Boyer is GTC’s top speller of the year

Sixth grader Cameron Boyer is the big winner in Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School’s spelling bee after besting nine other top spellers.

Boyer ruled the competition Thursday afternoon by correctly spelling all the words she got during the contest.

This is Boyer’s second time to be one of the school’s top spellers; she won fourth place two years ago.

“I felt proud and happy that my hard work paid off. This is my second time in the competition and it feels good,” she told Saipan Tribune after the competition.

Ten students competed in the upper grade division. These spellers won their class-level contest, giving them the slot for the schoolwide competition.

Boyer said they were given only a few weeks to study words and review the competition rules. Besides being the top speller in the school, Boyer is also an active participant in other academic competitions such as the Chamorro Carolinian Heritage Language Studies where she will soon compete in Guam. She promised to do her best to bring honor to her school.

Recognized as GTC’s second top speller was sixth grader Trinity Camacho, while sixth grader Miguel Aninon won third place. Jenny Villagomez coordinated the upper grade division competition.

In the lower grade division, three students were hailed top winners. These include Kiyokazu Gonzales for first grade; Akira Kadokura for second grade; and Rinto Takahashi for third grade.

According to Katie Pangelinan, coordinator for the spelling contest in the lower grade division, a total of 16 students competed, with four representing the first grade while six represented the third and fourth grade levels respectively. Like the upper grade contestants, the 16 were winners in their own class spelling bee contests. All winners will be given certificates of recognition at a later date.

Spelling bees are conducted yearly in almost all levels of the Public School System. This aims to improve and advance the skills associated with good spelling habit, enhance students’ development of poise and communication under pressure, and to expand students’ vocabulary and encourage accurate word usage and pronunciation.

Meantime, GTC principal Charlotte Camacho, along with the school staff and employees, also recognized Thursday their school counselor, Pao Camacho, as part of the celebration of School Counselors’ Week.