Albeni Deveaux Wins National Spelling Bee - Eleuthera's Jada Carey finishes an admirable 6th

Ms. Jada Carey - file photo.

Jada Carey, daughter of David and Jackie Carey of Tarpum Bay valiantly represented Eleuthera in the 12th Annual Bahamas National Spelling Bee held at the Breezes Resort on the Cable Beach Strip in Nassau on Sunday, March 22, 2009. The young student, representing the Preston Albury High School, finished 6th in a field of 20 strong contenders, successfully spelling her words through 13 rounds over a 3 hour period. Words thrown at Ms Carey included transect, toboggan, kabuki, phenomenon, Swahili, ubiquitous, magnanimous, visceral, arachnid, tanha, garcon and menhaden. It was the last word that proved her undoing.

By the 16th Round there were only 2 spellers left, namely; Safa Sheriff of Grand Bahama and Albeni Deveaux , of St. Augustine’s College, New Providence.

The two battled through simultaneous accurate spellings and misspellings until the 31st round when Ms. Deveaux, successfully spelt Mezzanine and Tromba to claim the 2009, National Spelling Bee competition title. 

Thirteen year old eighth grader, Ms. Deveaux, will represent the country in the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. on May 26 to 28th.

Winner of the 12th Annual Bahamas National Spelling Bee Competition Abeni Deveaux, an eighth grade student of St. Augustine's College is pictured on Sunday, March 22, 2009 at SuperClubs Breezes. Also pictured from left are Kevin Basden, General Manager, Bahamas Electricity Corporation; Minister of Education the Hon. Carl Bethel; Permanent Secretary Elma Garraway and Acting Director of Education Lionel Sands. (BIS Photo/Patrick Hanna)

Pictured is second place winner of the 12th Annual Bahamas National Spelling Bee Competition Safa Shariff, a seventh grade student of Bishop Micheal Eldon High school, Freeport. Also pictured from left are Minister of Education the Hon. Carl Bethel, Permanent Secretary Elma Garraway, Acting Director of Education Lionel Sands and Kevin Basden, General Manager Bahamas Electricity Corporation. (BIS Photo/Patrick Hanna)