20
Local
Jan/Feb 2019
www. EleutheraNews . com
CEHS and Preston take 2019 Eleuthera District Spelling Bee Titles in distinct island competitions. The atmosphere, during the penultimate round of the 2019 Central and North Eleuthera District Spelling Bee Competition was crackling, as parents, teachers, coaches and other students watched the three final competitors duke it out for bragging rights as the best speller in the district. Although, the audience had to remain as quiet as possible, ears were perked with bated breath, not wanting to miss the pronunciation of each word, and the exhales as each competitor moved forward through the stiff competition, were almost audible. BY The eleutheran news team
Two girls - Kymethera Albury, a fifth grader from Laura L. Anderson primary school; Terrinique Sands, a seventh grader from Central Eleuthera High School (CEHS); and one boy - Amari Pinder, also a seventh grader from CEHS, were the last three standing from a starting pool of twenty two (22) students following the fifth round. After tackling words like ‘hypothesis’, Laura L. Anderson’s Kymethera Albury was taken down by the simple but tricky ‘dross’, bowing out in third place. The final round saw Amari come up first, spelling ‘interrupt’ correctly. It was then on to Terrinique, who was given the word ‘maraca’, which she did not spell correctly. So, according to the final round rules, Amari was asked to spell the same word, which he did successfully. To secure the win, Amari was given a new word, ‘polymer’, which he confidently spelled correctly, to win the top spelling title. The top finishers were Kymethera Albury in third, Terrinique Sands in second, and Amari Pinder in first place.
Above: Competing spellers at the North and Central Eleuthera district Bee eagerly anticipate the start of the competion. Below: Eventual winner in North and Central Eleuthera, Amari Pinder, introducing himself ahead of the start of the Bee.
Earlier rounds during the very competitive bee saw a number of bright spellers doing extremely well. Eight schools were represented during the exciting contest; including; • Governor’s Harbour Primary with Andrielle Gardiner, Lavaal Fernander, and Milalah Bethel; • Harbour Island All Age School with Religious Neely, Kahlia Higgs and Joriam Louis; • Emma E. Cooper Primary School with Tabetha Decosta, Makai Gardiner, and Shemaire Walker; • Laura L. Anderson Primary with Kymethera Albury, Farah Joseph, and Kani Reid; • Samuel Guy Pinder All Age School with Imelda Saintilus and Roodly Agenor; • P. A. Gibson Primary with Alicia Rolle, Maliaha Cooper and Neikeeleah Johnson; • James’ Cistern Primary School with Kourtney Bethel and Jaden Johnson; and • Central Eleuthera High School
with Amari Pinder, Terrinique Sands and Juvens Ben-aime. Amari Pinder will now go on to represent the Central and North Eleuthera district in the Bahamas National Spelling Bee, scheduled to take place in New Providence in April 2019. The South Eleuthera school district hosted its Spelling Bee, one day earlier, on Thursday, January 24th, 2019 at the Rock Sound Primary School. Topping out the winners circle in the South were • Brandon Smith of Rock Sound Primary in third, • Amaya Boodoo of Tarpum Bay Primary in second place, and • Nathalia Saunders of Preston Albury High in first place. Nathalia will go on to represent the South Eleuthera school district joining Amari at the Bahamas National Spelling Bee in April.