Champion Speller for Westmoreland, Frome Preparatory School Deputy Head Girl, Tiffany Robinson (right), receives a hug from principal and coach, Cherila Maddan.

WESTERN BUREAU:

The Gleaner's Children's Own Spelling Bee champion for the parish of Westmoreland, 11-year-old Tiffany Robinson, is nervous but confident at the prospects of participating in the national competition on February 6 and 7.

The deputy head girl at Frome Preparatory School correctly spelt the word 'mischievous' to emerge victorious in the 2006 parish spell down.

"I felt nervous at first but then I felt really great when my friends and my parents turned up," she recalled, adding "I cannot be very sure where I will place in the finals but I am confident that I will do well."

Described by her teachers as a hard worker, who knows how to manage her time, Tiffany, is also a member of the school's dance troupe and captain of Wanliss (blue) House. She has indeed been doing quite a balancing act, especially when it comes to sharing her time between Spelling Bee and her upcoming Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) preparations.

"In the days, at break and at lunchtime I go to Mrs. Maddan (her coach). I go to her to study and do dictation," she said. "Sometimes I get a little break because I cannot study all the time."

Adding that she studies on average about two hours per day, Tiffany, whose ambition is to become a medical doctor, says that while she would like to do well at nationals, she also has to make time to study for GSAT.

"Sometimes we study up to two hours but because of GSAT it is kind of hard to study (spelling) a lot," she explained adding, "I would like to got to Hampton."

A firm believer that hard work pays off, Tiffany says that her key motivators are her parents and her principal/spelling coach, Mrs. Cherila Maddan.

"My role model in spelling would be Mrs. Maddan because she has done so much for the students and everyone that she has helped has done extremely well (academically)," she said.

Tiffany said that a part of her goal in this competition is to set a good example for her schoolmates.

"I want them to know that they can do what they want to do and be who they want to be if they just try hard and work at it," she said.

- C.H.