The Rotary Club of Stabroek conducted a spelling bee competition at one of the Club’s Literacy Project sites, Bagotsville, West Bank Demerara, in keeping with Rotary’s Literacy Month. Approximately 50 participants were drawn from Bagotsville, Nismes and La Grange.
The competition targeted children aged 7 – 10, 11 – 14, and 15 and older.
Prizes were awarded to first, second and third place winners in each category. The first to third place winners in the 7-10 category are Tracy Squires, Jimuell Alexander and Kimberly Henry; in the 11 -14 category, Abeda Alexander,  Kimberly De Freitas and Trishelle August; and in the 15 and older category,  Ashana Browne,  Rondell Douglas and Tiffany Parris.

The aim of the competition was to provide opportunities for expanding students’ vocabularies, promoting correct usage of words, helping students spell quickly and accurately, helping students learn to compete and provide an environment to promote students’ self-esteem, character development and sportsmanship.
Parents and community leaders were extremely supportive of the event and gave their earnest encouragement to the spellers. For some of the spellers, it was the first time they were participating in a spelling bee and speaking at such a forum.  
Apart from the spelling bee encouraging public speaking, it also promotes a multi-modality approach to language.  The multi-sensory process (auditory and verbal) of the bee is an effective method of teaching literacy to students and a great way for teachers to know where their students are at.
The competition was conceptualised as part of the club’s continued commitment to improving the reading and writing abilities of students in their earliest years of learning, and to observe Literacy Month in Rotary’s calendar.