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| Tamia Hoppie- AlphaMax Champion Speller |
The major educational event that attracted a full hall of students, teachers, team supporters, and parents – about 750 in all – was organized by Stichting Leren voor een Goede Toekomst (Foundation for a Better Future).
Two AlphaMax scholars successfully captured both the first and second English-school prizes in the fourth and final round of a hotly contested event in which a total of 43 contestants from 22 schools competed for top honors.
The participating schools in the English spelling competition were divided into Dutch-speaking institutions and English-speaking ones. There were four participating English-curriculum schools facing off in the May 8th finals that saw competitive spelling among primary school, middle school and junior secondary school students, namely from: the AlphaMax Academy, the Caribbean Education Institute of Suriname, Christian Liberty Academy, and Suriname International School.
After three rounds of spelling a wide range of words graded according to levels, the original field of fourteen (14) English-curricula contestants was whittled down to 8 students – five (5) of whom were AlphaMax scholars, two (2) from Christian Liberty Academy, and one (1) from the Caribbean Education Institute of Suriname. The five AlphaMax scholars who made it to the final round were Graciella Kenswil, Joanna Daher, Andrea Lau, Noor Patandin, and Tamia Hoppie.
Following the fourth and final round, the Queen Spelling Bee, and winner of the first prize in the English schools, was Tamia Hoppie, AlphaMax junior high school student. Her performance was an impressive 100%. Joanna Daher of the Academy’s middle school program emerged as the runner-up Spelling Bee, taking home the second prize.
The National English Spelling Bee Competition is a ground-breaking visionary initiative of Drs. Monique Brown, the Director of the Stichting voor een Goede Toekomst.
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| Runner up Joanna Daher with the Venezuelan Ambassador to Suriname |
Dr A. Murugesan and Kenneth Biervliet – until recently the Director of Education in the Ministry of Education of Suriname – were the specially invited Guests of Honor to distribute the trophies and gift prizes to the winning students and school coaches.
Dr Murugesan is an international artist from India. Following a career as an economist, English Literature teacher, and human resource director, Dr Murugesan currently resides in Suriname with his spouse, the Ambassador of India.
It is the second time the AlphaMax Academy has won the English National Spelling Bee top honors in Suriname. The Academy won the first competition in June 2013, at the Congreshal in Paramaribo.
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| 2014 Spelling Bee Champion Tean with teacers. |
The winners of the Queen Spelling Bee title in the Dutch-school competitions were students from Geyersvleit Mulo (Junior Secondary) school and O.S. Reeberg (Projekt) Primary School. Students from both schools emerged as the champion and runner-up – taking home the first prize trophies and second prize medals.
This year the first round of the National English Spelling Bee competition had attracted 24 Dutch and English schools. The first-round spelling competition was run-off in January, earlier this year.
The AlphaMax students who made it to the finals of the Spelling Bee competition were Graciella Kenswil, Joanna Daher, Andrea Lau, Noor Patandin, Lakiesha Despo, and Tamia Hoppie. Their Academy’s English teachers and Spelling Bee Coaches included Simone Griffith, Sharon Hoppie, Vijoya Taylor, and Kawita Thani.
