Marco Mendez created buzz at the Coca-Cola Spelling Bee

The Corozal Community College Auditorium was packed today with students whose primary schools were represented at this year’s Annual National Coca Cola Spelling Bee competition.  The twelve finalists hailed from throughout the nation’s six districts and it took what is called a sudden death round with only one word given to each of the remaining spellers. News Five’s Marion Ali was there and filed this report.

Marion Ali, reporting

It took eight gruelling rounds before standard six students, twelve year old Marco Mendez of La Inmaculada Primary School, captured first place in this year’s National Coca Cola Spelling Bee competition.  Mendez won with the word Appoggiatura and edged out standard four student, eleven year old Udumii Ejike, of Solid Rock Academy in Dangriga.  The spelling bee champion, Marco Mendez told us after the competition that he almost gave up along the way, but rode the wave and stole the show.

Marion Ali

“What did it take for you to get here?”

Marco Mendez, 2010  Nat’l Coca-Cola Spelling Bee Champion

“Studying and studying every day.”

Marion Ali

“So you had to give up friendships and play stations?”

Marco Mendez

“Yes.”

Marion Ali

“And you had coaching from teachers and parents?”

Marco Mendez

“Yes my principal had me practicing every day.”

Marion Ali

“How difficult was it for you, a boy your age—twelve years old—to give up friends and put that time in studying?”

Marco Mendez

“It was very difficult because it got so frustrated and just wanted to quit but I proved myself I can do it so I did it.”

Second place finisher, Udimmi Ejike, says she was not deterred by the fact that there were older spellers in the competition, and there were moments when she too had doubts.

Udimmi Ejike, Second Place Finisher

“Most of the words were pretty easy but the ones I weren’t familiar with then they were pretty hard. There were a lot of words that could possibly come up and I only had about one month two months to study them.”

Standard five student at the Belize Elementary, twelve year old Eric Chang, placed third and says he is coming back next year.

Eric Chang, Third Place Finisher

“I’ll try.”

Marion Ali

“You’re not tired of spelling?”

Eric Chang

“No.”

Marion Ali

“How difficult was this for you?”

Eric Chang

“It was extremely, we had to work really hard to get to this and its very challenging. All I have to do is just believe in myself and try again. Try over and over until I get it.”

But it was also a sacrifice for those who were supporting the students.

Manuel Polanco

Manuel Polanco, Principal, La Inmaculada Primary

“I kept telling him, Marco if you win there is a lot at stake that you are going to get out of this as well. I tell him you’ll have a laptop for yourself, you’ll have your scholarship, you’ll have the prestige for yourself and you’ll be the star of the show. All the cameras will be flashing at you and this and that. And I guess that’s what motivated him and wanted to be the winner.”

Monica Budna, Teacher, Solid Rock Christian Academy

“We spent time at my house, at the office, during break under the shed, after school in the classroom, her mom keeping her up late taking her through this thing. So, basically, we played a part in it, but her determination and her perseverance was what really got her this far.”

One of the planners of the event, Nick Pollard Jr, says the event has grown leaps and bounds over the sixteen years since its inception.  And now they feel the competition has reached a satisfactory point.

Nick Pollard Jr, Sales Mgr, Bowen & Bowen Ltd.

Nick Pollard Jr.

“You know, these are difficult words and I am proud to say at an international level. Our primary school students can participate worldwide in any spelling bee contest. I think we have reached a level now of word difficulty that we can keep it at this level for next year. I don’t think we need to go beyond the difficulty that we have at this time. They are at a stage where we can say they are difficult enough.  If we start going beyond this, then we are going to be looking at words like to define different type of medications and different types of surgeries—pharmaceutical words and those can become very difficult.”

Marion Ali

“While the organizers of the National Coca Cola Spelling Bee competition say they have reached a comfort zone with the level of difficulty in the spelling of the words, one group of people who will be going to work for next year’s competition are the spellers.  Marion Ali, News Five, Corozal Town”

The top three finishers took home trophies, computers and cash prizes and dictionaries.  For their courageous participation, all twelve finalists received gifts from the sponsor, Bowen and Bowen Limited.