Lethabo Lethabane (15), a Grade Nine learner at Hoërskool President, recently claimed first place in the Maponya Spelling Bee, a competition held at Maponya Mall to celebrate and showcase young learners’ talent in the community.

The event aims to encourage youth empowerment, promote community engagement, and support schools by offering prizes, including cash donations for schools and opportunities for participants to progress to higher-level competitions.

This was Lethabo’s first year participating in a spelling bee, having been unaware of such competitions previously.

She began by securing a spot in the Top 10, then advanced to the Top 5, and ultimately emerged victorious.

“I was both happy and surprised when they called my name as the winner. I felt so emotional, I could hardly believe it,” she said. The final winning word was “astonishingly”, a word Lethabo knew immediately.
In preparation, Lethabo focused on the most challenging words.

“My aunt, Mrs Sekebate, who is a proud alumna of Hoërskool President and a dedicated teacher at the school, helped me get ready. On the morning of the competition, she stood by my side, revising words with me and offering support throughout,” Lethabo explained.

She mentioned that she did not use any special techniques; she simply learned the words as she normally would. Despite facing a variety of difficult words during the competition, many of which she cannot quite recall, Lethabo remained calm and collected.

Like many participants, she experienced nerves at the beginning of the competition but quickly overcame them.
“The nerves only lasted during the first round. I took deep breaths to calm myself,” she said.

For Lethabo, the experience taught her that even under pressure, she could achieve great things. Looking ahead, she plans to participate in more spelling bees in the future.

Lethabo’s victory earned her a range of prizes, including R12 000, an Oppo tablet, a trip to Sun City, a stationery bag, and various stationery supplies. Her school also received R10 000 as part of the prize.

“Lethabo’s dedication and composure under pressure are truly inspiring,” said a representative from Hoërskool President.

“We are incredibly proud of her, and we would like to extend a special thank you to Mrs Sekebate for being such a strong source of support.”