SPELLATHON

“This is just about the best integration of imagination, education, technology inclusiveness and fun that I’ve ever encountered. Very proud to have been involved in it, even in the smallest way.” STEPHEN FRY

Spellathon is open to everyone, anywhere in the world, from children to students and adults. Spellathon fuses technology and engaging creativity to originate a bold new statement in the way we perceive and participate in fundraising and learning.

Grant Morgan, CEO of Louis Kennedy and Co-Founder of Digital Giving Ltd said, “We are delighted to be working with Mencap on this unique project. Using our knowledge and expertise of the very latest technology which children already use in their leisure time, we can engage them in fun and educational play. This new technology has the ability to elevate the world of Spellathon fundraising to a new level.”

Following its online launch in November Spellathon has attracted thousands of participants from over 70 countries. With mobile applications going live next week and having secured distribution via app stores and operator portals around the world, there is a potential audience of over I billion!

Jamie Goldblatt Co-Founder of Digital Giving said: “We have created and developed ‘The Spelling Bees’ brand and characters to become the global ambassadors for spelling and the English language. Each Spelling bee has their own personality and within the game contains genre specific word packs, for example ‘Hippy Bee’ sings words to do with nature and art, whilst ‘Angry Bee’ screams the words for you to spell.”

Spellathon entrants pledge a target number of words to spell correctly whilst practicing ahead of the championships. They do this by playing fun spelling games on a computer, mobile or tablet. Their very own ‘just giving page’ is automatically set up when they create their bee profile. Entrants also gain access to their very own hive containing lots of fun engaging ways to promote their fundraising page and spelling pledge.

All the words spelt correctly, whilst playing the games, are “banked” in your hive and your scores are displayed on the global leader board! There are games to play against the clock, compete against others and you can even play the games in reverse spelling mode!

You can even compete LIVE against Stephen Fry in ‘The Reverse Spellathon Challenge’ or rather EHT ESREVER NOHTALLEPS EGNELLAHC  to be held at the end of February 2012.  There will be three LIVE Games; Stephen vs. Primary/Elementary children, Stephen vs. Secondary/Middle/High School students and Stephen vs. Adults. Digital certificates will be given to entrants that beat Stephen’s score! The date for The Reverse Spellathon Challenge and how to qualify to compete against Stephen will be published soon.  

The Spellathon championships will then take place virtually online in March 2012 and will be hosted by The Professor. Entrants have 15 minutes to record the longest word run of correctly spelt words within 15 minutes.

Ellie Gray, Fundraising Director, Mencap said, “Spellathon has been a successful, paper based event for the last 18 years. Now, by applying online via laptops, mobiles, tablets and whiteboard technologies with state of the art 3D animation we have the opportunity to engage with a global audience. We are delighted to bring Spellathon to new audiences and to increase support for people with a learning disability. All funds raised will make a real difference to the lives of people with a learning disability.”  

The money raised from Spellathon will go towards Mencap’s ongoing work supporting people with a learning disability, their families and carers.

Primary/Elementary Schools will receive an online interactive whiteboard game, to be played in class that is differentiated into year and ability groups and directly follows the national curriculum. This game played on the board or on mini laptops includes buttons to access the specific spelling conventions of each year group as well as random play. The levels in both the interactive whiteboard game and the digital games to be played outside class have been specifically designed to enable all abilities and ages to improve their spelling.

Visit www.spellathon.net today to learn more and register to take part!

About Digital Giving Ltd

Digital Giving Ltd is a joint venture partnership between Grant Morgan & Jamie Goldblatt.

In June 2010, Grant Morgan (CEO of Cause-Related Marketing agency Louis Kennedy), joined forces with mobile and digital media innovator Jamie Goldblatt to launch Digital Giving Ltd. Goldblatt a market-leader in his field, creating mobile content and campaigns for some of the world’s biggest brands and agencies, is now working in partnership with Grant Morgan and the leading Cause-Related Marketing agency Louis Kennedy (over 130 million raised for charities in the last 10 years), to originate and deliver global fundraising and mass awareness concepts centred around creative, engaging digital content.

www.digital-giving.com