wingham.yourguide
Reading is the key: State spelling champ reveals her secrets
Tuesday, 15 November 2005
EXCRUCIATING was the word Wingham Brush student Cian Stevens spelt correctly to come third in the junior section of the State-wide Premier’s Spelling Bee.
After winning the regional competition in Port Macquarie she competed in the State finals in Sydney last week against 25 other students from regions across the State.
After seven rounds spelling words like philosophy, technique and stomach she was knocked out of the competition when she misspelt the word prerequisite.
Competing against the top spellers from across the State she was a little nervous but having her mother and sister in the crowd boosted her confidence.
She was delighted to bring home her State finalist medal along with some great prizes - a pocket digital speller/thesaurus and a traditional dictionary.
Cian attributes her fantastic spelling skills to her love of reading and help from her family and teachers who prepared practise lists of words for her in the lead up to the State finals.
“Most people get sick in the car when they read but I don’t – I read all the way to Sydney and back,” she said.
The 10-year-old student from year 4 says she would like to be a High Court Judge.
“The house that I’m living in had two judges living in it in the past and I think it would be fun to be able to make all those decisions.”
This is the second year the Premier’s Spelling Bee has been conducted and ambitious Cian is already setting her sights on taking home the winners cup next year.
“I’ll have a break from spelling for a while then start practising again.”
The winner of the junior section in which Cian competed was Joanne Vo from Picnic Point Public School and the runner up was Alexander Wojno from Armidale City Public School.