The Barton County Spelling Bee will take place in January or February, but it may be a virtual event, said Kate Wary, chairperson of the bee sponsored annually by the Great Bend Kiwanis Club.

“At some point, there was some doubt about whether we would be able to hold it,” Wary said. The bee has always been held at Great Bend High School, but the school district has restricted outside use of its facilities during the pandemic.

“Scripps, the company in charge of the National Spelling Bee, had been working very hard on a Bee-approved software to hold the National Spelling Bee in a virtual format.  If it could be completed in time, they would release it for use at the county-level bees,” she explained. “We received word that they will be releasing that software to be used by county officials to administer a virtual bee – if we choose to go that route. With this as a failsafe, I knew we would be able to host a bee – even if it were in a virtual format.”

There are fewer schools registered this year than in past years, but Wary said they still expect a good showing from Barton County.

“People love the Bee. Kids love the Bee. Our community loves the Bee,” Wary said. “We are so glad to be able to do this for the kids, especially in a year that has been filled with cancellation after cancellation. We are adapting to this new environment, just like everyone else in the community, and we are thankful that technology allows us to hold the event safely. The important thing is that these kids who have worked hard will be able to showcase their academic achievements.” 

The winner will advance to the Sunflower State Spelling Bee, usually held at Newman University in the spring. It is unknown at this time if that will be a live or virtual event.