Spelling Bee winners

Nine-year-old Ajay Miller is the winner of the 2009 Haliborange Seven Seas 11th Annual Spelling Bee competition.{{more}}

The Kingstown Preparatory School student walked away with the winning trophy, $500 and a laptop computer at the Finals of the competition held on Saturday, October 31, 2009, at the Methodist Church Hall.

Miller had the full support of his teachers, fellow students and family who cheered and roared as the lad spelt most words correctly. Other competitors Maria O’Neal of the Georgetown Secondary School copped the second place trophy and $400, while Jodeece Robertson of the Rose Hall Government School took away the third place trophy and $400.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT after the competition, Ajay said that he felt “good” on winning the competition and going on to the regional competition in Antigua later this month. Ajay also won a Desktop computer and printer for his school. The grade five student related that his family, friends and teachers helped prepared him for Saturday’s competition.

The competition, which was sponsored by Seven Seas and Courts Ltd., took on a new format for this year. The competitors were no longer allowed to write the word before attempting to spell it. Instead, competitors had to approach the podium and spell the word within 30 seconds, much like what is done in regional and international settings.

Seven Seas representative Jimmy Ford, speaking at the event, explained that this is done to prepare students for the regional and international competitions. He added that that they are working towards getting regional winners to compete in the United States Spelling Bee Championships where the winning prize is around US$10, 000.

The other schools that took part in the Finals were the Stephanie Brown Primary School, Lomans Leeward Primary School, Park Hill Primary, Calliaqua Primary School and the Belair Primary School. Students who represented these schools received medals and gifts. Audience members were also treated during the event and took home Haliborange Seven Seas vitamins, purses and bags.