Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

Sade Jodi-Ann Dunbar participates in the 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, May 29. - Photo by Bill Clark

It seems she was a world away, even though it was only a few weeks.

Gleaner Children's Own Spelling Bee champion Sade Dunbar has been back home nearly two weeks now, after her adventure at the Scripps National Spelling Bee where she finished joint 13th from a field of more than 280 other spellers.

"It was great," she said of the whole experience. She joked that some of her classmates at Immaculate Conception High School said they did tune in to the competition but didn't get to see her turns at the microphone.

First time in washington

This was her first time going to Washington, DC and she looks forward to going back - without the added pressure of a spelling bee of course! Sade met students from various American states and other countries, getting the chance to interact with many of them. One she remembers is Nishat Yasmin of Kansas, with whom she even exchanged email addresses. Sade spent some of the leisure time boning up, so it was really the day after the final that she finally relaxed; going on sightseeing tours and even getting a little shopping done.

There are no more lengthy preparation sessions with her coach the Rev Glen Archer but Sade still doesn't have any time for extra-curricular activities; her end-of-year exams are coming up. Food and nutrition, mathematics and English are subjects she's confident about, but she admits her geography needs a little work. She's still getting back into the school routine.

"I have a lot of catching up to do because I missed classes," she pointed out. But my teachers have been really helpful. We (the students) have a website so I know the curriculum. I just need to ask the teachers for the topics they're on." It means extra reading for her but she's used to that by now.

Under local bee rules, she is no longer eligible but she is looking forward to helping out her coach when the parish finals come around in October. For her, it's a matter of patriotism.

"If I help him to prepare a speller and that speller goes on to win the national bee and represent the country, I don't see it as helping the person, I see it as helping out the country," she said.

daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com