Finding a Way With Words
“I have never seen kids so excited and turned on by spelling words,” teacher Scott Mandel said. “Whenever they have free time, they quiz each other.”
Traditionally, fourth-grade students at Superior Street Elementary School in Chatsworth have raised funds for a May field trip to Sacramento by selling candy or other wares. But this year, thanks to a brainstorm by Mandel, knowledge is paying off.
A spelling competition is helping to raise $7,000 to send 60 students to the state capital for a day.
This week, pupils are being quizzed on a list of 100 words from their social studies course on California, and sponsors have pledged money for each word spelled correctly.
By Wednesday, the fourth-graders had raised $2,500 and hoped to earn $1,500 more by week’s end.
Mandel said he expects the rest of the trip’s cost to be raised from bake sales and donations. The trip will take in Sutter’s Fort, the railroad museum, state house and governor’s mansion.
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