The 28h annual San Joaquin County Spelling Bee is scheduled this week at the Wentworth Education Center, 2707 Transworld Drive, Stockton.

The first of two division competitions took place. Monday with the Elementary group.

These are students in fourth through sixth grades vying for a chance to advance to the state competition in the spring.

The winning word from a year ago was ‘gregarious.’

Locally, students from Manteca Unified, Ripon Unified, Banta Unified (River Islands), and several area private schools – namely, Ripon Christian (Ripon) and St. Anthony’s (Manteca) – will face off against those from other schools and districts in SJC.

Likewise for the Junior High Division, consisting of students in seventh through ninth grades.

They’ll compete Wednesday beginning at 4 p.m.

The winners of the two divisions will each earn a trophy while the division runners up will be awarded with plaques, said SJCOE.

The SJC Spelling Bee Championships is sponsored by the SJCOE Educational Foundation.

For more information, log on to www.sjcoe.org.