As we look at those who have enrolled in the National Bible Bee, we have found that a large number of our participants are in the Primary Age group. It is important to acknowledge that Primary Age contestants (ages seven to ten) vary widely in their cognitive development. Even among seven-year-olds, some are proficient readers (even reading at a sixth grade level) while others some are just beginning to put words together. Similarly, some youngsters are able to soak up and retain facts and memorize with ease, while others struggle with remembering even short passages or lists of facts. All of our children are precious in God’s sight and have the potential to benefit from learning God’s Word. Because we value these young contestants and know that they have the potential to continue on for many years in our competition (thus adding to their knowledge of God’s Word), we want their first experiences with the Bible Bee to be joyful ones. That's why we have added the Mini-Bee as an optional contest track that your contest hosts may have chosen to include in your Local Contest.
What Is a Mini-Bee?
This completely optional contest track provide contestants with a limited contest experience and an incentive to work hard at learning God's Word within a more relaxed format.
General Guidelines for Mini-Bees:
- They are optional. LPCs are responsible for deciding individually whether or not to offer Mini-Bees as part of their Local Contests.
- Enrollment is required. All Mini-Bee contestants must be formally enrolled participants of the National Bible Bee Competition.
- Contestants choose whether to participate. The official Primary Age Contest and the Mini-Bee can both be presented as options for Primary Age contestants (LPCs may also consider offering the Mini-Bee as an option to older contestants with special needs.) Contestants may compete in either the official contest or the Mini-Bee, but they may not compete in both. Unless a parent stipulates otherwise, LPCs should assume that contestants in the Primary Age group will participate in the official Primary Age Contest.
- It is easier. The Mini-Bees will utilize modified Local Bible Bee Contest content and procedures, providing an experience that takes into account the needs of young contestants who may have difficulties with reading, memorization, attention span, or comprehension. The National Bible Bee Headquarters will provide a separate test for the Mini-Bees, containing the following modifications:
- Written Test – 50 questions (The Official Primary Age written test has 200 Regular and 20 Bonus Questions); both Bible Knowledge and Bible Memory questions drawn solely from Category One (The Official Primary Age test is drawn from Categories One through Three). Multiple-choice questions will have only three possible answers from which to select the correct answer (Official Primary Age test has four).
- Oral Round – Mini-Bees have only one Oral Round (Official Primary Age Contests include two Oral Rounds).
- Memory Verse Listing – The list of verses for the Mini-Bees is comprised of fifty passages drawn from Category One (Official Primary Age Contests have 100 passages included in their Category One listing. They may also be asked Category Two Questions as part of the Local Contest).
- It is administered exclusively by LPCs. LPCs that decide to hold Mini-Bees as part of their Local Contests will be given the freedom to establish proctoring procedures that fit their unique environments. They may make decisions related to the use of readers for the written test, adjustments to the amount of time allowed to complete the written test, defining the level of support contestants will be given as they complete their Oral Rounds, and even whether or not parents may be allowed to be with their children as they complete their Oral Rounds. It is up to each LPC to determine how and if they will run their Mini-Bees. They may be held on September 12 so that young contestants get the full contest experience, or they may be scheduled at another time or on another day. Regardless of when Mini-Bees are held, they must not be allowed to interfere with the official Local Contest program or to jeopardize in any way an LPC’s ability to follow protocols established for the official Local Contest.
- It is a different contest track. LPCs needs to make it clear to contestant families that Mini-Bees are completely separate from the official Local Contests being held. Contestants in the Mini-Bee are not eligible to participate in the National Contest in Washington, D.C.; they should however, receive National Bible Bee Competition Certificates of Participation, honoring them for their participation.
- Take time to decide. The decision regarding whether to place a contestant in the official Primary Age Contest or in the Mini-Bee does not need to be made immediately. It is entirely up to each LPC to keep track of those contestants who want to participate in the Mini-Bee rather than participating in the official Primary Age Contest.
- Make it Fun! LPCs holding Mini-Bees are encouraged to take the focus off of the National Contest prizes for these young contestants by providing frequent and fun rewards for their efforts. Celebrate with them!
2009 Mini-bee Bible Memory Passages
