Yukoners are invited to come and cheer on more than 50 of the Yukon’s best student spellers, at this Friday’s 2009 Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Northwestel Spelling Bee.

The event will take place in the main foyer of the Yukon Government administration building on 2^nd Avenue in Whitehorse on Friday, February 20^th. The event begins at 8:30 a.m. with registration. The competition will begin shortly after 9 a.m. and is expected to continue on into the early afternoon with the elimination rounds. 

The Northwestel Spelling Bee is part of this weekend’s Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous festivities. This is the eighth year that Northwestel has sponsored the spelling bee during the Rendezvous weekend.

“We are so pleased to support this excellent event once again this year,” said Anne Kennedy, Northwestel Director Communications. “The spelling bee gives students from throughout the Yukon a chance to demonstrate their spelling skills, meet with students from other schools and play a wonderful part in the annual Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous celebration.”

The students will compete in one of three categories, English, French and French Immersion. To date, there are 26 registered to compete in English, 10 in French, and 17 in French Immersion. Additional students may register just prior to the competition on Friday morning.

The 53 students who are registered so far come from 13 Yukon schools. They are Robert Service School in Dawson City, St. Elias Community School in Haines Junction, Golden Horn Elementary and Hidden Valley Elementary just outside Whitehorse, and a number of Whitehorse schools: Christ the King Elementary, École Emilie-Tremblay, École primaire Whitehorse Elementary School, Elijah Smith Elementary, Holy Family Elementary, Jack Hulland Elementary, Selkirk Elementary, Takhini Elementary and Vanier Catholic Secondary.

Students from Grades 3 to 9 are eligible to compete in the spelling bee. Participants will compete for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place in English, French and French Immersion.

The three 1^st place winners will receive cash awards of $150.00 each, the three 2^nd place winners $100.00 each and the three 3^rd place winners $75.00 each. All nine winners will also receive a trophy and a selection of other prizes donated by Northwestel.

In addition, all the schools whose students win 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd place will benefit by receiving a cash award of $200.00 and a larger trophy to display at the school for a year.

In 2008, Northwestel contributed more than $670,000 in cash and in-kind donations to many northern community groups, including the 2008 Arctic Winter Games. Throughout its history, Northwestel has played a key role in the economic, social and cultural development of the North. Northwestel is recognised as a key contributor to the well-being of northern communities through its community investment program and the volunteer contributions of its employees.

Northwestel provides complete telecommunications solutions in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, northern British Columbia and High Level, Alberta. The company’s operations span nearly 4 million square kilometres of the most remote and rugged areas of Canada.