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Spelling Bee: Ardenne High's Chaunte Blackwood is the 2016 champion

Published:Wednesday | February 3, 2016 | 12:00 AMAndre Poyser, Staff Reporter
St Andrew's Chaunte Blackwood
St Andrew's Chaunte Blackwood
Kingston's Assana Thompson.
St Ann's Jadaqae Johnson placed third.
Manchester's Ojea Sheckleford placed fourth. He also takes the title of Champion Boy.
Kingston's Assana Thompson (left) and St Andrew's Chaunte Blackwood are both trained by Hanif Brown (centre). – File photo
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The 2016 Spelling Bee Champion is St Andrew's Chaunte Blackwood of Ardenne High School.

After an intense showdown with 13 other parish finalists, Blackwood walked away victorious in The Gleaner's Children's Own Spelling Bee Finals.

The winning word was A-R-R-O-Y-O.

Blackwood topped first runner-up Kingston's Assana Thompson.

Thompson and Blackwood are both trained by Hanif Brown a protege of the late master coach Rev Glen Archer.

Blackwood will represent Jamaica at the 88th Scripps National Spelling Bee Championships in Washington D.C. later this year.

PROFILES:

Name: Chaunte Blackwood

Age: 12

School: Ardenne High

Coach: Hanif Brown

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 Name: Assana Thompson

Age: 10

School: Wolmer's Prep

Coach: Hanif Brown