Bible Bee seeks summer study group leaders

It pays, cash, to know the Bible.

At least for students who participate in the Bible Bee.

Last year's national competition - the first ever - drew more than 17,000 contenders ages 7 to 18 from 49 states, including more than 100 from the Tampa Bay area.

Winners in the three age categories took home more than $260,000 in prize money, either as a lump sum or cash toward college scholarships.

But more important, says Doreen Reysen of Valrico, is, "They learned their Scriptures. They got God's word in their hearts."

Reysen, a mother of seven, was one of five local Bible Bee coordinators. Her group was based at Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon.

The competition - think the Scripps National Spelling Bee with a spiritual twist - requires participants to meet through the summer in study groups, clubs and home gatherings to learn the Scriptures. Last year's contestants studied from a list of some 300 Bible-related questions.

Friday is the deadline to register as one of those coordinators, or study group hosts. Students can sign up May 1 through June 30. For more information, go to www.biblebee.org.

The local competition will be held Aug. 28, with the participants taking oral and written exams. The top 100 scorers in each age group - 7-10, 11-14 and 15-18 -- will advance to Schaumburg, Ill., Nov. 11-13 for the finals.

The prize money will be distributed to the top winners in each category. The funding comes from the Shelby Kennedy Foundation, named for a 23-year-old Christian woman who died of cancer in 2005. The nonprofit ministry set up in her name has a mission to "encourage children and youth to grow in Christ through Scripture memorization."

Reysen says she was burned out after leading her group of about 60 kids last summer. Since that was the first year of competition, there weren't many resource materials, so she had to create most of her own.

"We were like Daniel Boone walking across the mountain with no trail," she says. "It was hard, hard work."

She vowed to pass the baton to another leader this year. But as the date to register as a host got closer, she changed her mind. And now she's glad she did.

"It's so user-friendly this year. We've already received a lot of backup materials, and every contestant will get a personal box with a Bible, a study guide and cards," she says. "Plus, I know how much the kids got out of taking part in this. Now I'm excited about taking it on again."