Giovanni Adjei, a 10-year-old pupil of Christ the King International School, emerged victorious at this year’s National Spelling Bee Competition held in Accra.
Giovanni, a class six pupil of the school in the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, won the Spelling Bee 2024 National Finals by accurately spelling the word “guijo”, a well known Philippine timber tree known for its robust and heavy hardwood, characterized by a distinctive figure and moderately fine texture. This marks the young intellect’s second appearance in the Bee.
Aside from his academic pursuits, Giovanni also likes to play the keyboard and football, while also nurturing his passion for reading.
With a personal goal of consuming over 200 words daily, Giovanni also grabbed the top spot in his group during the recent UCMAS competition. Fascinated by the pre-colonial history of Sierra Leone, he aspires to visit the West African country someday.
Giovanni is also set to represent Ghana at the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee to be held in Washington DC.
A congratulatory social media post from the school on Facebook reads, “The School Management Board, Local Manager, Alumni, Christ the King Parish, PTA, Headmistress, Staff and students of Christ the King International School congratulate you on your achievement. We are proud of you!”
An outstanding figure in his school’s drama club, Giovanni’s diligent preparation for the Bee undoubtedly contributes to his success. Dreaming of a stint as an actor to leverage his drama club skills, the 10-year-old finds joy in mastering very complex words, with a particular fondness for the word “pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis”.
The Spelling Bee, more commonly called The Spelling Bee Ghana or TSB, is an annual spelling bee held in Ghana since 2007.
This competition is run by a not-for-profit charity founded by Ghanaian Entrepreneur, CEO of the Young Educators Foundation, Eugenia Tachie-Menson, School Coordinator, Johnson AppiahProgrammes Manager, Salomé Dzakpasu, School Coordinator, Johnson Appiah and assisted by a team of educators, professionals, and volunteers.
The Spelling Bee, targeted at students between the ages of 7 – 13, seeks to build their capacity on the rudiments of spelling and English language usage.
The Spelling Bee is a franchise of Scripps National Spelling Bee run in the United States.
Since its inception, winners of the competition have represented Ghana at the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee.
