March 18, 2004

By Miranda Schultz
Staff Writer

Last week 118 home schooled children from all over the Bay Area participated in
the SELAH Christian Schools Spelling Bee at New Life Mission Church in San Jose. Ranging in age from 6 to 16, the children were divided into six age groups, levels A through F.

The winner of the level F group is Julie Boiko, a 15-year-old girl from Almaden. Denise Boiko, her mother, says, “It was satisfying and also gratifying to study the words and win. She won't have many more chances to compete in this type of thing and it was thrilling for her to be involved in this.”

According to her mother, Boiko enjoys anything that has to do with words or literature, “although science is her main focus right now.” Boiko takes college level science classes (as a 10 th grader) at West Valley College.
Jill Varvell, coordinator for the event, drew about 1,000 words from inspiring quotations and divided the words, by difficulty, into six lists of about 150 words. The students participating were given the chance to study all of the lists ahead of time.

After the participant had gone through all 150 words, there was a spelling bee. Each student was given a notepad and pen and asked to spell words, which included proper nouns. An adult checked their paper after they raised their hand to notify they were finished.

All participants received a ribbon, and the winners of each age group received cold hard cash.  The prize money came from the entry fee, which was $5.50 per student and $15 per family.  The youngest winner received $25 and Boiko received $150.

SELAH Christian schools is a support group for Christian home schooling families.  They offer encouragement and instruction for parents and children, learning and social activities and resource information. This spelling bee was the first one put together by Varvell in the Bay Area.

“Spelling is a part of school that children don't really see an immediate gratification for.  This was very motivating for them.  I think it's good for the students to work towards something where they are able to show that in front of their peers and families,” says Varvell.