Format:

• Participating students, coordinators and CCIU staff will meet in the same Zoom room at 9:00 a.m. for a “Welcome & Rules.” The top 10 finalists from the preliminary round will comprise the final championship round.
• Spellers must have access to a computer with a working webcam and microphone and are required to install Zoom.
• Spellers must have their video turned off and muted when it is not their turn to spell.
• Spellers must be in a room with no other electronic devices, except for the device they are utilizing to Zoom for the Spelling Bee.
• Spellers must change their Zoom name to their school and first name. (Example: CCIU - Joe).
• Each speller must stand up when their name is called for their turn to spell.
• Each speller will use their webcam to show the entire room they are spelling in, including closed doors and the speller’s body from the waist up.
• The speller’s computer must be on a table and the speller’s back must be facing a wall.
• The speller must have their face and hands visible the entire time they are spelling.
• Spellers may ask for all or any of the following: a repeat of the pronunciation; alternate pronunciations; part(s) of speech; word definition; etymology; and/or a sentence as listed in the competition word list produced by the SNSB. The pronouncer cannot entertain root word requests for alternate definitions or requests for slower pronunciation.
• During the preliminary rounds, the words will be given from the study list that is provided. If the word is misspelled, the speller is out of the competition.
• If the word is spelled correctly by the speller, their camera must then be turned off, they must mute their microphone and wait until their name is called for the next round. This will continue until the competition is down to 10 spellers who will comprise the final round.

Pronouncers:

The pronouncers for all rounds will be independently contracted by the CCIU. The pronouncers will alternate pronouncing by round. The lead pronouncer in a round will give all available word information requested by the speller for the round.

Judges:

If a judge feels that the pronunciation of a word is incorrect, they may request that the pronouncer corrects their pronunciation. The judges’ decisions are final. 

Appeals/Challenges:

Appeals must be made via Zoom chat after each round and before the next round. Appeals will only be entertained if a speller offered a correct spelling of a given word listed in the official dictionary that exactly matches the pronunciation, definition and etymology given. Archaic variants are not appealable. Appeals based on a speller’s misunderstanding, mispronunciation or any other reason other than a correct spelling, will be denied.

Legal:

All portions of the CCIU’s Virtual Spelling Bee will be recorded and potentially streamed on CCITV’s YouTube channel in June.

Due to the online nature of the Spelling Bee, various security requirements will be in place throughout the competition. The competition will be monitored at all times and spellers must follow the protocols below or they will be eliminated from the competition and forfeit all fees and prizes. If at any time a speller does not abide by the following rules, they may be disqualified from the competition. Only participating students, coordinators and CCIU staff will be given access to the Zoom room. If your contact information is not listed or given to CCIU staff, you will not be given access.

• Spellers must be in a room alone using a computer that is on a table with a wall as a backdrop.
• The competition will be held via Zoom and will be recorded.
• At the start of each speller’s first turn, they will be asked to use his/her webcam to show all parts of the room, including all doors, which are required to be closed.
• Spellers may not access outside help or resources at any time during the competition.
• This includes people, devices, word lists, books, an additional computer monitor, earbuds or software of any kind.
• At any time during a speller’s turn, they may be asked again to pan their environment with the computer’s webcam.
• During the entire time a speller is fielding and spelling a word, they must be visible for the judges to watch remotely. This includes showing their hands and body from the waist up the entire time. Sound may not be turned off at any time while a speller is spelling their word.
• If there is a failure in the speller’s internet connection after a speller has been given a word to spell or during their attempt to spell, it is automatically declared a missed word and the speller may not continue.