Top spellers from area schools will compete in Stanislaus County Spelling Championships in November. The Elementary Spelling Championship, for children in grades 4-6, is slated for Tuesday, Nov. 3 at Gregori High School, 3701 Pirrone Road, Modesto. The Junior High Spelling Championship, for those in grades 7-8, is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 10 at the Petersen Event Center, 720 12th St., Modesto. Sponsored by the Stanislaus County Office of Education and Dot Foods, both events are open to the public and begin promptly at 5 p.m.

Schools or districts participating in this year’s Elementary Spelling Championship include: Chatom, Denair, Empire, Hart-Ransom, Hickman, Hughson, Keyes, Modesto City, Newman-Crows Landing, Oakdale, Our Lady of Fatima, Paradise, Patterson, Riverbank, Sacred Heart, Stanislaus Union, St. Stanislaus, Sylvan Union, Turlock, University Charter, Valley Home and Waterford.

Junior High spelling contenders consist of students from the following schools: Blaker-Kinser, Cardozo, Connecting Waters, Creekside, Dutcher, Gratton, Hart-Ransom Charter, Hickman, La Loma, Mountain View, Oakdale, Oakdale Charter, Our Lady of Fatima, Paradise, Prescott, Riverbank Language Academy, Ross, Sacred Heart, Spratling, Turlock, Ustach and Walnut Grove.

The top two spellers in the Elementary Spelling Championship will represent Stanislaus County at the state competition in Stockton on April 23, 2016. The top two spellers in the Junior High Spelling Championship will represent Stanislaus County at the state competition in San Rafael on May 14, 2016. The third place speller in each event will serve as an alternate.