Muslim Spelling Bee emerges as the second largest spelling bee & largest community based spelling bee competition

Ideal Marketing & Media Platform To Connect With The American Muslim Population

Creates Social Enterprise Format Benefitting Individuals and Communities 

Indian American Creates America’s Second Largest Spelling Bee Competition

CHICAGO, USA

In 2011 Chicago based entrepreneur Tausif Malik established community based competition “Muslim Spelling Bee” on the principle of social enterprise has emerged as the Second largest Spelling Bee & largest community based Spelling Bee Competition.

The sole idea was to increase Muslim Student participation at major spelling bee competitions.

“All other major minority groups in the US have their own spelling bees, but Muslims did not,” Malik said. “I didn’t really understand why this was the case, so I decided to go ahead and start one.”

Originally from India Malik, who has a advertising, marketing, public relations and publishing experience created a basic format and emailed it to community leaders and his personal contacts in Chicagoland, but the community emailed the flyer and website details to their contacts and the idea spread like wildfire. Within few days Malik received emails and calls by enthusiastic parents regarding the details of the competition.

“I was surprised and amazed, I never imagined that this kind of response,” said Malik. 

Malik than partnered with leading community based schools in 10 metropolitan regions to host the competitions, as they thought this is one of best opportunities to connect the community through education. Malik also partnered with ethnic media.

Even though it is a competition Muslim Spelling Bee, creates a platform where students compete, community connects, vendors have the opportunity to sell their varies and income generate at host school is given to the host schools.

Muslim Spelling Bee  has become an ideal platform for an advertising and sponsors to connect with the American Muslim population, which is valued at $170 billion according to Ogilvy Noor/JWT research report.

The first edition of the Muslim Spelling Bee, which was held in 2012, saw 460 students participating from cities all over the nation and Canada. Unlike other spelling bees competition, where 8-14 years students compete in single competition, Muslim Spelling Bee devised their proprietary competition format  where children compete in their age group and top 5 five spellers from each group are eligible to compete at the National Muslim Spelling Bee Finals.

The competition has been growing steadily, with 460 students in the first year rising to 600 in the 2013 competition. Two contestants last year were even Hindu students from India, said Malik, a great sign of how widespread the reach and power of the spelling bee really is.

“What we’ve created here is not just spelling bee, but a social enterprise,” explained Malik. “These local communities host spelling bees in schools and community centers, which engages them. People set up advertising stalls at these events, so they’re engaged. Overall, there are probably close to 10,000 people involved with these Muslim Spelling Bees in one way or another.”

Muslim Spelling Bee 2013 winners received gifts/prizes from Tourism passes by Museum of Science & Technology, Chicago

1. Galaxy & Lenovo Tablets By TMA Worldwide
2. Books By Iqra Foundation
3. Comics by The99.0rg
4. Scarves by Nahda Designs
5. Scarves by Sabika Seatle
6. Exclusive hand crafted Chocolates by Chocolat Uzma
7. DVD’s by Unity Productions Foundations
8. Fordson Movie DVD’s by Rashid Ghazi
9. Exclusive paintings painted by Dr. Saima Qureshi
10. Islamic Perfumes by www.InsiyahAtoor.com
11. Water bottles by MuslimCoupon.com

Media sponsors in alphabetical order Al Hikmat TV, Al Jumuah Magazine, Asian Lite, Azizah Magazine, Desi Express, Dinar Standard, Dunya, Global Muslim Observer, Indian Express USA, Indian Muslim Observer, Infocus California, Islamic Focus South Africa, Islamic Post, Lone Star Crescent, Muslim Coupon, Muslim Backyard, Multicultural Familia, Muslim Digest, My Education Key, News Pakistan, New York Awam, Pakistan Chronicle & Pakistan Journal, Pakistan Post, Pakistan Times & South Asian Gazette, Pakistan Express, Pakistan Voice, Radio Sargam/News Pakistan, Radio Sohni Dharti, Sadaa-e-Pakistan, Saavn.com, The Desi Times, Tribune Asia, TV ONE GLOBAL, Urdu Times Chicago, Urdu Times, Ummaland.com, Ummah Design & Ummah Linked.

Muslim Spelling Bee in their second season was nominated and shortlisted for Global Islamic Economy Award by Dubai Chambers of Commerce & Thompson/Reuters. Also the Social Enterprise format developed by TMA Worldwide, promoters of the Muslim Spelling Bee has been recognized and featured in UK’s Guardian News Paper, Harvard University and etc.

According to Muslim Spelling Bee founder all the participants are winners as they worked hard and learned value of education and competition .

“[Hopefully], the World’s First Muslim Spelling Bee will also be launched in other English speaking countries, such as Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Dubai , Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.  The winners from each country will then get an opportunity to participate in the International Muslim Spelling Bee Competition,” says Malik on the spelling bee’s website.

Malik is also launching Muslim Science Bee, Muslim Math Bee, Muslim History Bee and Muslim Geography Bee in association with community based schools.

For details visit www.MuslimSpellingBee.com