WILMINGTON — The buzz has it that the annual State Spelling Bee for grades 4-8 will happen Saturday at St. Mark’s High School, at Anna Graham Theater, at 2501 Pike Creek Road, Wilmington. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with the bee commencing at 9 a.m.

Dave Skocik

Seventy-six public, private and home schools across the state have registered to compete this year, according to Anne Marie Eanes, chair of St. Mark’s English Department and spelling bee coordinator.

The bee is open to the public but to avoid the potential for distractions, very young children will not be permitted in the theater during the competition.

The state’s champion speller will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., in May. This is the 10th year St. Mark’s has hosted the state bee.

Judges for the bee will be robin brown and Craig Anderson from the Delaware State News. Dave Skocik of Dover will return as word pronouncer, a role he has played since 1991. He is an author and a former college administrator and has been a public relations practitioner for more than 30 years.