NASSAU, Bahamas, March 2, 2023 – A spelling champion to represent The Bahamas in the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, in May will be determined on March 19, 2023, when the 26th Annual Bahamas National Spelling Bee (BNSB) final competition is held in the Seabreeze Ballroom of the SuperClubs Resort.
Twenty-four contestants – 11 from the Family Islands and 13 from New Providence — will vie for the coveted champion title.
“There are five contestants who have been in the Bee before and I am certain they all have their eyes on the ‘grand prize’, said Cylestina Cooper-Williams, National Spelling Bee Coordinator for the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training. “As the coordinator of the BNSB, I feel that this will be a ‘nail-biting’ event because among these repeat competitors are ‘budding spellers’. Anyone can win!”
Mrs. Cooper-Williams confirmed that Roy Seligman — a student at Lyford Cay International School, who won the BNSB four consecutive years – was no longer eligible this year as a competitor, but “the BNSB Committee has invited him to share words of encouragement to this year’s competitors.”
“He will do this at the Orientation on Friday, 17th March, and will also be a co-moderator of the Final Bee,” Mrs. Cooper-Williams said. “I am told that he is excited to see the Bee from another perspective.”
Bee Week 2023 will take place at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center from May 28 to June 2. The national competition will begin with the Preliminaries on Tuesday, May 30, and conclude with the Finals on Thursday, June 1.
Following are this year’s competitors:
FAMILY ISLAND DISTRICTS
ABACO, Ayanna Smith, 12, Coach Ruby Rolle
ANDROS, Malik Forbes, 10, Coach Charlene Seymour
ANDROS, Domonick Delancey, 9, Coach Skye Strachan
GRAND BAHAMA, Reaja Ingraham, 11, Coach Melody Dareus
GRAND BAHAMA, Ginica Louis, 13, Coach Clevanche Lightbourne;
ELEUTHERA, Wes Underwood, 13, Coach Bevil Clarke
ELEUTHERA, Sy’Rai McHardy,12, Coach Olive Sterling-Johnson
EXUMA, Cheston Taylor, 12, Coach Franz Brown
CAT ISLAND, Shontae Jasmin,13, Coach Nicola Wi
LONG ISLAND, Jordan Dittmar, 11, Coach Beryl Shearer
MAYAGUANA, Tiano Moss, 12, Coach Melanie Thurston
NEW PROVIDENCE DISTRICTS
ASSOCIATE SCHOOLS, Ty Williams, 11, Coach, Julie Stuart
ASSOCIATE SCHOOL, Chaswell Hanna, 11, Coach Julie Stuart
BAISS, Arianna Miller, 12, Coach Allandra Russell
BAISS, Maria Sanchez, 14, Coach Michelle Sanchez
BAISS, Vanya Sharma, 10, Allandra Russell
CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Michaela Jules, 10, Coach Arona Walkes
CATHOLIC SCHOOL, TreyVaun Kerr, 10, Coach Tameka Hanna
EASTERN N.P. PRIMARY, Tiger Camron McKenzie, 10, Coach Isaac Woodside
EASTERN N.P. PRIMARY, Issabella Pierre, 10, Coach Irene Tucker
NORTHERN N. P. SECONDARY, Jessica Alteme, 14, Coach Lynette Smith
SOUTHERN N. P. SECONDARY, Lerissa Brown, 12, Coach Lashonne Outten-Albury
WESTERN N. P. PRIMARY, Kataje White, 10, Coach Tonya Rolle
WESTERN N. P. PRIMARY, Marie Sylvestre, 11, Coach Anndra Alday- Pedican
