Finger spellers show skills

Coming up on Friday is the much anticipated final round in the Coca Cola National Spelling Bee. But while the sharpest spellers from six districts were studying their lists, another group of potential champions was working just as hard.

Jacqueline Woods, Reporting

The students all between the ages of five and thirteen may not have had as much time as they wanted to prepare for the National Finger Spelling Bee competition but the boys and girls, who are all deaf, quickly proved that their communication skills are just as good as any child taking part in a regular spelling bee.

The competition is just one of many activities held to commemorate disability week.

Eleanor Castillo, Dir., Special Ed. Unit, Min. of Education

“It is to get the students to participate in regular education activities. Spelling is one of them, so it?s just to get them to be able to spell and realise that they need to do the academic work just like everybody else.”

The competition was sponsored by Crystal Water Company and the Ministry of Education. The children who scored the highest in the junior and senior categories each received a trophy, television, DVD player, and other gift items.

In the senior category, Brittney Jex from Stella Maris School came in first followed by Svetlana Romero of Bernice York School and Mellen Mess of the Cayo Deaf Institute. In the junior category, Christian Mora from Stella Maris School took top honours, followed by Ysolyn Medina of the Cayo Deaf Institute, and Shane Castillo from Stella Maris.