10-year-old pupil of DPS International School wins 2022 Spelling Bee Competition

N’Adom Darko-Asare, a pupil of the DPS International School, Tema, has emerged winner of the 2022 Spelling Bee National competition.

This was after she correctly spelled the word, “B-A-T-H-Y-P-E-L-A-G-I-C” in the championship round to become the champion.

BATHYPELAGIC, a Greek word, relating to a deep – (also known as midnight zone) or the part of the open ocean that extends from a depth of 1,000 to 4,000 meters (about half the height of Mount Everest) below the ocean surface.

Miss Darko-Asare, as part of her prize, would be going on a trip to Washington DC, USA, to represent Ghana at the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

She would also have $500 spending money, an engraved trophy, a fully installed DStv Explora decoder with a six-month subscription, Indomie products, a gold medal, and GH¢300 Goil fuel vouchers.

Nii Odartey Elorm Manyo-Plange, a 10-year pupil of the Roman Ridge School, was the first runner-up, with Aarna Bhaveshkumar Tailor, 11, from the DPS International Ghana, Tema, being the second runner-up.

The 2022 spelling Bee grand finale began with a total of 115 participants commencing in the first round, with scores falling out in subsequent rounds until the 12th round that had the three finalists spelling their way through.

Nii Odartey and Aarna both missed their final words but fortunately got to be named finalists based on points accrued from their performances.

Miss Aarna Bhaveshkumar Tailor, also won a trip to Nairobi, sponsored by Kenya Airways, $150 spending money, a fully installed DStv HD Zapper decoder with three months compact viewing, Indomie products, a bronze medal, and GH¢150 Goil fuel vouchers.

All other spellers were given a certificate of recognition, Indomie products, customized T-shirts, commemorative medals, a customized bag, and novels donated by the PAS-US Embassy, while the top three winners’ schools each received a certificate of recognition, GH¢1,000 fuel vouchers sponsored by GOIL.

Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the First Lady, who graced the occasion, commended the children, especially the girls, for their resilience in coming far to the finals.

She expressed joy that Ghana was the first African country to have made it to the US Scripps spelling Bee over the past 14 years, saying the onus was on Ghana to produce the first African winner at the international level.

She urged parents to keep supporting their children to imbibe the act of reading and spelling to improve their general academic work in school.

Ms. Stephanie Sullivan, the US Ambassador to Ghana, speaking at the event, commended the organizers and all children for participating in the competition, adding that, they had proven to be resilient and committed.

The Ambassador said over 8,000 children had benefited from the spelling bee competition and urged the competitors of this year’s activity to be proud of themselves and keep pushing until they reached their potential.

The Spelling Bee – Gh is a literacy program targeted at primary school children in Ghana. It teaches them how to use the English language effectively.

Over the past 14 years, the Scripps Spelling Bee-franchised program had been running in Ghana.

It has impacted over 30,000 students throughout the country.