By Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter
An exhausted Cornel Grey gets a hug from mom Eulette Ferguson while coach Rev. Glen Archer (left) and dad, Cecil Grey, look on. Cornel is the St. Catherine Champion for the second consecutive year. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
SPANISH TOWN was a cauldron but the 70 spellers in the St. Catherine parish finals bore the heat well, and even generated some of their own as they fielded words thrown at them during The Gleaner's Children's Own-sponsored Spelling Bee competition yesterday.
When things cooled down at the Phillippo Baptist Church Hall, defending champion Cornel Grey had retained his title.
Cornel, who attends Portmore Missionary Prep, got keen competition from Champion Girl and second place winner, Regina Bish, of Kensington Primary School, also in Portmore.
TOP FOUR PLACES
FOR ARCHER
Third place went to Orlando Hoilett of Hydel Prep; fourth, to his schoolmate Anastasia Douglas; and fifth to Lyndel Goffe of Greater Portmore Primary. Interestingly, this gave the Reverend Glen Archer the top four places.
During the roughly four-hour spell-down, the biggest handicap was arguably the heat.
It could have been a mixture of the temperature and the customary 'nerves' that led to a steady fall of spellers, but after 30 minutes only 49 spellers were left and by midday, the number had shrunk to 26.
Resuming at 1:00 p.m. after lunch, there were but nine standing before the clock struck 2:00 p.m.
There were the usual tears from some spellers after their slip-ups, but most took it well.
The Hydel spellers wept bitterly after missing words they probably felt they should have got. Their coach and teachers were there in full support.
All spellers were given stationery and other gifts while the Champion Boy and Girl both received cheques from National Commercial Bank and Victoria Mutual Building Society, respectively.
FELT CONFIDENT
Cornel said he felt confident that he could have repeated last year's victory.
He described his formula as "hard work and prayer."
Having topped his parish two years in a row, he will now try to duplicate that in the National Finals where he finished in the top 10 last time.
The Bee alights on the parish of St. Andrew today at the North Street offices of the Gleaner Company Ltd. starting at 9:00 a.m.
