Sade Dunbar - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
Sacha Walters, Staff Reporter
"That's one N," 11-year-old Sade Dunbar said, correcting my spelling of her coach's name, all the while peering curiously at every word I wrote.
The curious youngster is this year's parish champion for St. Catherine in The Gleaner's Children's Own Spelling Bee competition and, interestingly, she said she was not always a good speller.
"My grade one teacher introduced it to me and I said OK, I'm going to try it," said Sade, who attends the Spanish Town Primary School.
Eventually got better
"I started to study the books and I started to learn about words," she added, noting that this was when she eventually got better.
She beat out her 10-year-old brother Jordi Dunbar who placed third in the competition, giving Spanish Town Primary two places in the parish finals.
Sade, who is in the process of preparing with her coach the Reverend Glen Archer for the national competition in February, also has other things on her plate. She is studying for her GSAT examinations and aiming to attend Ardenne High.
Gloria Smith, one of the teachers who trained Sade for the parish finals said it is not easy to keep children interested in spelling.
"I have to keep them motivated," Ms. Smith said, adding that she does this through competitions and rewarding them with prizes.
Sade said one of her favourite parts of training with her current coach is the fun they have while studying. She said he drops in a few jokes during their sessions.
Ms. Smith said that most of the children involved in the spelling competition at her school are good readers and communicators.
... Puts Spanish Town Primary on top
Spanish Town Primary is
on top and Sade Dunbar put them there.
The young girl did so by snagging the St. Catherine parish championship for The Gleaner's Children's Own Spelling Bee competition.
The 32-year-old institution, in the heart of the Old Capital, boasts 2,532 students and operates on a shift system.
Inez Robinson-Wilson, principal, joined the staff last September and said the students are very active. The school has a high attendance rate despite occasional violence in the area.
The school employs 69 teachers, two guidance counsellors and a librarian.
The children participate in a host of extra-curricular activities like the 4-H Club where they have won top positions in the past.
They also participate in Under-12 football, dance and drama.
- S.W.
