Students in the first group of spellers wait their turn in the first round of the spelling bee Monday night at Althea Scatliffe primary School.

The annual Inter-Primary Schools National Spelling Bee got under way Monday night in the courtyard of Althea Scatliffe Primary School, with 24 students representing 12 public and private schools throughout the territory battling it out to spell nouns, verbs and adjectives ranging from “segregation” to “quandary” to “Champagne.”

The students competed in two groups of 12 in front
of an enthusiastic audience of parents, siblings and classmates.

Although spelling took place aloud, spellers were allowed to use pencil and paper to write out a word.

The 14 students with the highest scores will move forward to the semi-final round on Monday at the school.

The semi-finalists are Naomi Onwufuju and Shelby Harpe of St George’s Primary School, Ryan Ramlall of Bregado Flax Educational Centre, Kiara Callwood of Leonora Delville Primary School, Anjanique Cheltenham of Joyce Samuel Primary School, Revaugh Percival and Ashaanna Tillack of ASPS, Za- rina Callwood of Francis Lettsome Primary School, Zyra Creque of Robinson O’Neal Memorial Primary School, Eil- lianna Forbes of Ebenezer Thomas Primary School, Kayla Briggs of BVI Seventh-day Adventist Primary, Davida Chinnery of Jost Van Dyke Primary School, Gorcia John son of Claudia Creque Educational Centre, and Ronella Richmond of Francis Lettsome Primary School.

Last year’s winners of the primary competition were Aniyah Williams, Keryan Prevost and Rhyan Prince of the Agape Total Life Academy, who managed to maintain a perfect score throughout the competition.

The finals will be held on June 18.