FREEPORT, Grand Bahama, February 6, 2020 — Azaria Louis, a sixth-grade student at Maurice E. Moore Primary, won the 23rd annual Grand Bahama District Spelling Bee held on Thursday, February 6, at the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) Hall on West Atlantic Drive in downtown Freeport, Grand Bahama.
Louis, who was coached by Mrs. Anne Burrows, out-spelled 10 other students who participated in this year’s competition that got underway t 10 a.m. Her winning word was “erstwhile.”
First runner-up was Jasmaine Rolle, a 10-year-old fifth-grade student at Hugh Campbell Primary, coached by Mrs. Melody Dareus, and second runner-up was Ricardo Simmons, Jr., a 12-year-old eighth-grade student at Tabernacle Baptist Academy, coached Mrs. Demetrius Symonette and Miss Rocshell Rhule.
By virtue of finishing first and second, Louis and Rolle will represent the Grand Bahama District in the Bahamas National Spelling Bee finals in New Providence on May 8.
The Grand Bahama District has been a force to be reckoned from the introduction the Scripps National Spelling Bee to The Bahamas’ educational system in 1998. Although Dominique Higgins, a 12-year-old Jordan Prince William High student, won that first year, Grand Bahama Catholic High’s Gadareth Higgs finished a close second after engaging in a head-to-head battle with Higgins for many rounds when they were the only two remaining in the finals.
Grand Bahama District spellers, however, have captured the national title a staggering seven times: Deshae Morley, Grand Bahama Catholic High (1999-2000); Britanny Wilkinson, Freeport Anglican High (2000-2001); Denice Deveaux, Grand Bahama Catholic High (2001-2002); Joeanne Salise, St. Georges High (2003-2004); Joeanne Salise, St. Georges High (2004-2005); Anjanet Loon, Grand Bahama Catholic High (2006-2007); Anjanet Loon, Grand Bahama Catholic High (2007-2008).
Only the winner of the Bahamas National Spelling Bee previously represented The Bahamas in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. from its inception, but thanks to an RSVBee invitation-only program introduced by the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2018, The Bahamas was represented by three contestants in 2019, two of whom competed via RSVBee process.
BNSB 2019 Champion Roy Seligman, a 10-year-old 4th grade student at Lyford Cay International School, was joined by Yellow Elder Primary Kevin Williams Jr., who finished second, and Queen’s College student Arjun Shetty, who finished third.
The 93rd Scripps National Spelling Bee will be held at the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland, near Washington, D.C., May 24-30.
