RHB NST Spell-It-Right '10: Sarawak State Challenge

A staple diet of Enid Blyton books over the past two years paid dividends for Faye Jong Sow Fei who took first prize in the primary school category of the RHB New Straits Times National Spell-It-Right Challenge here on Saturday
She spelled "laureate" and "palpitations" correctly to take home RM2,000 and a certificate.

Hailed from SK St Mary, Jong was so happy and grateful that she planned to share her winnings with her teammates.

She was speechless when her name was announced as the champion and it took her awhile to register the fact that she would represent Sarawak at the national level.

Even though this was not the first time Jong had taken part in a spelling contest, she had not expected to win.

Jong's mother, Julie Teo, said her daughter was unusually quiet one week before the competition.

Farhana Mohd Abdul Kadir, of SK St Teresa, and Marcella Ngui San, of SK Jalan Ong Tiang Swee, went through three tie-breaker rounds to determine the second and third place winners.

While in the secondary school category, all defending Spell it right state champion Doreen Kho wanted was to take a final chance at this year's championship title.

But Lady Luck had other plans.

The fifth-former at SMK Green Road, who sailed through the preliminary rounds and tackled the finals with ease, went head-to-head with Desmond Ong Tze Kai, a Form Five student from SMK Kuching High.

In a tiebreaker round, Ong correctly spelled "chlorofluorocarbon" while Kho got "electroencephalogram" wrong.

Disappointed that she could not defend her title, Kho said she was glad that she had the chance to participate this year.

Ong likened the spelling competition to a roller coaster ride as it was partly scary and partly fun.

With his windfall of RM3,000 prize, he will treat his best friend and teammate Yap Han Lun to a dinner at a five-star hotel.

Grace Berlian Ponar of SMK St Teresa came in third after beating Marcus Sim of SM Lodge in three tiebreaker rounds.

Ponar and Sim took home RM2,000 and RM1,500, respectively.

NST bureau chief Sulok Tawie and RHB Bank Bhd Kuching area manager Johanna Abdullah gave away the prizes.

All participants received goodies, certificates of participation and lunch sponsored by McDonald's.

Viewers can catch the pre-recorded episodes of the competitions held nationwide on TV3 every Saturday at 7pm.

More story: http://www.nst.com.my

Category:

Education

Tags:

• NST
• RHB
• Spell
• It
• Right
• Sarawak