New Junior Spelling Bee champion crowned

Syraii Applewaite of The Rock Christian School is the 2023 ICBL Spelling Bee Champion. 

She emerged the winner of the competition held last Friday at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

Eighty enthusiastic students from 28 primary schools proudly represented their schools at the competition’s finals, each hoping to take the title and the prizes that went with it. 

It would take four rounds of spelling between the final two students – Applewaite and Cruz Harrison of St Winifred’s School – to determine the winner, in a nail-biting final filled with suspense.

Along with the title and a trophy, the winner received $2 000 from ICBL, two airline tickets to London on Virgin Atlantic, one Lenovo Laptop computer from Promotech, and restaurant and adventure vouchers from Atlantis Submarines and Chukka.

Cruz Harrison of St Winifred’s School receives his trophy.

Harrison, who competed valiantly, received a trophy, $1 000 from ICBL, a tablet from Digicel, a staycation, and restaurant and adventure vouchers.

Nya Rose of West Terrace Primary placed third. She received a trophy, $700 from ICBL, and other vouchers for a staycation, restaurant dining, and land and sea adventures.

The fourth-placed position went to Aniyah-Christina Ince of Wilkie Cumberbatch, who received $500 from ICBL, a lunch voucher at Sea Breeze Resort, and a submarine dive for two. 

The top three winning schools received $4 000, $2 000, and $1 000, respectively, with the winning school, The Rock Christian School, taking the perpetual plaque until the 2024 competition. (PR)