Students Face Fun Challenges at District Spelling Bee

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By Erika Marks Erika Marks

Published: February 25, 2023 February 25, 2023

Nyeema Henderson and Josenh Greaux Jr. will live on in the history of the Education Department's District Intermediate Spelling Bee.

Greaux spelled the winning word, "Phonics," in the seventh and final round of the competition Thursday morning at the auditorium of John H Woodson Junior High School. On Thursday, March 16, he will be among the six competitors in the Territorial Spelling Bee on St. Thomas. Alex Fleming from Good Hope Country Day School, Rayan Felix from Free Will Baptist School, Abdel Bazzar from Ricardo Richards Elementary School, Meilene Henrys from Catholic School, and Sinaia Steven from Claude O Markoe School are the others.

The younger Greaux, who was coached by Susan Jones both times, said he competed in the 2019 competition and finished eighth. "I was sad, but I told myself I was going to come back to try again and win," he said.

In her closing remarks on the Woodson campus, News Executive Editor Eunice Bedminster said. Scripps Howard purchased the competition's rights in 1941, she said, and it has been held ever since, with the exception of 1943-1945 during World War I, and in 2020 due to COVID. Since 2018, Kendra Vicars, St. Thomas-St. John District Director of Curriculum and Instruction, has coordinated the district spelling bee.

"During the pandemic, we did not have an in-person bee for that very first year when everything was closed down, and last year we had a modified bee where we didn't really have much of an audience because of the pandemic," explained Victor.

"So, it was good to be back in person, everyone was able to come in - parents, we were able to invite other students from schools."