By Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter 
THE FINAL two parish champions have added their names to the four teams who will compete to become The Gleaner's Children's Own Spelling Bee Champion in the National Finals.
Manchester is known for delivering good spellers and the spelldown did not disappoint. Forty-nine spellers turned out including six-year-old John Hamilton of Woodland's Primary; the youngest. The top five were simply excellent and the top three doubly so.
After three and a half hours first place went to Jebaughn DeSilva of Belair School, second went to Romeisha Foster of Mandeville Primary and Junior High and third place to Nicholas McAllister of Manchester High. They gave the gathering a tremendous show.
"I knew that God was always with me so in Him I put all my trust and confidence," Jebaughn said afterward. The top five was completed by fourth place Lebert Black of Mount St. Joseph Prep and Chavane Thompson of Devon All-Age.
Earlier in the day in St. Elizabeth, the dominance of Glen Stuart Primary continued when Evan Brown took the title. Evan who was also champion boy, just got the better of worthy champion girl Avagaye Nichols of Mountain Side Primary. Rochelle Braham of Santa Cruz Primary and Junior High was third, Jonoi Nicholson of Balaclava Primary was fourth and Sandreen Bailey of Brompton Primary placed fifth.
Evan who finished second to his schoolmate Kimberley Brown last year, was delighted to have gone one better "I feel very good because I know I studied hard enough to win".
So, eight girls, six boys and their coaches will make the trip to Kingston next February to see who will be Jamaica's spelling bee champion and so get to represent the island at the Scripts' Howard Spelling Bee Championship in Washington D.C.
