It was literally a war of words. About 2000 children, studying in Class 1 to Class 12, battled it out at the three-day National Championship of the MaRRS International Spelling Bee held at Lulu International Convention Centre here. Aaron Thomas Eapen of Hari Sri Vidya Nidhi School, Punkunnam, Thrissur, was declared as the best performer of the competition.
Children from schools across 22 States in the country participated in the championship conducted in six categories. The first prize winner of each category won a scholarship of Rs.50,000. The second and third prize winners won scholarships worth Rs.30,000 and Rs.20,000 respectively.
The Budding Stars (20 students in each category) were also rewarded with scholarship worth Rs.3000. The best performer of the competition won an additional scholarship of Rs.1,00,000.
Geetha Durairajan, professor, department of testing and evaluation, English and Foreign Language University, Hyderabad, inaugurated the three-day event.
The preliminary screening rounds of the championship were also conducted here. Those who qualify the screening rounds would participate in the International Championship to be held at Abu Dhabi on the 6th and 7th of January 2012.
Conceived as a self motivated learning programme, MaRRS International Spelling Bee helps students to improve their communication skills and confidence by enriching their vocabulary. The various rounds of the contest assess their spelling, pronunciation and vocabulary skills. The competition begins at the school-level and then progresses to the International Level through the inter school, State and National championships.
The following students were declared winners of the competition:
Category-I
I Prize: Kareena Shankta, Hiranandani Foundation School, Maharashtra;
II Prize: Sumedh Chatterjee, Chettinad Vidyashram, Tamil Nadu;
III Prize: Yamini Maran, Bala Vidhya Mandir, Tamil Nadu.
Category II
I Prize: Aaron Thomas Eapen, Hari Sri Vidya Nidhi School, Punkunnam, Thrissur;
II Prize: Aniket Bhat, St. Josephs Central School, Vijayanagar, Karnataka;
III Prize: M. S. Sivasu, CMR National Public School Karnataka.
Category-III
I Prize: Shivani Sachin Nirgudkar, Thakur Public School, Maharashtra;
II Prize: Devang Ajith, Hill Blooms School, Wayanad;
III Prize: Kunal Ravi Singh, Scottish High International School, Gurgaon, Haryana.
Category-IV
I Prize: Mokssh Surve, Hiranandani Foundation School, Maharashtra;
II Prize: M. P. Hima, Sudarshan Vidya Mandir, Karnataka;
III Prize: Arjun B. Nair, Infant Jesus Anglo Indian H.S. School, Kerala.
Category-V
I Prize: Akshat Mallya, Matusree Kashiben Vrajlal Valia International School, Maharashtra;
II Prize: Shreya Sampath Kumar, CMR National Public School, Karnataka;
III Prize: M. Srivatsan, Bhavans Rajaji Vidyashram, Tamil Nadu.
Category-VI
I Prize: Priyadarshini Subramanian, Sri Sankara Seniors S.S., Tamil Nadu;
II Prize: P. Balasubramaniam, Hari Sri Vidya Nidhi School, Punkunnam, Thrissur;
III Prize: Justin Shawn, Cathedral H.S., Karnataka.
