|
Winnipeg - CanWest CanSpell National Spelling Bee is pleased to announce the return of presenting partner, Canada Post for the 2008 program. The renewed support for this year's "bee season" includes funds specifically earmarked to offset new fees for world-class competition.
For two consecutive years, Canadian spellers have been within a word of the win at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the United States. Nate Gartke, a 14-year-old from Spruce Grove, Alberta, claimed second spot at the prestigious event in Washington D.C. earlier this year.
As host of the international competition, Scripps has instituted a new annual registration cost for all participating schools in 11 countries. Canada Post, as part of its presenting partner status, has taken on this registration levy for all Canadian schools and as a result there will be no fee for schools or spellers at any point in the CanWest CanSpell program.
"No matter what the skill or sport, Canadians take great pride in watching the best from our country compete at the international level," said David Asper, Executive Vice President of CanWest Global Communications Corp. and Chairman of National Post. "CanWest CanSpell continues to celebrate scholastic success, both at home and abroad, and we're proud to watch these bright young students take the stage to showcase their word power and poise, thanks to the ongoing support of Canada Post."
The 2008 bee season is in full swing with some 250,000 students expected to participate at the entry-level point through thousands of registered schools in Canada's ten provinces.
This marks year two of Canada Post's continuing partnership with the highly-regarded CanSpell program; an initiative that engages students in Grades 4 through 8 in spelling study and regional, national and international competition. "Canada Post is thrilled to be partnering with CanWest again this year," says Robert Waite, senior-vice president of Stakeholder Relations and Brand at Canada Post. "Our partnership with CanSpell demonstrates Canada Post's continued commitment to supporting literacy and a lifetime of learning. We are excited to once again be associated with this very positive initiative that makes spelling fun!"
CanWest CanSpell began as part of a commitment from CanWest to help create a more literate society. The competitions promote scholarship and the language arts, and lend a platform on which to build study skills, self-esteem and sportsmanship among Canadian youth.
The Canadian national spelling bee final will take place in Ottawa on April 19, 2008 following regional events in 22 cities from coast-to-coast. All of the country's 22 national finalists will also compete in Washington, D.C. in late May at the Scripps international event.
CanWest Global Communications Corp. (TSX: CGS and CGS.A, www.canwestglobal.com) is an international media company. In addition to owning the Global Television Network, CanWest is Canada's largest publisher of English language daily newspapers and owns, operates and/or holds substantial interests in conventional television, out-of-home advertising, specialty cable channels, web sites and radio stations and networks in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Turkey, Indonesia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.
|
Text Only
