FREMONT, CA: Sunday March 11, a sunny day in California after continuous rains, saw students from across the Bay gather at Nurture Kids (Fremont Hub) for the Annual Spelling Bee competition. The whispers, the murmur, and the excitement on the faces of these students was telling a story. Weeks of hard work was finally going to pay off.
The story takes a different turn when you are on a different side of the aisle. Judging a competition for the first time, the perspective, the surprise the children throw at you with their confidence, is an experience in itself. The heart flutters as if you were participating in the competition. Unlike most competitions, where one has to pass a judgement on dancing skills, singing, spelling bee is easier on the judges than participants. It is either right or wrong. There is no debate on how it is to be judged. Having said that, it is an anxious wait to see children present their hard work in front of a crowd of familiar and not so familiar faces.
A well-organized competition, Nurture Kids Spelling Bee brought out the best in the children of all age groups. It started with Kindergarten students and moved upwards until the 6th grade. The children participated with vigor, asked questions when a word wasn’t clear, and gave it their best shot even when they weren’t sure. A rare glimpse of true sportsmanlike spirit in kids as young as 6-year-old was a treat to the eyes.
Each round presented an exemplary competitive spirit, the skill of the participants, and the hard work they had put in. While the competition brought out the best in children, the organization and the purpose behind conducting the competition is worth a mention.
Mrs. Shalini Dewan, CSO – Nurture Kids, talked to the parents before each round. She talked about the purpose behind conducting the competition. According to her, winning is not as important as participation. The idea is to give students the feel of a competition, kindle the sportsmanlike spirit in them that will not only help them with this competition but with everything they plan to undertake in life. Skills learnt in childhood go a long way in shaping the future. But the competition wasn’t all serious. She added her humorous touch, when she joked with children that they could tell her if their parents had pressurized them for the competition.
This Spelling Bee was a beautiful mix of talent, humor, proud moments, and a lot of words learnt. Nurture Kids does not stop here. Their quest to shape a child’s future continues into the summer. Very interesting camps/competitions are coming up. The summer camp starts on June 18th, while the Debate competition is on May 20th, 2018 at Fremont Hub.
India Post News Service
