Tenescia Watson and her teacher Merton Grey celebrate after winning The Gleaner's Children's Own Spelling Bee parish finals for Hanover.

IT WAS with great poise and eloquence that Tenescia Watson spelled her way to parish champ for Hanover yesterday. The Rusea's High School student said she was not nervous at all but had come to do exactly what she did.

"I was so determined to win this year," the 12-year-old revealed at The Gleaner's Children's Own Spelling Bee 2009-10 parish finals. It was held at the Lucea United Church hall in Hanover.

Teacher Merton Grey, in contrast, was a bag of nerves. So much so that she had to leave the hall, only to return at the end of the competition to the applause and congratulations.

very dedicated

"I think its just hard work and dedication, and I think the girl is very dedicated," she said of Tenescia's victory.

"We practise in the morning, we practise at lunchtime and we practise in the evenings, and I think hard work has paid off," she added.

A victory that was three years in the making became a reality yesterday, as the speller had made two previous attempts, placing second and then third.

"I am very elated and I am so happy that I won this year," Tenescia said after successfully spelling G-R-A-T-E-F-U-L-N-E-S-S.

"I want to thank God for helping me through this; my family and my teacher who have supported me throughout, and the two high-school coaches (fellow students Shianne Forrester and Shauneese Grant) who helped me during the training."

More intense training faces Tenescia going into the national finals, and her teacher is planning for the event. "I'll be taking the student home so that we can spend a little more time together since the training is going to be harder," Grey told The Gleaner.

Number of schools: 14

Number of spellers: 27

Overall winner: Tenescia Watson

Champion boy: John Ros Poyser

Winning school: Ruseas High

Winning word: Gratefulness

Top five

1 Tenescia Watson, Rusea's High

2 Monya Bowen, Green Island High

3 Janiel Holness, Maryland All-Age

4 John Ros Poyser, Ruseas High

5 Lenworth Taylor, Bethel Primary and Junior High