Our English program focuses on communication skills and cultural exchange so that our students can use their English abilities to access academic and professional opportunities and build a better future. We teach English to students grades K-11 and we provide teacher training for public school English teachers. Not only do we teach in the classroom, we also teach English through after-school english clubs, garden clubs, and Spelling Bee clubs.
Spelling Bees are virtually unheard of in Colombia, but the Marina Orth Foundation has brought this valuable English learning tool to our students. Our kids absolutely love to learn English through the English Spelling Bee. It’s a friendly competition between classmates, and an amazing opportunity to get volunteers, teachers, and parents involved in the English learning process. The English Volunteers work with groups of advanced English students all semester long to prepare for the competition.
SPELLING BEE CONTEST 2019
On stage at Marymount school in front of a packed house, Magdiel Daniela Sosa Alae, 5th grade, Institución Educativa Santa María, took to the mic to spell her final word. She paused to hear the word aloud in her mind, “bike”, and after reading out the last letter in English and making sure to say the original word after spelling it, Magdiel soaked up the applause as she took first place at the Maureen Orth Foundation’s 6th annual English Spelling Bee.
Organized by the foundation and hosted by the Marymount school, the English Spelling Bee featured 26 students from different schools plus their coaches, teachers and our English speaking international 
volunteers. A panel of 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th graders from Marymount school acted as judges and presenters, choosing what English words to spell from of a list of 404 vocabulary words in categories ranging from technologies to body parts and emotions. Individual school English spelling bees were originally the brainchild of the foundation and are managed by our English-language volunteers who also direct the weekly, extra curricular spelling clubs. The volunteers work hard to train students in the English alphabet, and students excitedly memorize new vocabulary and pronunciation in anticipation for the event.
By introducing friendly competition along with new language skills, the Marina Orth Foundation English Spelling Bee creates a fun environment for students to learn more English. The activity is extra-curricular and helps students with their vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation, memory, and public speaking skills. Colombian students love to showcase their English and these events are great opportunities for them to do so. Congratulations to the 6th annual English Spelling Bee finalists, Magdiel Daniela Sosa Alae 1st place, Martin Lopez Avecedo 2nd place Institución Educativa Rural Marina Orth 5th Grade, Ana Sofia Restrepo Cifuentes 3rd place Institución Educativa Santa Juana de Lestonnac 5th Grade.
