Spelling Bee | This is such an amazing feeling - Ashleigh

Half-Way Tree, St Andrew: Pentecostal Tabernacle Church Hall

1. Ashleigh Jarrett, Immaculate Conception High

School

2. Kayona Campbell, Campion College

3. Armani Dyer, Ardenne High School

4. Ajani McFarlene, Campion College

5. Nyela Fearon, Ardenne Preparatory

Top boy: Armani Dyer, Ardenne High School

Top girl: Ashleigh Jarrett, Immaculate

Conception High School

Winning word: L-E-E-C-H-D-O-M

Coach: Bee Spellers Coaching Programme

Ashleigh on winning: "Wow! First, I have to give thanks to God because I did not know my winning word and He helped me through it. I would like to thank my coaches, my parents and everyone else who has supported me. This is such an amazing feeling."

Andrea Jarrett (mother): "First, we give thanks to God. We prayed, the whole family fasted, and she did her work. She started studying from June. We decided that this is our final year in Spelling Bee, so we are giving it our all this year and we are going for the win."

This is Ashleigh's third time competing at this level and her second win. The first-form student admits that standing as one of the final two had her stomach feeling funny.

"I felt like I wanted to throw up and my knees felt kind of weird, too, but I worked it out," she shares.

She says that winning now means so much more than the other time.

"I'm coming from Kingston with maybe 20 spellers and now I'm spelling in a line with 63 or 64 spellers, so the feeling is a bit better because it is a victory over a larger amount of people," she says.

Ashleigh admits that preparing for parish finals was rigorous and there were times when she wanted to give up, but she stuck it out because spelling is one of her loves.

She also loves swimming and is working on representing her school. She is also a member of Debate Club, Med Club, Drama Club, Chess Club, Math Club, and Girl Guides.

When asked how she finds the time to juggle all of her school activities, projects, homework, schoolwork and spelling, her answer was, "I don't know, that's the honest answer."

Ashleigh's advice to the other parish champions: "Be prepared for the Pegasus bedrooms because they are really cold."