A partnership between ExxonMobil Guyana and the Rotary Club of Stabroek to provide students with stimulating ways to continue their education while being at home during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a highly competitive online spelling bee contest.
First place winner Mahesa Boodhoo, receiving her prize from Deedra Moe, Senior Director of Public and Government Affairs at ExxonMobil – Photo Credit: (RCS)
The spelling competition was one phase of the partnership that also provided online tutorials and quizzes free of charge to students during the shutdown.
According to the Club, nearly 130 students from Grades five and six completed four preliminary rounds of the competition before the top 30 scorers participated in two semifinal rounds. After three intense hours of semifinal action, the top 15 scorers moved to the final round.
A grueling 15 round final led to Mahesa Boodhoo, Shaunessy Simon, Kamiah Williams, and Aliya Deonarine competing in sudden death rounds to determine the top three finishers.
Aliya Deonarine succumbed to the sixth sudden death round and opened the way for Williams to edge into cop the third place by correctly spelling the word “chandelier’.
Shaunessy Simon and Mahesa Boodhoo went head as they battled through 5 additional rounds of sudden death before Boodhoo emerged as the fifth round winner with the correct spelling of the word “pessimistic’.
Mahesa Boodhoo won herself an HP laptop computer, printer, headset, flash drive, a book voucher, and a GBTI Early Savers Account. Shaunessy Simon received a desktop computer, printer, headset, a book voucher, a GBTI Early Savers Account. Kamiah Williams received a tablet, printer, computer desk, and chair, a book voucher, a GBTI Early Savers Account.
The remaining 12 finalists all received a book voucher and a GBTI Early Savers Account. All participants received certificates of participation.
Rotarian Sharon Sue-Hang-Baksh, President of the Rotary Club of Stabroek, in extending congratulations to the 15 finalists, said that the Club has been advocating and promoting education and literacy in young people across Guyana since its inception and feel strongly that youths are the future of Guyana and education and literacy are paramount to achieving their potential.
“The global pandemic has been challenging for all of us, including students who are unable to attend school in person. Partnering with the Rotary Club of Stabroek to provide Guyana’s young people with fun and engaging ways to learn outside the classroom is very important to ExxonMobil Guyana,” said Deedra Moe, Senior Director of Public and Government Affairs.
The Rotary Club of Stabroek is thrilled to have partnered with ExxonMobil Guyana, BrainStreet, and GBTI on this initiative and look forward to more collaboration of such nature in the future, she said.
Second place winner, Shaunessy Simon receiving her prize from Deedra Moe, Senior Director of Public and Government Affairs at ExxonMobil – Photo Credit: (RCS)
Other phases of the project include providing online tutorials for Grades four, five, and six students through the BrainCentral Learning Platform using live classrooms, quizzes, assignments, discussion forums, chatrooms, and interactive lessons, wikis, competency assessments, and online workshops.
Students will soon have the opportunity to participate in online Olympiads and other similar online contests, which will be available on computers and a wide range of mobile devices and is expected to foster the spirit of competition in the overall pursuit of excellence.
The fifteen finalists were: Mahesha Boodhoo – first place winner, Shaunessy Simon – second-place winner, Kamiah Williams – third-place winner, Aliya Deonarine, Kyle Gilgieous, Rihanna Bishop, Maliha Rajkumar, Juanita Armstrong, Nyran Sooklall, Yeshua Hutson, Sabrina Ramrattan, Renee Whittaker, Erania Daniels, Chelsea Persaud, Tiana Hodge.
