Ages 7-14 · Book 3, Confidence · 4,299 places
Spelling Bee and Competitions
Competitive formats give a child a public verdict. This is how they leave with a count instead.
Built on Ellis Abel and the Magic Triangle — “Turn fear into confidence, one step at a time.” A character series, not a curriculum with a worldview attached.
The five sessions
- Session 1
Name the one skill, small enough to practise this week
- Session 2
Read the story and connect the wall to their own thing
- Session 3
Set the rep count, write it down, keep it boring
- Session 4
Miss, fail, and log it as a rep rather than a verdict
- Session 5
Show the count at the end and let them read it themselves
Questions leaders ask
Is spelling bee and competitions in your area a religious program?
No. Ellis Abel is a character series. Each volume carries one named core value — this one is confidence — and the story does the teaching. There is no doctrine in it, nothing to opt out of, and it is used in public schools, libraries and secular programs as readily as anywhere else.
What ages does this work for?
Ages 7-14. The story is read aloud, so a child who cannot read yet is fully in it, and the discussion prompts are written in two bands so one adult can hold a mixed-age room.
How long does a session take in a your area classroom?
Twenty to thirty minutes, structured as read-aloud, small group, and one step each child names out loud before they leave the room.
Does this need a specialist to deliver?
No. It is written for the classroom teacher, the counselor, or whoever has the room that period. The leader script carries the questions and the follow-ups.
The rules that make it work
Confidence is earned, in that order, every time
Commitment, then competency, then confidence. Almost every adult teaches it backwards by trying to install the feeling first, and children can tell.
Ugly reps are the work, not a warning sign
A child promised that practice feels good quits on the third attempt. Say in advance that it will look bad, and the bad-looking part stops meaning anything.
Praise the count, never the talent
"You're a natural" is a compliment a child cannot use and cannot rebuild from. Sixty reps is a fact they own and can do again.
Nobody is compared to anybody
The count is against last week's count. A room where children are ranked teaches the ones at the bottom to stop starting.
Adults commit out loud too
A coach or a parent naming a thing they are bad at and are practising anyway is worth more than any session on effort.
This is a character story, not a performance program
Technique belongs to the coach and the teacher. This handles the part that has nothing to do with technique, and never scores a child on either.
Competitions by metro area
Northeast
- Competitions — New York, NY
- Competitions — Philadelphia, PA
- Competitions — Boston, MA
- Competitions — Pittsburgh, PA
- Competitions — Providence, RI
- Competitions — Hartford, CT
- Competitions — Buffalo, NY
- Competitions — Rochester, NY
- Competitions — Bridgeport, CT
- Competitions — Albany, NY
- Competitions — Worcester, MA
- Competitions — Allentown, PA
- Competitions — Poughkeepsie metro area, NY
- Competitions — Syracuse, NY
- Competitions — Harrisburg, PA
- Competitions — New Haven, CT
- Competitions — Portland, ME
- Competitions — Scranton, PA
- Competitions — Lancaster, PA
- Competitions — York, PA
- Competitions — Springfield, MA
- Competitions — Waterbury, CT
- Competitions — Reading, PA
- Competitions — Manchester, NH
- Competitions — Trenton, NJ
- Competitions — Atlantic City, NJ
- Competitions — Utica, NY
- Competitions — Norwich, CT
- Competitions — Erie, PA
- Competitions — Binghamton, NY
- Competitions — Barnstable, MA
- Competitions — Burlington, VT
- Competitions — Kingston, NY
- Competitions — Amherst, MA
- Competitions — Chambersburg, PA
- Competitions — Bangor, ME
- Competitions — State College, PA
- Competitions — Vineland, NJ
- Competitions — Lebanon, PA
- Competitions — Johnstown, PA
- Competitions — Pittsfield, MA
- Competitions — Glens Falls, NY
- Competitions — Altoona, PA
- Competitions — Lewiston, ME
- Competitions — Williamsport, PA
- Competitions — Watertown, NY
- Competitions — Gettysburg, PA
- Competitions — Ithaca, NY
- Competitions — Elmira, NY
Midwest
- Competitions — Chicago, IL
- Competitions — Detroit, MI
- Competitions — Minneapolis, MN
- Competitions — St. Louis, MO
- Competitions — Cincinnati, OH
- Competitions — Kansas City, MO
- Competitions — Columbus, OH
- Competitions — Indianapolis, IN
- Competitions — Cleveland, OH
- Competitions — Milwaukee, WI
- Competitions — Grand Rapids, MI
- Competitions — Omaha, NE
- Competitions — Dayton, OH
- Competitions — Des Moines, IA
- Competitions — Madison, WI
- Competitions — Akron, OH
- Competitions — Wichita, KS
- Competitions — Toledo, OH
- Competitions — Springfield, MO
- Competitions — Lansing, MI
- Competitions — Fort Wayne, IN
- Competitions — Youngstown, OH
- Competitions — Flint, MI
- Competitions — Canton, OH
- Competitions — Davenport, IA
- Competitions — Ann Arbor, MI
- Competitions — Peoria, IL
- Competitions — Lincoln, NE
- Competitions — Rockford, IL
- Competitions — Green Bay, WI
- Competitions — South Bend, IN
- Competitions — Sioux Falls, SD
- Competitions — Duluth, MN
- Competitions — Cedar Rapids, IA
- Competitions — Evansville, IN
- Competitions — Fargo, ND
- Competitions — Kalamazoo, MI
- Competitions — Appleton, WI
- Competitions — Champaign, IL
- Competitions — Topeka, KS
- Competitions — Rochester, MN
- Competitions — Lafayette, IN
- Competitions — Columbia, MO
- Competitions — Joplin, MO
- Competitions — Elkhart, IN
- Competitions — Springfield, IL
- Competitions — St. Cloud, MN
- Competitions — Racine, WI
- Competitions — Saginaw, MI
- Competitions — Iowa City, IA
- Competitions — Muskegon, MI
- Competitions — Eau Claire, WI
- Competitions — Oshkosh, WI
- Competitions — Bloomington, IL
- Competitions — La Crosse, WI
- Competitions — Terre Haute, IN
- Competitions — Waterloo, IA
- Competitions — Kenosha, WI
- Competitions — Janesville, WI
- Competitions — Bloomington, IN
- Competitions — Jackson, MI
- Competitions — Traverse City, MI
- Competitions — Rapid City, SD
- Competitions — Monroe, MI
- Competitions — Jefferson City, MO
- Competitions — Niles, MI
- Competitions — Sioux City, IA
- Competitions — Bismarck, ND
- Competitions — Wausau, WI
- Competitions — Manhattan, KS
- Competitions — Springfield, OH
- Competitions — Battle Creek, MI
- Competitions — Ames, IA
- Competitions — Mansfield, OH
- Competitions — Lawrence, KS
- Competitions — St. Joseph, MO
- Competitions — Sheboygan, WI
- Competitions — Muncie, IN
- Competitions — Sandusky, OH
- Competitions — Michigan City, IN
- Competitions — Kankakee, IL
- Competitions — Grand Forks, ND
- Competitions — Mankato, MN
- Competitions — Fond du Lac, WI
- Competitions — Bay City, MI
- Competitions — Lima, OH
- Competitions — Dubuque, IA
- Competitions — Decatur, IL
- Competitions — Cape Girardeau, MO
- Competitions — Columbus, IN
- Competitions — Kokomo, IN
- Competitions — Midland, MI
- Competitions — Grand Island, NE
- Competitions — Minot, ND
South
- Competitions — Dallas, TX
- Competitions — Houston, TX
- Competitions — Atlanta, GA
- Competitions — Washington, DC
- Competitions — Miami, FL
- Competitions — Tampa, FL
- Competitions — Orlando, FL
- Competitions — Charlotte, NC
- Competitions — Baltimore, MD
- Competitions — San Antonio, TX
- Competitions — Austin, TX
- Competitions — Nashville, TN
- Competitions — Virginia Beach, VA
- Competitions — Jacksonville, FL
- Competitions — Raleigh, NC
- Competitions — Oklahoma City, OK
- Competitions — Louisville, KY
- Competitions — Richmond, VA
- Competitions — Memphis, TN
- Competitions — Birmingham, AL
- Competitions — Tulsa, OK
- Competitions — Greenville, SC
- Competitions — New Orleans, LA
- Competitions — Knoxville, TN
- Competitions — Sarasota metro area, FL
- Competitions — McAllen, TX
- Competitions — Charleston, SC
- Competitions — Baton Rouge, LA
- Competitions — El Paso, TX
- Competitions — Columbia, SC
- Competitions — Cape Coral, FL
- Competitions — Lakeland, FL
- Competitions — Greensboro, NC
- Competitions — Little Rock, AR
- Competitions — Deltona, FL
- Competitions — Winston-Salem, NC
- Competitions — Palm Bay, FL
- Competitions — Augusta, GA
- Competitions — Durham, NC
- Competitions — Fayetteville, AR
- Competitions — Jackson, MS
- Competitions — Chattanooga, TN
- Competitions — Port St. Lucie, FL
- Competitions — Huntsville, AL
- Competitions — Pensacola, FL
- Competitions — Lexington, KY
- Competitions — Killeen, TX
- Competitions — Wilmington, NC
- Competitions — Corpus Christi, TX
- Competitions — Ocala, FL
- Competitions — Savannah, GA
- Competitions — Brownsville, TX
- Competitions — Gulfport, MS
- Competitions — Myrtle Beach, SC
- Competitions — Lafayette, LA
- Competitions — Asheville, NC
- Competitions — Naples, FL
- Competitions — Mobile, AL
- Competitions — Spartanburg, SC
- Competitions — Beaumont, TX
- Competitions — Tallahassee, FL
- Competitions — Fayetteville, NC
- Competitions — Montgomery, AL
- Competitions — Shreveport, LA
- Competitions — Hickory, NC
- Competitions — Lubbock, TX
- Competitions — Huntington, WV
- Competitions — Gainesville, FL
- Competitions — Clarksville, TN
- Competitions — Columbus, GA
- Competitions — Roanoke, VA
- Competitions — Hagerstown, MD
- Competitions — Fort Walton Beach metro area, FL
- Competitions — Kingsport, TN
- Competitions — Waco, TX
- Competitions — Longview, TX
- Competitions — College Station, TX
- Competitions — Tuscaloosa, AL
- Competitions — Laredo, TX
- Competitions — Slidell, LA
- Competitions — Amarillo, TX
- Competitions — Lynchburg, VA
- Competitions — Daphne, AL
- Competitions — Tyler, TX
- Competitions — Lake Charles, LA
- Competitions — Hilton Head Island, SC
- Competitions — Macon, GA
- Competitions — Fort Smith, AR
- Competitions — Panama City, FL
- Competitions — Charlottesville, VA
- Competitions — Gainesville, GA
- Competitions — Athens, GA
- Competitions — Monroe, LA
- Competitions — Punta Gorda, FL
- Competitions — Jacksonville, NC
- Competitions — Johnson City, TN
- Competitions — Lexington Park, MD
- Competitions — Warner Robins, GA
- Competitions — Auburn, AL
- Competitions — Florence, SC
- Competitions — Charleston, WV
- Competitions — Houma, LA
- Competitions — Bowling Green, KY
- Competitions — Dover, DE
- Competitions — Midland, TX
- Competitions — Burlington, NC
- Competitions — Abilene, TX
- Competitions — Jackson, TN
- Competitions — Greenville, NC
- Competitions — Blacksburg, VA
- Competitions — Odessa, TX
- Competitions — Vero Beach metro area, FL
- Competitions — Homosassa Springs, FL
- Competitions — Decatur, AL
- Competitions — Hattiesburg, MS
- Competitions — The Villages metro area, FL
- Competitions — Florence, AL
- Competitions — Dothan, AL
- Competitions — Sherman, TX
- Competitions — Valdosta, GA
- Competitions — Winchester, VA
- Competitions — Wichita Falls, TX
- Competitions — Rocky Mount, NC
- Competitions — Alexandria, LA
- Competitions — Dalton, GA
- Competitions — Texarkana, TX
- Competitions — Albany, GA
- Competitions — Morgantown, WV
- Competitions — Hammond, LA
- Competitions — Harrisonburg, VA
- Competitions — Jonesboro, AR
- Competitions — Wheeling, WV
- Competitions — Cleveland, TN
- Competitions — Salisbury, MD
- Competitions — Staunton, VA
- Competitions — Morristown, TN
- Competitions — Elizabethtown, KY
- Competitions — Lawton, OK
- Competitions — Goldsboro, NC
- Competitions — San Angelo, TX
- Competitions — Brunswick, GA
- Competitions — Anniston, AL
- Competitions — Owensboro, KY
- Competitions — Steubenville, WV
- Competitions — Sebring, FL
- Competitions — Pinehurst, NC
- Competitions — Beckley, WV
- Competitions — Sumter, SC
- Competitions — Gadsden, AL
- Competitions — Paducah, KY
- Competitions — Rome, GA
- Competitions — Victoria, TX
- Competitions — Hot Springs, AR
- Competitions — Hinesville, GA
- Competitions — Parkersburg, WV
- Competitions — Enid, OK
- Competitions — Eagle Pass, TX
West
- Competitions — Los Angeles, CA
- Competitions — Phoenix, AZ
- Competitions — Riverside, CA
- Competitions — San Francisco, CA
- Competitions — Seattle, WA
- Competitions — San Diego, CA
- Competitions — Denver, CO
- Competitions — Portland, OR
- Competitions — Sacramento, CA
- Competitions — Las Vegas, NV
- Competitions — San Jose, CA
- Competitions — Salt Lake City, UT
- Competitions — Fresno, CA
- Competitions — Tucson, AZ
- Competitions — Honolulu, HI
- Competitions — Bakersfield, CA
- Competitions — Albuquerque, NM
- Competitions — Boise, ID
- Competitions — Oxnard, CA
- Competitions — Stockton, CA
- Competitions — Colorado Springs, CO
- Competitions — Provo, UT
- Competitions — Ogden, UT
- Competitions — Spokane, WA
- Competitions — Reno, NV
- Competitions — Modesto, CA
- Competitions — Santa Rosa, CA
- Competitions — Visalia, CA
- Competitions — Vallejo, CA
- Competitions — Salem, OR
- Competitions — Santa Maria, CA
- Competitions — Salinas, CA
- Competitions — Anchorage, AK
- Competitions — Eugene, OR
- Competitions — Greeley, CO
- Competitions — Fort Collins, CO
- Competitions — Boulder, CO
- Competitions — Kennewick, WA
- Competitions — Olympia, WA
- Competitions — Merced, CA
- Competitions — Bremerton, WA
- Competitions — San Luis Obispo, CA
- Competitions — Bend, OR
- Competitions — Yakima, WA
- Competitions — Santa Cruz, CA
- Competitions — Prescott metro area, AZ
- Competitions — Bellingham, WA
- Competitions — Las Cruces, NM
- Competitions — Lake Havasu City, AZ
- Competitions — Yuma, AZ
- Competitions — Medford, OR
- Competitions — St. George, UT
- Competitions — Chico, CA
- Competitions — Billings, MT
- Competitions — Coeur d'Alene, ID
- Competitions — Yuba City, CA
- Competitions — Redding, CA
- Competitions — El Centro, CA
- Competitions — Idaho Falls, ID
- Competitions — Pueblo, CO
- Competitions — Grand Junction, CO
- Competitions — Logan, UT
- Competitions — Maui, HI
- Competitions — Santa Fe, NM
- Competitions — Hanford, CA
- Competitions — Flagstaff, AZ
- Competitions — Mount Vernon, WA
- Competitions — Napa, CA
- Competitions — Albany, OR
- Competitions — Bozeman, MT
- Competitions — Missoula, MT
- Competitions — Wenatchee, WA
- Competitions — Sierra Vista, AZ
- Competitions — Twin Falls, ID
- Competitions — Farmington, NM
- Competitions — Longview, WA
- Competitions — Cheyenne, WY
- Competitions — Corvallis, OR
- Competitions — Helena, MT
- Competitions — Fairbanks, AK
- Competitions — Pocatello, ID
- Competitions — Grants Pass, OR
- Competitions — Great Falls, MT
- Competitions — Casper, WY
- Competitions — Lewiston, ID
- Competitions — Walla Walla, WA
- Competitions — Carson City, NV
Cities and all 3,143 US counties are covered too — every place page is live. The campaign sitemap lists every one.
