As a competitive and nerve-racking battle 11 years old N’Adom Darko-Asare beats Mychelle Kumah, to come top as the best speller in Ghana in the 2023 edition of The Spelling Bee competition.
A pupil of the DPS International Ghana, miss N’dom Asare Darko swiftly glided through the 17th round correctly spelling her championship word “DOUROUCOULI” to claim the ultimate title.
Closely in second place is 12-years old Mychelle Kumah of Soul Clinic School, Accra with Janice Afiba Nketsiah, 12, from St. Francis of Assisi Schools following suit in third place.
One hundred and four hopefuls of the 16th edition of The Spelling Bee Ghana took on the stage on Saturday, February 4, 2023, to spell their way to the championship.
The national finalists were made up of 46 boys and 58 girls representing 8 cities in Ghana.
Mrs. Grace Darko-Asare, mother of the title holder expressed gratitude and immense support for her children and the project.
Present at the event was the First Lady of the Republic of Ghana, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah among other high-profile personalities.
N’Adom Darko-Asare won a trip to Washington DC, USA to represent Ghana at the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee, $500 spending money, an engraved trophy, a fully installed DStv Explora decoder with a 6-month subscription, Indomie products, a gold medal, and GH¢300 Goil fuel vouchers.
Rebecca Akufo-Addo also offered to sponsor the top three contestants when they travel to the United States of America with N’Adom Darko-Asare competing at the Scripps Spelling Bee Championship.
Both runners up, Mychelle Kumah and Janice Afiba Nketsiah won a trip to Nairobi sponsored by Kenya Airways, $150 spending money, a fully installed DStv HD Zapper decoder with 3 months of compact viewing, Indomie products, a silver medal, and GH¢150 Goil fuel vouchers.
Coming in fourth and fifth positions will also enjoy a round trip to Kenya. Ashesi University also presented a check of GH¢4,500 to the three final contestants.
All participating 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.
Over the past fourteen years, the Scripps Spelling Bee-franchised program has been running in Ghana. The Spelling Bee has impacted over 30,000 students throughout the then 10 regional capitals of the country.
Young Educators Foundation, a Ghanaian NGO holds the Ghana franchise.
Speaking at the event, first Lady, Rebecca Akufo Addo commended the organizers for bringing young intellectual minds together for sixteen years and encouraged the pupils to live beyond the Spelling Bee and achieve greater things in life.
Source: REYMOND AWUSEI JOHNSON