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Grate Grown-Up Spelling Bee challenges adult contestants’ spelling skills

April 10, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

‘I before e, except after c.’

That spelling rule you learned in elementary school may have come in handy during the Grate Groan-Up Spelling Bee, but many words took a lot more thought as competitors put letters together to spell some obscure words.

The Grate Groan-Up Spelling Bee was held at The Club at Bond Head on Saturday, April 5, with around 150 guests taking part in a night of fun and competition.

This was the 13th annual event that raised funds for Next Step Literacy in Alliston. 

Next Step Literacy provides free one-on-one adult tutoring in math, computers, and writing.

Spelling bee contestants wore themed costumes, competed in teams of three and were challenged to spell words correctly. Competitors were allowed to bring a notepad and pen with them so they could spell out the word before providing their answer.

“This is a fundraising event for Next Step Literacy,” explained Next Step Literacy executive director Shira Harrison McIntyre. “This is the 13th annual Grate Groan-Up Spelling Bee. Teams of three enter to compete in the spelling bee and there are prizes for best spellers, best costumes, and most team spirit. Everyone chooses their own costumes. The funds raised go to support free adult tutoring in New Tecumseth. We get the majority of our funding from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills development, and then we fundraise to cover any other expenses.”

There are many people who struggle with writing, math, and computer skills who may need to upgrade their skills or learn new ways of doing things for help in everyday activities or job-related functions. Next Step Literacy helps people do just that.

“If someone is going into an apprenticeship or the armed forces and they have to take entrance exams, we can help them with that,” Harrison McIntyre explained. “For example, we had one person come in who has been an A-Z driver for 30 years and now has to re-do his test. He speaks English very well, but his writing skills aren’t very good. He came in for some help. Sometimes people have specific goals for anything that requires reading, writing, or math.”

In our digital world, booking a doctor’s appointment or just going to the bank can be a challenge for someone who has difficulty reading, writing, or using a computer.

Next Step Literacy can help people learn skills to make life easier.

You can learn more about Next Step Literacy by visiting the website at www.nextstepliteracy.ca.

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