Evon Jotis wins BCB/Scotia Bank Spelling Bee competition

May 15, 2012 Sports

Eleven year-old Evon Jotis of St. Therese Primary School of New Amsterdam held his nerves on Friday last to win the annual Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) organised Scotia Bank Inter Primary School Spelling Bee Competition.
The event which was held at the Rose Hall Town Primary School attracted students from ten schools – Kildonan, Tain, Rose Hall Town, Port Mourant, Belvedere, Sheet Anchor, Bohemia, St Therese, St. Aloysius and All Saints.
BCB Special Events Committee Chairman, Hilbert Foster, said that the competition was a huge success and forms part of the Board’s efforts to promote the value of education for all youths.

1st, 2nd and 3rd place winner posed with the other participants

All Berbice cricketers, Foster stated must know that they cannot be successful if they are not fully educated and understand their duties as role models to their peers.
Stating his pleasure at the high standard of the competition, Foster noted that he was pleasantly surprised at the spelling ability of the students. The finals lasted for close to three hours as close to three hundred words had to be used by the spelling Master Mr. Eon Carter before the winner was decided.
Seven of the ten contestants were eliminated after failing to spell three words and the three finalists were Jotis, Naomi Ramoutar of Sheet Anchor Primary and Cynthia Greenidge of St. Aloysius.
Foster praised the contestants for their outstanding performances and described them all as winners and ambassadors of their schools. He said that as a youth and sports leader, he sometimes feels frustrated with the educational level of his charges but expressed pleasure at the passion and remarkable skills of the contestants.
They were urged them to remain focused on their education and to get involved in playing cricket at the club level in their areas. BCB Secretary Angela Haniff expressed gratitude to Ms. Jennifer Cipriani and Scotia Bank for their sponsorship of the competition and stated that the 2013 edition would be bigger and better.
The winner Evon Jotis received $15,000, first runner-up Naomi Ramoutar $10,000 and second runner-up Cynthia Greenidge, $5,000. Trophies were also given to the top 3 finishers. The winning school St. Therese collected a cheque for $25,000.