8.            Official dictionary and source of words

8.1.     The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary, available at http://unabridged.merriam- webster.com, is the official dictionary and source of words of the SSB and, except as noted below, is the source of words and word information for all rounds of competition. The only words in Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary not eligible for use in competition are those marked archaic or obsolete.

8.2.     The list of words will be chosen by an official of our contest partner, National University – to be checked and verified by a representative  from SM Super Spelling Bee team.

8.3.     Chosen words will be only accessible to the malls/event organizers during the time of the competition (for both the eliminations and grand finals). The SM Super Spelling Bee team will send the link containing the pool of words to be used during the competition at exactly 2:00 pm on contest day.

9.            Stages of SM Super Spelling Bee 2024 are as follows:

9.1.     Eliminations – The eliminations stage will be composed of two (2) rounds:

                                          9.1.1.            Round 1: Written Spelling Test

a.   Participants will be divided into batches – per batch will have a maximum of ten (10) kids. The number of batches will depend upon the number of participants per elimination venue.

b.   Every batch of participants will be given a random word to spell that they have to write with a marker on the provided writing sheet.

c.   The emcee will pronounce the word twice, give the definition of the word and use the word in a sentence. Countdown will start after the word has been pronounced the second time.

d.   Contestants will be given a maximum of 10 seconds to write the word on the provided writing sheet. Contestants are required to raise their writing sheet after 10 seconds is over and to put it down only after the representatives from Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) have checked their spelling. Contestants with wrong spelling will be immediately eliminated.

e.      Should a participant wish to change the spelling that he/she has written down, the first word/s must be completely erased and the new & final word be written clearly.

f.        The emcee will continue to pronounce the subsequent words to spell for the remaining contestants until there are ten (10) remaining contestants.

g.       The remaining ten (10) contestants will move on to the next round. The rest will be eliminated from the contest.

9.1.2.           Round 2: Oral Spelling Test

a.       The remaining ten (10) contestants from Round 1 will move to Round 2.

b.       In Round 2, the participants will spell the word orally on stage. Representatives from SM Supermalls/Super Spelling Bee will assign the order of the participants. The contestants in Round 2 will be given a number to determine their spelling order. The numbers are randomly drawn from a hat.

c.       The emcee will pronounce the word once. If the contestant requests, the emcee can give the definition of the word, OR the part of speech of the word, OR use the word in a sentence but not ALL. The contestant can only request one description of the word.

d.       In 20 seconds, the contestant must be able to pronounce the word, spell the word, and pronounce the word again.

i.  Participant must pronounce the word before spelling.

ii.  Participant must look at the emcee when spelling the word.

iii.  Participant must spell the word orally. Participant will not be allowed to write it before spelling it.

iv.  Participant must pronounce the word again after the word is spelled out.

v.  Participants must only look at the emcee during his/her turn to spell.

e.   The participant who failed to spell the word correctly will be immediately eliminated and must leave the stage.

f.    A new word to spell will be given to the next contestant.

g.   In the event that none of the contestant spells correctly the word assigned to her/him during Round 2, all contestants will remain in the competition and another round will begin again.

h.   The first contestant who correctly spells the word will be declared the winner.

i.    The winner in Round 2 will qualify to compete in the grand finals. There will be one winner per SM Supermall branch.

j.     A total of forty (40) winners from the forty (40) participating SM Supermalls branches will compete in the grand finals.

9.2.            Grand Finals – The grand finals will be composed of three (3) rounds:
9.2.1.        Round 1: Written Spelling Test

a.    There will be a total of forty (40) grand finalists who will all compete with each other during the grand finals on October 23, 2024 in SM Mall of Asia.
b.    All forty (40) grand finalists will participate in Round 1 of the grand finals. Each finalist will be provided with a marker and writing sheet.
c.    The first ten (10) finalists who correctly spell ten (10) words will move to Round 2 of the grand finals.
d.    The emcee will pronounce the word twice, give the definition of the word and use the word in a sentence. Countdown willstart after the word has been pronounced the second time. Finalists will be given a maximum of 10 seconds to write the word on the provided writing sheet. Finalists are required to raise their writing sheet after 10 seconds is over and to put it down only after the representatives from DepEd and DTI have checked their spelling. Finalists with wrong spelling will be immediately eliminated.
e.    Should a participant wish to change the spelling that he/she has written down, the first word/s must be completely erased and the new & final word be written clearly.
f.     The emcee will continue to pronounce the subsequent wordsto spell until a total of ten (10) finalists wrote ten (10) correct words in their writing sheet. 
i.      These ten finalists will move on to Round 2 of the grand finals. The rest will be eliminated from the competition

9.2.2.            Round 2: Oral Spelling Test

a.    In this Round 2, three (3) finalists will move to compete in Round 3.
b.   In Round 2, the ten (10) remaining participants will spell the word orally on stage. Representatives from SM Supermalls/Super Spelling Bee will assign the order of the finalists. The finalists in Round 2 will be given a number to determine their spelling order. The numbers are randomly drawn from a hat.
c.    The emcee will pronounce the word once. If the finalist requests, the emcee can give the definition of the word, OR the part of speech of the word, OR use the word in a sentence but not ALL. The finalist can only request one description of the word.
d.     In 20 seconds, the finalist must be able to pronounce the word, spell the word, and pronounce the word again.
            i. Finalist must pronounce the word before spelling.
            ii. Finalist must look at the emcee when spelling the word.
            iii. Finalist mustspell the word orally. Finalist will not be allowed to write it before spelling it.
            iv. Finalist must pronounce the word again after the word isspelled out.
            v. Finalist must only look at the emcee during his/her turn to spell.
e.    The finalist who failed to spell the word correctly will be immediately eliminated and must leave the stage.
f.     A new word to spell will be given to the next finalist.
g.   In the event that none of the finalistspells correctly the word assigned to her/him during Round 2, all finalists will remain in the competition and another round will begin again.
h.    The first three (3) finalists who correctly spell all the words assigned to him/her will move on to the final round.

9.2.3.          Round 3: Super Spelling Buzzer

a.   There will only be three (3) finalists that will compete in the final round. Representatives from SM Supermalls/Super Spelling Bee will assign the order of the participants. The contestants in Round 2 will be given a number to determine their spelling order. The numbers are randomly drawn from a hat.
b.    The emcee will pronounce the word twice, give the definition of the word, or usethe word in a sentence, upon the request of the finalist. The emcee will grant the request of the finalist until the representatives from DepEd and DTI are satisfied that the word has be reasonably clarified to the finalist.
c.     Countdown willstart afterthe word has been pronounced the second time.
d.     The representatives from DepEd and DTI may disqualify a finalist who ignores or declines to start spelling.
e.   Once the finalist pronounces the word, the finalist has twenty seconds to spell it. The 20 seconds begin when the finalist pronounces the word. The finalist spells the word and then signalsto the representatives from DepEd and DTI that he/she is finished with spelling after he/she pronounces the word again. For instance, the emcee pronounces the word “bee” to the finalist. The finalist may ask for a definition and sentence. The finalist proceeds by saying, “Bee, b-e-e, bee.” The representatives from DepEd and DTI indicate that the word has been spelled correctly and the finalist sits down.
f.      If the finalist failsto spell the word correctly, the finalist is immediately eliminated from the competition. A new word from the list of the emcee will be is given to the next finalist.
g.     In the event that none of the finalists spells a word correctly during the round, all three (3) finalists in that round shall remain in the competition. Another round will begin again.
h.     At the end of each round, the finalist/s who failed to spell the word correctly will leave the stage.
i. The only finalist remaining at the end of the round who correctly spell his/her word correctly, will be declared the winner. *APPROVED BY DTI

10.           During the entire contest period, the contestant and the accompanying parent/s or guardian must be at the venue thirty (30) minutes before the start of the contest for the briefing. Failure to arrive on time for the program proper and/or absence during the competition schedule shall be a ground for disqualification of the contestant.

11.            During the elimination period, a pre-registered contestant must present the registration stub before the start of the eliminations in the mall elimination venue and schedule specified in the submitted application form. On-the-day registrants must secure their registration stub upon submission of the complete requirements.

12.            A contestant who did not win the eliminations at particular mall branch may still join in the succeeding schedule of the eliminations in other SM Supermalls branches. A new set of application form and requirements must be submitted to the Mall Administration Office or to the official event organizer on the day of the elimination.

13.            Those who will qualify for the Grand Finals after the eliminations will be announced online via the Facebook page of the SM Supermalls branch where they won within five (5) days but not later than ten (10) days after the scheduled eliminations of each participating mall. SM Supermalls – Marketing will inform all the winners via phone call and/or email.

14.            Without any formal written complaint for disqualification, the announcement of the winner by the representatives from DepEd and DTI, with the concurrence of DTI, is final. The decision of the representatives from DepEd and DTI, with the concurrence of DTI, pertaining to violation of the contest mechanics and general rules and regulations, and disqualification, is final.

15.            The forty (40) contestants who won the elimination in the participating malls will qualify to compete in the Grand Finals. The schedule and venue of the Grand Finals will be as follows:

                                               ·       Date: October 21, 2024

                                               ·       Time: 3:00pm to 5:00pm

                                               ·       Venue: Music Hall, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay, 1300 Metro Manila

16.            SM Supermalls will shoulder the airfare expenses to and from Metro Manila of the grand finalists with one (1) parent or guardian per contestant to compete for the Grand Finals. This will be limited to finalists who will require air travel only.

17.            SM Supermalls will shoulder the hotel accommodations of the grand finalists from provincial mall branches that would require air travel and land travel that will exceed 5 hours of travel time. The accommodation would be for the contestant with one (1) parent or guardian.

18.            All travel requirements, taxes, expenses, food, land transportation to, from and in Metro Manila, will be shouldered by the grand finalists and their accompanying parent or guardian.

19.            During the entire contest period:

19.1.             The contestants must be accompanied by any of the parents. If the contestant will be accompanied by a guardian, the following must be submitted:

·       A written authorization signed by both or one of the parents

·       A copy of the valid identification card (ID) of the guardian and the parent/s authorizing him/her

19.2.             The parent or guardian must be responsible for the behavior, safety and welfare of the contestant, their personal belongings, and costs to be incurred due to their participation in the contest

19.3.             The contestant and parent or guardian will be required to:

·       Follow the instructions of the SM Super Spelling Bee’s representatives and official event organizer

·       Abide by the general rules and regulation of the contest:

19.4.             SM Supermalls, Shopping Center Management Corporation (SCMC), event organizers, employees, workers, trainers and instructors shall not be held responsible or liable for any accidents, injuries, harm, or loss of property suffered during the contest period, resulting from negligence, violation or failure to abide by the contest’s rules and regulations.

19.5.             Parents and guardians shall be responsible for the care and safekeeping of their personal belongings and those of their children and wards, including but not limited to electronic devices, and other paraphernalia. SM Supermalls, SCMC, event organizers, employees, workers, trainers and instructors shall not be held liable for any damage, loss of property and opportunity loss, arising therefrom.

20.            List of prizes will be as follows:

21.            The gift certificates are transferable but not convertible to cash.

22.            The twenty percent (20%) prize tax on prizes exceeding Php10,000 shall be shouldered by SM Supermalls.

23.            All cash prizes shall be paid in check in the name of the parent/guardian.

24.            Redemption of prizes is until 60 days upon receipt of notification from SM Supermalls.

PER DTI FAIR TRADE PERMIT NO. FTEB-201196, SERIES OF 2024