It’s Spelling Time
Published 6:08 pm Tuesday, February 14, 2017
- Debbie Burdette offered singing bee telegrams for Valentine’s Day on Tuesday to raise money for the Certified Literate Community Program. The annual spelling bee, which is the organization’s biggest event, is Feb. 27. (Photo by Jennifer Shrader | Daily News)
LaGRANGE- Troup County’s CLCP (Certified Literate Community Program) will host its 19th annual adult Spelling Bee at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27 at the Callaway Conference Center.
The Certified Literate Community Program is known to promote community-wide literacy and enhance the quality of literacy in accordance to the guidelines of the State of Georgia. The CLCP encourages reading and supports literacy awareness programs that students can benefit from.
The bee was created to set up a fun and enticing way to raise funds and awareness for literacy. Funds from the bee are geared toward providing GED scholarships for students, purchasing pictionaries and books for babies and supporting the Little Free Library stations around town.
“Anything that has to do with literacy resource or awareness we try to provide resources for those areas,” said Debbie Burdette, executive director of the Troup CLCP.
The contest involves adults from age 18 and older. Different local businesses will have a team that consists of three members, and if a business cannot get any of their employees or customers to participate, then they can sponsor teachers from Troup and LaGrange high schools.
Businesses and schools that have taken part over the years have been The Kid Station Pediatrics, Smith Design Group, KIA, Twin Cedars, LaGrange High School, Calumet Bank, West Georgia Technical College, Troup County Medical Society, and others.
Last year’s champion Troup High School will be back this year to defend the title.
“Most people think it’s younger people participating in the spelling bee but it’s the adults,” said Burdette. “I want families to bring their children because I want the children to see that adults still have fun learning and that they are participating in learning new words and new things too. So, hopefully it can be an inspiration to the children to keep learning and have fun doing it.”
The annual event also includes the Literacy Awards. The final day to nominate someone to receive the literacy award is Feb. 20. Go to troupclcp.org for information.
Reach James Simpson II at 706-884-7311, ext. 2155, or by email at james.simpson@lagrangenews.com
