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Spelling champion set for US contest

Bahamas National Spelling Bee Champion Jee’von Pratt (kneeling left) at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center with members of the Bahamian contingent in Washington for the 2017 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Kneeling right is Sarthak Saxens, and standing from left to right are Nicola McKay, Eula Gaitor, Nickara Pratt, India Bowleg, Austin Pratt, Neneth Pratt, Francina Beneby and Patrinella Rolle. Photo: Elisabeth Ann Brown

Bahamas National Spelling Bee Champion Jee’von Pratt (kneeling left) at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center with members of the Bahamian contingent in Washington for the 2017 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Kneeling right is Sarthak Saxens, and standing from left to right are Nicola McKay, Eula Gaitor, Nickara Pratt, India Bowleg, Austin Pratt, Neneth Pratt, Francina Beneby and Patrinella Rolle. Photo: Elisabeth Ann Brown

BAHAMAS National Spelling Bee Champion Jee'von Pratt arrived in Washington, DC, on Sunday ready for the 2017 Scripps National Spelling Bee that started yesterday and runs until tomorrow at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center.

On Monday, the 12-year-old seventh grade student at St Augustine's College joined other spelling champions at the traditional Memorial Day picnic at Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals, the city's Major League Baseball franchise.

Jee'von is Speller No 271 among the 291 spellers participating in this year's competition and he will compete in the second segment of the preliminary rounds this morning.

His parents, Austin and Neneth Pratt, accompanied him to Washington along with several members of the Bahamas National Spelling Bee (BNSB) organising committee, including Patrinella Rolle and Nicola McKay, of the Ministry of Education, which along with The Nassau Guardian are the principal sponsors of the BNSB.

Also there to cheer on the Bahamas champion are the first two runners-up in the BNSB who won the prize of a trip to the Scripps Bee, Sarthak Saxena, a 12-year-old student at St Andrew's School, and India Bowleg, a 12-year-old student at Gateway Christian Academy, Bimini,

The Bahamas has competed in the Scripps National Spelling Bee since 1998 after it was introduced to the country by Oswald T Brown, the then Editor of The Nassau Guardian.

Mr Brown, the Press, Cultural Affairs and Information Manager at the Bahamas Embassy in Washington, welcomed The Bahamas champion and the Bahamian delegation during a visit to the Gaylord National Resort on Monday.

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