The preliminary rounds of the primary and secondary National Spelling Bees drew to a close on Thursday 13 November 2014, with a closely contested high school competition at the Mary Miller Hall.

Three students each from Layman E. Scott Sr. and John Gray High Schools will move forward to the Lions Spelling Bee on 3 December.

Aaron Fernandez, Alec Harding, and Toni-Ann Daley from John Gray will join Dilan Tatum, Gabriella Ritch and Thomas Sevik from Layman E. Scott in the finals. Other schools taking part in last night’s opening round were Cayman Academy, the Lighthouse School and Clifton Hunter High School.

A further nine primary school students already have their sights set on the RBC Royal Bank Cayman Ltd. Spelling Bee on 2 December, having topped their preliminary rounds 4-7 November.

George Town Primary is sending through Amare Hamilton, Jelani Hanson and Jemma Watson. Prospect Primary will send Everton Spence and Brianna Ebanks. The remaining students are Aria Gooden from Sir John A. Cumber Primary, Kadre Williams from Cayman Academy, Thaddeus Solomon from Savannah Primary and Deidre Edwards from Bodden Town Primary.

Both finals take place at the Mary Miller Hall. Members of the public are welcome to attend.

Photos: Information Officer Bina Mani

1. This trio from John Gray will contest the Lions’ Spelling Bee finals for high school students.
2. The remaining three contestants are from Layman E. Scott Sr High School on Cayman Brac.
3. Competitors in the national secondary spelling bee included Cayman Academy and the Lighthouse School as well as John Gray, Clifton Hunter and Layman E. Scott Sr. High Schools.