‘Butter’ gave Zola Wynnzor ‘Kiddie Bee Spelling title

WESTERN BUREAU:

Five-year-old Zola Wynnzor of Mt Alvernia Preparatory and Kindergarten School in Montego Bay is the 2023 Kiwanis Club of Providence Montego Bay Kiddie Bee spelling champion. She won the contest by correctly spelling the word ‘butter’.

Zola, coached by teacher Camille Jamieson-Peart, emerged as the champion after out-spelling 23 other participants from other preparatory and infant schools in St James in the competition, which took place at the Cavalry Baptist Church Hall, Montego Bay.

For her success, Zola was awarded the Henderson Book Store-sponsored championship trophy, a tablet, a day pass for four at a top hotel on the north coast, and a certificate of participation.

The competition, which was staged under the theme, ‘Fun with Word 2023’, and is in its seventh year under the Kiwanis Club of Providence Montego Bay banner, had the full endorsement of the Ministry of Education.

Kay Francis, the Distinguished President of the Kiwanis Club of Providence Montego Bay, said that since its first staging in 2015, the Kiddie Bee spelling competition has been adopted by all successive presidents of the club, and has now become an annual staple project within that club.

The competition was suspended for two years (2020 and 2021) because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Kiddie Bee Spelling competition has now become a household name in the western section of the island, and hence the increase of participants from 18 in the first year 2015 to 24 this year,” said Francis.

“We have had several testimonials over the years from parents, teachers, and in their own small way, the students, who have all acknowledged that their involvement in the competition has benefited them all tremendously,” added Francis.

According to Francis, all the participants were recognised as winners, even before they began the competition. It is geared towards encouraging children between the ages of three and five years old to have fun with spelling and understanding the meaning of words, while at the same time preparing them for similar competitions at higher levels.

“From inception, the theme: ‘Fun with words’, has cemented the fact that the children do have fun while participating, and we treat all of them as winners,” noted Francis. She expressed gratitude to the sponsors, who have been with the competition since inception.

The format of the competition saw the toddlers being given monosyllable words to spell. Those who fail to spell a word drop out of contention until only one speller is left standing.

At the end of this year’s contest, Davina Walters of Hosanna Preparatory School in Montego Bay took second place; and Cheyrome Bernard of Tender Heart Early Childhood Institute took third place.

Each participating school received a set of books for their library and a certificate of participation. The children who were placed in the top three, each received a tablet, along with other prizes, while each participating child also got a mini trophy.