalists will then go onto round three and beyond. The words in these rounds will come from The Concise Oxford English Dictionary (11th edition) which will serve as the final authority for the spelling of words. For more details about the words and the spelling of them please read the rules http://www.spellingbee.co.nz/competition/comp-rules.html.
Download a pdf version of the New Zealand Vegemite Spelling Bee 2010 word list here.

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