Regina Bish in action during the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. - Photo by Bill Clark

Marlon Vickerman, Features Writer

It is quite easy to get caught in this 13-year-old's spell. Her almost never-fading smile is as bright and captivating as the colourful flowers that attract nectar-loving bees. In fact, she is a Bee and her name is Regina Bish, the Gleaner's/Children's Own 2007 National Spelling Bee champion and 16th-placed speller in the recently concluded Scripps National Spelling Bee Championship held in Washington, D.C.

In May 2007, young Regina placed her slender shoulders to the wheel and stepped up to the challenge of representing Jamaica at the 80th Scripps National Spelling Bee competition among 286 other participants.

Fantastic experience

Looking back on the event, she said tha she did not win the coveted championship title, the experience was one that she would not have changed for the world.

"Participating in the competition proved to me that you can achieve great things if you work really hard. It also allowed me to go places that I would not have gone otherwise, and also to meet some prominent people and make new friends " she said. Friends with whom she still keeps in contact via email. She continued: "When I dropped out in the semi-final I was a bit disappointed at first. However, when I started to look back on the competition and realised that I made it further than many of the participants, some of whom were repeat spellers in the event, I felt really proud."

Foreign word

Regina also noted that 'sardanapalian', the word she misspelled in the sixth round, which lead to her dismissal from the competition was very new to her. So foreign of a word it was that, according to Regina, it was the first time that even her coach, the Reverend Glen Archer, was hearing it.

This, she said, gave her even more reasons to feel proud of her 16th place accomplishment in addition to the fact that many of the spellers who ranked above 16th in the competition were repeat spellers.

Now back at home, Janise Manning, Regina's mother, said she has seen where her daughter's involvement in the 80th Scripps National Spelling Bee Championship and spelling competitions in general has left positive traits in her offspring and believes it is an academic venture that more children should get involved in.

As for Regina, she returns to being a student at Campion College and the familiar face that you will probably see and respond, "Isn't that the Spelling Bee girl?" This young champion has hopes of pursuing a career in the field of law, and with her determination, hard work and daily motto (Philippians 4 verse 13), this dream will very soon become her reality.