The Gleaner’s Children’s Own Spelling Bee | 9-y-o Toriann is St Catherine’s queen bee

Spanish Town, St Catherine:

TOP 5

1. ↓Toriann Beckford, McAuley Primary

2. ↓Halli Hannah, Homestead Primary

3. ↓Amir Stewart, Marlie Mount Primary

4. ↓Kimora Clarke, Independence City Primary

5. ↓Cortney Soocka, Independence City Primary

Top boy: Amir Stewart,

Marlie Mount Primary

Top girl: Toriann Beckford,

McAuley Primary

Winning word:

S-A-C-E-R-D-O-T-A-L

Coach: Errol Campbell

Number of spellers: 50

Nine-year-old Toriann Beckford walked away The Gleaner’s Children’s Own Spelling Bee 2019 parish champion for St Catherine after out-spelling 49 other bees from across the parish.

Cousin to Deneiro Hinds, the 2017 national champion who went on to represent Jamaica at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Beckford told The Gleaner that she had no fear competing at the parish finals.

“I wasn’t nervous, and I knew that I would win because I applied my rules my coach taught me – like my suffix, my affix, my etymologies – and all my spelling words, so I knew that I would win,” Toriann said.

When asked about her win, the grade four student said: “I feel great about winning! My cousin, Deneiro, he encouraged me a lot, also my coach Errol Campbell, and my grandparents and also my aunt.”

GRATEFUL FOR WIN

Coach to many parish and national champions, including the top boy for the parish, Amir Stewart of Marlie Mount Primary, Errol Campbell is grateful for this win.

“The team has done well overall,” he said. “We have worked assiduously. We put in a lot of time. We tried to tear the dictionary apart literally, and to God be the glory, it worked out. All the hard work paid off.”

Campbell describes Toriann as a meticulous, obedient, and disciplined speller, who applies all strategies in figuring out how words are spelt.

Moving on to the national finals, he said it won’t be business as usual.

“Going forward, the process is going to be totally different. The good thing is that Tori has the right attitude,” he said. “We are going to work diligently, and there are some new things that I’m going to apply because winning is in her veins. She can handle it, so she will do exceptionally well in February.”