Clubs have been a huge part of the student body with students constantly creating new ideas for extracurricular activities. With the start of the 2022-2023 school year, Tompkins welcomes a new club to its growing list: the Spelling Bee Club.

The Spelling Bee Club started with a suggestion from English teacher Ryleigh Gilpin; with sophomores and founders, Ananya Narayankumar and Adithi Abhilash officially launching the idea this school year.

“Last year, the UIL Spelling Bee team needed competitors, and we joined. We quickly realized that not many people were aware that there was even a Spelling Bee team at our school, ”Narayankumar said. “Mrs. Gilpin suggested the idea of making the Spelling Bee Club, and now, here it is!”.

Inspired by the lack of passion for spelling shown by students at school, Narayankumar and Abhilash decided to take a part in teaching and promoting the joys of spelling amongst other students. After observing the minimal number of students who showed up to the preliminary last year, the pair quickly formed a plan with Gilpin, resulting in the creation of the OTHS Spelling Bee Club.

“We plan to encourage fellow Falcons to pursue their love and knowledge of spelling and by the end of the year, we want to have numerous students trying out for the UIL Spelling Bee. We also plan to host a school spelling bee in the spring!,” Narayankumar said.

As the pair aim to host a spelling bee in the spring, Narayankumar hopes to gain a community of fellow spellers within Tompkins. She is hopeful that the club will create a sense of passion and cooperation amongst students over spelling, as well as creating a sense of community for future members. For Narayankumar and Abhilash, the spelling bee has brought many positive influences and nostalgic memories along the way.

“One of my memorable experiences was, surprisingly, getting out in Round 5 in the middle school bee. For Adithi, going to the park to learn her words has been one of her favorite memories from the spelling bee, ”Narayankumar said. “Honestly, the spelling bee has definitely influenced us both to be goal-oriented within our lives and we hope we can share that message with our fellow students as well.”

The OTHS Spelling Bee Club hopes to bring students together through spelling, and create a new community among the many others in the student body. For students interested in joining, Abhilash and Narayankumar are reachable through the club’s Instagram profile, @oths_spelling_club, where information for upcoming meetings can be found. Buzz away and spell.