FAQ
As event planners at Bible Bee Headquarters answer questions related to the hosting of a Local Bible Bee, those questions and their answers will continue to be added here:
Can you provide a quick summary of the Bible Bee?
Yes, you may go to either Bible Bee Overview to get a short synopsis of the Competition or Bible Bee Basics to get brief answers to basic questions.
What if there is no Local Contest in my area?
As the Bible Bee continues to recruit volunteers to hold Local Contests, information on new Local Contests will be added to the map on the homepage of the Bible Bee website. Continue to visit this map over the coming days and weeks to see if a Local Contest has been added in your commmunity.
Maybe you would like to consider hosting a Local Contest! To find out more about this opportunity, call Bible Bee Headquarters (888-3-BIBLE-B) and speak with an Event Planner today!
My child will be almost 7 when the Local Contest is held. Can he participate?
Children and youth ages 7 to 18 are allowed to participate in the Bible Bee Competition, provided that they fall within that age span on the final day of the National Bible Bee Competition. A child or youth who will be 7 on the final day of the Bible Bee Competition in Washington, D.C. (November 6, 2009) is qualified to compete in the 2009 Bible Bee Competition, even if he or she is 6 years old on prior days of the competition.
How many contestants does an LPC need to have in each age group?
While BBH does not require LPCs to host a minimum number of contestants, we highly recommend that you strive to have at least five contestants competing in each age group.
One issue the National Spelling Bee has faced was the problem of homeschoolers who forsook a normal course of study to focus solely on preparing for competition. They enacted a rule that stipulated that contestants must not study spelling to the exclusion of other studies. Should the Bible Bee have a similar restriction?
Because the majority of study and preparation time for the Bible Bee is during the summer (i.e., the Bee-liever’s Handbook does not become available until May 1, 2009 and the Local Contest is early in September), creating such a rule is not as important as it would be if the contest preparation time was in conflict with the traditional school calendar. Some homeschooling families choose to school year-round, and for any students who are studying during their established academic school year, we encourage that contest preparation be balanced with academic studies.
Are parents excluded from viewing the entire competition, or from the written test only? Many students gain considerable courage from knowing they have loved ones in the audience supporting them. What is the purpose for the exclusion?
Bible Bee Local Contest guidelines stipulate that parents may not accompany their children while they are actually competing. This guideline covers both written and oral rounds. While young students may benefit from the support of parents as they complete their oral and/or written rounds, such provisions also may cause serious difficulties for Local Planning Committees who are hosting the these events. Here are a couple of the obstacles that could pose problems for them:
- Inadequate facilities. In order to keep oral rounds to a reasonable length (two hours), the contestants are placed into groups of up to ten students. Besides the advantage of allowing contestants to give their responses in a smaller format, these groupings enable Local Contest hosts to use a greater number of rooms for this purpose. If parents are allowed to be present in the oral rounds rooms, hosts will only be able to utilize facilities with a high number of large rooms--a luxury that many hosts may not have
- Less volunteers. Quite understandably, if parents are able to accompany their children while they compete in oral rounds, they will likely select to do so. This may make them much less willing to volunteer their services on Contest day, or make those who do volunteer feel that their own children are at a disadvantage when compared with contestants whose parents have chosen not to volunteer.
Local Contest hosts are encouraged to allow parents to be present with their children during times when they are not actually competing, including times when they are waiting to compete and when they are taking breaks or eating snacks and meals. In addition, parents are highly encouraged to get involved as Contest Day volunteers. While they may not proctor, judge, or grade tests completed by their own children or immediate relatives, they are needed to work with the children of others. By volunteering, parents/guardians can help their children feel more confident, just knowing that family is nearby.
As to the format of the Local Contest oral rounds—which might bring the most challenge for young contestants—they are held with only a few contestants in each competing group and are formatted in such a way that the contestants are not in direct competition with each other.
Why are there fees related to hosting a contest? Is the $20 per contestant in addition to the $100 registration fee charged to set up a Local Contest? How is this money used?
Planning, building, and executing a large scale National Bible Bee is a monumental financial undertaking. Considering our goal of establishing the Bible Bee as an annual event for years to come, it is important that we plan well beyond our inaugural year. Annual Local Contest fees and contestant fees are just two small ways that we offset a fraction of our overhead costs. For example, the $100 registration fee that is collected from each Local Contest helps make it possible for us to provide toll-free phone support to Local Planning Committees for almost an entire year.
While the required contestant enrollment fee of $20 is reasonable and affordable for families with one or two contestants, we recognize that larger families may find the expense a hindrance to participation. Bible Bee Headquarters has now approved reduced contestant fees for families with multiple contestants, as follows:
Enrollment Fee Scale
First Contestant: $20
Second Contestant: $15
Third-Sixth Contestant: $10
No family will pay more than $75 in enrollment fees. A family is defined as a parent/legal guardian and his/her natural and adopted children.
If even reduced enrollment fees prove a hardship, we recommend that local churches, businesses, relatives, or friends be encouraged to sponsor children from large families.
Enrollment Fee Scale
First Contestant: $20
Second Contestant: $15
Third-Sixth Contestant: $10
No family will pay more than $75 in enrollment fees. A family is defined as a parent/legal guardian and his/her natural and adopted children.
If even reduced enrollment fees prove a hardship, we recommend that local churches, businesses, relatives, or friends be encouraged to sponsor children from large families.
Often adults who are grandparents, whose children are grown, or who have no children of their own, are eager to provide financial support for children and youth who otherwise would not be able to take part.
Often older adults whose children are too old to participate in ministry opportunities such as the Bible Bee are eager to provide financial support for children and youth who otherwise would not be able to take part.
My child is currently involved in a Bible memory program. Will being part of the Bible Bee support what he is already doing, or will it be a distraction from it?
It is our hope that children and youth are part of year-round programs that promote memorization understanding of the Word of God. As part of our preparation for this contest, efforts have been made to see that the content of the Bible Bee is derived from commonly valued Bible passages and facts. This content is not patterned after any specific program, but those students who are participating in any of numerous Bible memory clubs and contests will find that doing so benefits them when they begin preparing for the National Bible Bee Competition.
In addition, the mental exercise that children and youth receive from the habit of regular memorization will prepare them to absorb and learn the Bible Bee contest content.
I understand that the study guide for the Bible Bee is only available as a downloadable pdf. I am unable to print this document from home. How else can I get it?
The Bee-liever’s Handbook will be available from Bible Bee Headquarters as a free downloadable file starting May 1, 2009. If you are unable to print the study guide at home, contact your Local Planning Committee to see if you may obtain a printed copy from them. Alternatively, try to identify a relative or friend who is willing and able to print the document for you. You may also be able to download and print the document at your local library for a small fee.
I can't find the Bible Bee study guide on your site. Where is it located?
The Bible Bee study guide, also known as the Bee-Liever's Handbook, will not be available until May 1, 2009. Enrolled Bible Bee contestants will be sent a link to access and print the guide.
Tell me more about the type of questions that will be asked in the Bible Bee contest.
The questions included in the Bible Bee Competition are initially generated and/or collected by a small group of developers. These questions are then reviewed by a theological editorial review board comprised of pastors, Bible teachers, and other respected theologians from various orthodox denominations. These individuals will identify questions covering content that is generally accepted by evangelical churches and that is determined as spiritually relevant rather than trivial in nature. Controversial theological matters that are debated, but not divided over in the church, such as Calvinism versus Arminianism, will not be addressed in Bible Bee content.
Is the 2009 Inaugural Bible Bee Competition going to be perfect?
Obviously this is a rhetorical question, because we all know that it is impossible to coordinate a perfect program. However, we included this question in our FAQ's simply to remind those participating in the Bible Bee that while our small staff is working diligently to prepare for the best program possible, we will inevitably make some mistakes this first year. By God's grace, He will give us the wisdom and discernment to minimize oversights and blunders, but we also recognize our limitations and believe that God allows us to make mistakes and learn from them. Please know that we covet your prayers and welcome your ideas and feedback in every phase of development as we consider you part or our team. We appreciate your gracious understanding as we launch our inaugural year.
Is the 2009 Inaugural Bible Bee Competition going to be perfect?
Obviously this is a rhetorical question, because we all know that it is impossible to coordinate a perfect program. However, we included this question in our FAQ's simply to remind those participating in the Bible Bee that while our small staff is working diligently to prepare for the best program possible, we will inevitably make some mistakes this first year. By God's grace, He will give us the wisdom and discernment to minimize oversights and blunders, but we also recognize our limitations and believe that God allows us to make mistakes and learn from them. Please know that we covet your prayers and welcome your ideas and feedback in every phase of development as we consider you part or our team. We appreciate your gracious understanding as we launch our inaugural year.
Glossary
As you navigate this site, it will be helpful for you to understand the definitions of these key terms:
Age Group
Contestants must compete with other students within the same age group. Each age group is known by a different name:
| Age Group Primary Junior Senior |
Age Range Ages 7-10 Ages 11-14 Ages 15-18 |
Authorization
The term used by Bible Bee Headquarters to officially recognize a Local Planning Committee as the host of a Local Contest.
BBH
An abbreviation for Bible Bee Headquarters, the part of the Shelby Kennedy Foundation that oversees and administers the Bible Bee Competition.
Bee-liever’s Handbook
The study guide provided by Bible Bee Headquarters to all contestants. It includes general and specific information related to both Local and National Bible Bee Contests, along with a description of the Bible Memory and Bible Knowledge content that contestants will be expected to learn.
Bible Bee Headquarters
The name used for the Shelby Kennedy Foundation as it relates to the Bible Bee Competition. (Abbreviated version: BBH)
Bible Bee Website
The most readily accessible source of information related to Local and National Bible Bee Contests (www.biblebee.com). Many downloadable tools and a growing volume of specific documents related to the Bible Bee Competition are available on this website for Local Planning Committees and Bible Bee contestants.
Category
The term used for the four classes of questions of increasing difficulty. For an example, Category One questions should be the easiest to answer and Category Four questions should be the most difficult.
Chairman
The member of a Local Planning Committee who is the liaison with Bible Bee Headquarters and who takes charge of recruiting and guiding a Local Planning Committee through the process of preparing for and then holding a Local Bible Bee Contest.
Contestant Recruitment Phase
After the close of the Committee Recruitment Phase, the Contestant Recruitment Phase begins. There are two distinct parts to the Contestant Enrollment Phase: grassroots recruitment (September 2008–February 14, 2009) and BBH recruitment (February 15, 2009–April 30, 2009).
Competition
The entire Bible Bee awards program, including both Local and National Contests.
Competition Phase
The Competition Phase of the contest season also has two parts: the Local Contest (September 12, 2009) and the National Contest (November 5–6, 2009). All contestants may participate in a Local Contest; only 100 contestants nationally from each age group will qualify to compete in the National Contest.
Contest
Individual events of the Bible Bee Competition (e.g. Local and National).
Contestant Preparation Phase
Beginning May 1, 2009, enrolled Bible Bee contestants will be able to access and download the Bee-liever’s Handbook online at the Bible Bee website. Included in that handbook are the rules for the competition, explanations of the competition process, and contest content. Contestants will have from May 1 to September 12, 2009 to prepare their Local Bible Bee Contest. Methods of study will vary with the learning styles of the contestants. Contestants may study individually, as families, or in groups.
Coordinator
A local volunteer who is part of a Local Planning Committee and has a specific leadership role and task within that committee.
Disenrollment
Disenrollment from the Bible Bee Competition restricts a contestant from participation in either a Local Contest, a National Contest, or both.
Enrollment
The second step in the process of officially “signing up” a contestant for the Bible Bee Competition. Enrollment includes the completion of a Parent/Guardian Consent Form and the payment of a nonrefundable enrollment fee. The fee for the first contestant in a family to compete is $20; reduced fees are available for families with multiple contestants in the competition. Enrollment is handled online at www.biblebee.org from February 15 through April 30, 2009. (The first step is reserving a place with the Local Planning Committee: see “Reserve.”)
Enrollment Period
The specific time period in which contestants must enroll online to be competitors in the Bible Bee Competition. For the 2009 Competition season, this period is from February 15 to April 30, 2009.
Event Planner
A staff representative at the Bible Bee Headquarters, assigned to work with specific Local Planning Committees throughout the planning, preparation, and production of their Local Contests.
Finalist
A finalist is a Local Contest participant who scores nationwide in the top 100 contestants in an age group. Finalists are the individuals selected to compete in the National Contest in Washington, D.C. on November 5–6, 2009.
Grassroots Advertisement
Used to describe the efforts of Local Planning Committees to create interest in their Local Contest. Local Planning Committees will provide information to inquirers about the Bible Bee in general and their Local Contest in greater detail. LPCs will keep records of potential contestants and alert them to the need to officially enroll online when the Enrollment Period actually begins.
Group
Age parameters used to divide contestants for the purpose of the competition (e.g., contestants ranging from ages 7–10 are in the Primary Group.)
Host Agreement
The letter of commitment signed by the Chairman of a Local Planning Committee, by which an individual establishes a formal relationship with Bible Bee Headquarters, officially agreeing to hold a Local Contest, and receiving authorization by Bible Bee Headquarters to do so.
Local
The first level of Bible Bee competition. Local Bible Bee Contests are conducted in communities using churches, schools, or other suitable facilities.
Local Contest Procedure Manual
The user-friendly manual for Local Contest Chairmen and their committees. This manual provides the practical information needed to plan, prepare for, and hold a Local Contest. It is a downloadable document which is made available to LPC Chairmen upon receipt of their Host Agreements and the authorization fee of $100, both of which may be submitted online at the Bible Bee website.
Local Planning Committee
A group of dedicated volunteers who spearhead the planning and implementation of a Local Bible Bee Contest in cooperation with the Bible Bee Headquarters. (Abbreviated version: LPC)
Local Sponsor
Any company, organization, or individual that underwrites part or all of the cost of hosting a Local Bible Bee Contest.
LPC
The abbreviation for Local Planning Committee used occasionally in this and other Bible Bee Headquarters documents where space is an issue.
National
The final level of Bible Bee Competition. The top 100 finalists from each age group (from the entire pool of Local Contests throughout the United States) will assemble for a spectacular, two-day National Contest in Washington, D.C. on November 5–6, 2009.
National Bible Bee Competition
The title used for the entire Bible Bee award competition, including both the Local Contests being held throughout the United States and the National Contest which is held in Washington, D.C.
National Sponsor
Any company, organization, or individual who underwrites part of the costs of hosting the National Bible Bee Contest.
Parent/Guardian
A contestant may only be enrolled in the Bible Bee by a parent or legal guardian. No other adult may enroll the contestant; because all contestants are minors, they may not enroll themselves in the Bible Bee without the consent of their parents/legal guardians.
Parent/Guardian Meetings
Meetings with parents/guardians of contestants which are hosted by the Local Planning Committee and are highly recommended. At least two of these meetings should be held for the purpose of contestant orientation, volunteer recruitment, and the completion of necessary legal documents.
Quiz Cards
A free downloadable study tool for contestants. Quiz cards contain Bible Memory passages from all four difficulty categories and Bible Knowledge questions from Categories One and Two. Bible Knowledge questions from Categories Three and Four are not available.
Registration
The process through which contestants and their parents/guardians “sign in” at the both Local and National Contests just prior to the events.
Reserve
The first step in the process of officially "signing up" a contestant for the Bible Bee Competition. A place must be reserved for the contestant by contacting a Local Planning Committee volunteer to ensure space availability. Contact information for the LPC can be found on the Bible Bee website. (The second step is enrolling a contestant: see "Enrollment")
Shelby Kennedy Foundation
The name of the nonprofit organization that oversees and administers the Bible Bee. (Abbreviated version: SKF)
Sign Up
The two-step process by which children and youth officially become Bible Bee contestants. (see "Reserve" and "Enroll")
SKF
An abbreviation for Shelby Kennedy Foundation, the name of the organization that oversees and administers the Bible Bee Competition.
Sponsor Summary Sheet
A tool for Local Planning Committees to use when they are speaking with potential national or local sponsors. The Sponsor Summary Sheet includes basic information about the Bible Bee Competition to orient potential sponsors to the ministry and also to answer general questions and is available from BBH.
Volunteer
An individual who agrees to provide a service related to either a Local or National Bible Bee Contest without monetary compensation. Volunteering can range from short-term tasks to longer term commitments, such as serving on a Local Planning Committee.
