Premier's Spelling Bee: Winner crowned today

NSW Premier Mike Baird today congratulated the State’s top spellers, who will spend the day competing for the title of champion of the 2014 Premier’s Spelling Bee.

Mr Baird said more than 130,000 students from across NSW have competed in dozens of regional finals for the right to be crowned Junior (years 3-4) and Senior (years 5-6) Spelling Bee State Champion.

“Many months of students’ hard work will be rewarded today when the final of the 10th Premier’s Spelling Bee is held in Sydney,” Mr Baird said.

“During the day, spellers from metropolitan schools like Glenmore Park Public School and Coogee Public School will join students who have travelled from as far away as Tamworth South Public School and Parkes East Public School in regional NSW,” Mr Baird said.

“A number of students are competing in the finals for the second time such as Kirrily Blyth from Gymea Bay Public School.

“Four schools have finalists in both the senior and junior divisions - Caringbah North Public School, Ben Venue Public School at Armidale, Sutton Public School and the Bourke-Walgett School of Distance Education.

“Spelling is a core skill, which serves individuals very well throughout their life, not just while at school.”

Since the Spelling Bee was launched in 2004, with just 800 students taking part, it has become a hugely popular event and a great tool in building on NSW’s internationally recognised literacy results.

Education Minister Adrian Piccoli said the Premier’s Spelling Bee is yet another example of the outstanding opportunities offered to students in NSW public schools.

“It’s wonderful to see the enthusiasm with which students embrace the chance to participate in this competitive learning experience,” Mr Piccoli said.

“I’m particularly thrilled to see that a school in my electorate of Murrumbidgee - Griffith North Public School - has a finalist competitor for the second year in a row.

“I wish Muntasir Chwodhury – and of course all the students in both divisions – the very best of luck today.
“Just to illustrate how tough the competition really is, the spellers will be facing words such as ‘bouzouki’, ‘culottes’ and ‘auteur’ (Junior competitors) and ‘eisteddfod’, ‘reconnaissance’ and ‘seneschal’ (Seniors),” Mr Piccoli said.

The Premier’s Spelling Bee State Final will be held today at the ABC Centre, Sydney.

The final half hour of the competition will be broadcast live on ABC local radio from 5.30pm.