Humans of SBOC: Julie Spence on overcoming challenges, finding your “gift” in life, and other lessons learned
When you teach [children] to believe in themselves and to be confident, there’s a snowball effect, there’s momentum.
Julie Spence, Founder and Former President
Congratulations on 35 years of Spelling Bee of Canada — it’s a huge milestone! What inspired you to start SBOC?
A child may be smart, but you wouldn’t know it because they’re so shy. I want to build confidence in children. I know what it feels like to be laughed at and not supported. When someone says “I believe in you”, it speaks volumes. When you teach them to believe in themselves and to be confident, there’s a snowball effect, there’s momentum.
I was a young mother with children and the Youth Director at a community organization. I was identifying programs to engage children and thought of spelling bees. I always loved them. In Jamaica, under British rule, every Friday, there was a spelling bee. It was fun because you stayed on stage when you spelled a word correctly. The whole point was to stay at the top of the line and avoid being at the bottom.
It’s not about being the best or worst speller. It’s about being encouraged to participate, to read more, and to pay attention to words. Even if you didn’t spell something right, at least you tried your best.
As a mom, it really helped me because I had the opportunity to meet many other parents that saw this as a great opportunity outside of sports to get their children involved in a literacy program.
When you first started SBOC, how did you gather support to bring your idea to life?
Word-of-mouth. In grocery store lines, I would ask people: “Have you heard of this spelling bee?” I even had flyers with me. Local newspapers like Share Newspaper, Brampton Guardian, and Scarborough Mirror wrote about us and were there with us from the very beginning. The Toronto Star came on board afterwards. It took a while to convince people that it was an important activity for children.
Did you overcome any challenges when you first launched? Tell us how you navigated those challenges.
If you told me back then that SBOC would still be running 35 years later, I wouldn’t have believed it. I had never done this before.
SBOC was a predominantly Jamaican community when it first started. Jamaicans are very familiar with spelling bees, but they were not popular in Canada. In Jamaica, the motto is: “Out of Many, One People”. We realized we had to open it to anyone who wanted to participate.
How did you keep running SBOC despite the challenges?
I enjoyed doing it. I wanted to give back to the community, and for my children to see I was involved in an activity that they were part of too.
At times, I think of quitting, but the phone rings and a parent asks when the next registration is. So I stuck to it, but the other person didn’t know it at the time.
I recognize parents realize it’s important for children to be part of. The children love the challenge, and it’s fun. The children keep me going when I see their efforts in trying.
What is the source of your desire to serve others?
It was part of what I saw growing up. In Jamaica, it wasn’t called volunteering. It’s just what we did with great joy. From an early age, I was trained to serve in the church or elsewhere.
It starts with your family, especially if you had someone who was ill or elderly to take care of. I went to church with my grandmother and read to her. I had to take care of my younger cousin and sister because I was helping my mother. I visited family members and sometimes did chores for them, from preparing food to shopping.
From an early stage, I engaged and served others in the family or the church. It prepared me for who I am today.
Julie on volunteers and supporters:
I could not have done all of this without volunteers and supporters. It’s a community effort — schools and teachers, parents, and guardians all get involved. There are even people with no children who help. Spelling bees bring people together.
Julie on finding your “gift”:
A job is a job. But a gift is something that you truly love to do. Each person has a gift in them. You need to find that gift. Once you find that something that keeps you up late at night and wakes you up early in the morning, then you’ve found it.
Sometimes, it takes time to find your gift. Sometimes, it’s pain that drives you to your gift. I’ve seen children who can’t read or are afraid someone will laugh at them.
I believe that when you do and give willingly, you enjoy it, and you don’t even feel tired, then that’s when you know it’s a passion.
What has SBOC taught you?
I learned to be patient in SBOC because I’ve had children with fear standing in front of me. I have become a better mother because I used to be more strict and disciplinary. I have the greatest admiration for parents when they bring their children and help them. We should teach children that it’s okay to make mistakes. The more you give, the better the life you have. It’s no longer just about you, and you learn so much when giving.
What is your advice to help children study for competitions?
Be curious about words and what they mean. Be inquisitive. Ask questions. Read more. Don’t just read a word, but know what they mean.
This interview is part of the Humans of SBOC series by Erika Carreon, where her passion for storytelling shines through. As a lover of languages, Erika dedicates her time to learning Spanish.
