Covid-19 complications haven't scuppered the search for the country's best junior speller; the Aotearoa New Zealand Spelling Bee is being held today. However, the event's planning had been far from simple, as the Delta outbreak in August wreaked havoc with preparations. That meant organisers were forced to consider results from a written test earlier in the year to select Auckland-based spellers for the competition. The event would then operate in two teams, with educators based in both Wellington and Auckland to test the children's knowledge. "I felt quite emotional when I saw 14 of the spellers arrive in Wellington."

Source: New Zealand Herald November 26, 2021 23:42 UTC