News Releases

Print this Article

Behind every successful speller is an encouraging teacher
Educators from coast-to-coast help students prepare for their moment on the spelling stage

Dec. 9, 2008

"I can't think of a better program than Canspell to engage students and reward good study habits," says Kathleen Haché, teacher/librarian at St. Paul Catholic High School in Ottawa. "Each year, everyone at our school – from teachers and students, to parents and siblings – really looks forward to cheering the kids on as they spell their way to the top."

Canada Post, the presenting sponsor of Canwest Canspell in all 22 communities, will once again offset school registration fees, ensuring that Canadian spellers can compete internationally at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

"Our involvement with Canspell reinforces Canada Post's continued commitment to supporting literacy and a lifetime of learning," says Robert Waite, Senior Vice-President of Corporate Social Responsibility at Canada Post. "We are thrilled to partner with Canwest again this year to share this great spirit for spelling and the written word!"

This marks year three of Canada Post's 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.

"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 academic achievement, both at home and abroad, and we're proud to watch these bright young scholars wow us with their word power."

Canwest Canspell began five years ago as part of a commitment by Canwest to help create a more literate society. The spelling competitions promote scholarship and the language arts, and provide a platform on which to build study skills, self-esteem and sportsmanship amongst Canadian youth.

The Canadian national spelling bee final will be held in Ottawa in April 2009, following regional events in 22 cities from St. John's to Victoria. All of the country's 22 national finalists will fly to Washington, D.C. in May, courtesy of Air Canada, to compete in the Scripps international event, where Canadian spellers have twice taken the runner-up prize against the world's best young spellers.

Canwest Global Communications Corp. (www.canwest.com), (TSX: CGS and CGS.A,) an international media company, is Canada's largest 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.