Once again it was time for the most spell-binding children’s event in the capital — the DAWN Spelling Bee Competition. Islamabad Club auditorium played host to the 13th edition of this most exciting and highly-awaited competition organised by DAWN Media Group.

Starting from October 18, 2017, for four consecutive days, children from various schools of Islamabad and as far away as Chakwal and Muzafarabad, took part in the Islamabad Regional Championship. They displayed their amazing skills, memory and hard work as they competed for top positions in various categories, based on their ages. They had ample support and encouragement in the form of parents, teachers and others.

As soon as the participants took their seats on the stage, air was filled with words, definitions and their spelling and the words of ‘correct’ and ‘incorrect’ from the pronouncer. Some did ask for the sentences too. A window of 40 seconds was given to each to spell the word.

People heartily cheered and appreciated the efforts of all the participants, irrespective of the results, because each child had worked hard for weeks and months to arrive at this prestigious round of the competition.

After multiple rounds, there were 10 winners on October 21, qualifying for the National Championship. The panel sitting on the stage, comprised judges arranged by Oxford University Press, with a moderator from DAWN and a pronouncer.

This year Spelling Bee Islamabad Regional Championship was attended by 1550 students from 189 schools of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Murree, Rawalakot, Jehlum, Chakwal, Mardan, Abbottabad, Swabi, Nowshera, Topi, Azad Kahsmir (AJK), Muzafarabad, Khewra, Taxila and Wah.

The Regional Champions from Islamabad regional were:

Age group 9-11:

Regional Champion: Ayesha Kakakhel, EMS High School (Girls), Islamabad; First runner-up: Muskaan Asif, Joint Staff Public School & College, Rawalpindi; Second runner-up: Areeba Ali, Bahria College Cambridge Section, Islamabad

Age group 12-14:

Regional champion: Eman Wadood from Froebel’s International School, Islamabad; First runner-up: Amna Saleem, Super Nova School, Islamabad; Second runner-up: Sameen Khan, Super Nova School, Islamabad, Islamabad; Third runner-up: Malaika Hassan, Beaconhouse School System (BMI Girls), Islamabad

Age group 15-17:

Regional champion: Nirvana Amjad from Khaldunia High School, Islamabad; First runner-up: Maryam Khan Wazir, EMS High School (Girls), Islamabad; Second runner-up: Zayneb Moin from Khaldunia High School, Islamabad.

Message

Ameena Saiyid OBE
Managing Director
Oxford University Press Pakistan

Congratulations to Dawn on the completion of the National Spelling Bee Contest 2017. As usual, schools and their students countrywide took part in it with great enthusiasm.

It is heart-warming to note that this time the reach of the event was wider than ever before. Students in many small towns shared the eagerness of schoolchildren in large cities to participate in this event. As a matter of fact, the number of participants has been growing steadily ever since the inception of this contest, which shows its great appeal.

We at Oxford University Press Pakistan are proud to collaborate with Dawn in helping children improve their vocabulary and language skills in this way, which encourages them to spend their energies in a pursuit that will raise their educational standard.

I wish Dawn ever more success in their endeavour in the coming years.

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 9th, 2017