The 10 semi-finalists of the eighth annual Rotary/Rotaract Spelling Bee.
BELAIR–Ten participants have qualified for the semi-final round of the eighth annual Rotary/Rotaract Spelling Bee, which is to take place at Belair Community Centre on Sunday, October 27.
For the preliminary round last Sunday, 35 pupils from 13 primary schools in St. Maarten and Anguilla were nervous and eager to start.
The event was opened by Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle Spelling Bee Chairperson and Master of Ceremonies Jon Hart. Rotary Mid Isle President Aernout Kraaijeveld thanked the sponsors, the Spelling Bee Committee and the young people taking part in the spelling bee. He also wished good luck to the participants.
Rotaract Club of St. Maarten Sunrise President Gabriel Flanders said he was happy to collaborate again with Rotary Mid Isle to organise the spelling bee. He also encouraged the pupils to “use words and the dictionary, as reading is fundamental for your education.”
Caretaker Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Minister Wycliffe Smith said the spelling bee is a great activity for the pupils and thanked the organisers. Smith also said the pupils’ hard work had rewarded them with placement in this spelling bee. He wished all the participants success.
Rotarian Yvette Hart gave the invocation and the St. Maarten Song was led by Rotary Mid Isle Secretary Grace Linger.
The rules were then explained to the participants. For the preliminary round, the participants had to write 20 selected words. The words were read out loud, given in a sentence, and then read out loud again. Each participant had 30 seconds to write the word on a provided sheet of paper.
The judge’s panel comprised Rotary Mid Isle Vice President Denise Antrobus (head judge), Rotarian Davy Moree, and Yvette Hart. Linger was the event’s timekeeper and Rotaractor Tisianna Hart was the logistic technician.
The 10 best finishers represent seven schools – five in St. Maarten and two in Anguilla.
Seven semi-finalists come from St. Maarten. They are Ashmini Persaud (Hillside Christian Schools Asha Stevens campus), Sherine Lalwani (St. Dominic Primary School), Jemaiah Etrenne (St. Joseph School), Jeremiah Cantave (Methodist Agogic Centre Browlia F. Maillard Campus), and Bhumi Dayalani, Kushaan Sharma, and Pierre Pompignan (Seventh Day Adventist School).
Three semi-finalists come from Anguilla. They are Mikalia Richardson (Alwyn Allison Richardson Primary School), and Emily Gumbs and Janselah Bruno (Valley Primary School).
These 10 participants will head into the semi-final round to vie for one of five spots in the final round, which is scheduled for Sunday, November 3.
Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle and Rotaract Club of St. Maarten Sunrise encourage persons to come out and support the participants for the remaining rounds of the spelling bee. The clubs have also said the school with the best supporting team will win a prize.
For more information, persons can send an e-mail to
rotarysxm.mi@gmail.com or visit Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle’s Facebook page.
Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle meets at Pineapple Pete in Simpson Bay on Tuesdays at 7:00pm.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/91966-ten-qualify-for-semi-finals-of-rotary-rotaract-spelling-bee
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