Primary and high school learners from schools across the area competed over tricky words at the Khula LGT annual Spelling Bee at the Multipurpose Centre in Cosmo City.

Ten schools took part, six high schools and four primary schools, according to Khula LGT project coordinator Faith Sibande.

The primary schools included Blairgowrie Primary, Cosmo City Primary 1, Meridian Primary and Tirisano Mmogo, while high school learners came from Cosmo City Secondary 1, Far North Secondary, Kwena Molapo Secondary, Sgodi-Phola Secondary, Matla Combined School and Mafaesa Secondary.

Read more: Blairgowrie Primary learners shine at spelling bee

“One of the biggest differences this year was the growth and inclusivity of the competition,” said Sibande. “Having 10 schools, six high schools and four primary schools, participate allowed us to reach a much broader group of learners.”

Each school was responsible for choosing its own strongest speller ahead of the day, meaning every learner who took to the stage had already proven themselves at school level before qualifying for the Khula event.

Blairgowrie Primary School’s Midzuno Mathonsi took top spot in the primary school category, following a prior victory at her school’s spelling bee that earned her a place in the competition.

Her mother, Ntiyiso Mathonsi, said the day had been a rollercoaster of emotions. “Coming here was mixed feelings. I was both excited and nervous because we had prepared. We went beyond the scope of what we were given, so we really prepared thoroughly. But you never know with spelling bees, man. You never know what you’ll come across.”

She said the wait for the results felt endless. “The MC kept us in suspense for quite a long time. It would just keep on dragging and dragging and dragging. But when they finally announced her name, that it’s number four, I was over the moon. I was so happy. I was so grateful that it finally happened. Her dream came true actually. She had a dream of herself winning, so it actually came true.”

Also read: Khula LGT organisation hosts spelling bee competition

Midzuno herself said the second round and the tiebreaker were the toughest parts of the competition, but her preparation carried her through. Asked how she managed to win again, she kept her answer simple. “I practised a lot.”

In the high school category, Nelly Seanego of Matla Combined School also walked away with a trophy. She said it was her first time competing at a Khula event and the win came as a surprise. “Oh my goodness, I’m excited. It is literally the first time coming to Khula. And to actually go home with a trophy, I did not expect that. But all is well.”

Seanego said the road to Cosmo City had been demanding, with qualifying rounds stacked close together. “We were under so much pressure. Literally last week we came from the district level spelling bee. The week before last we went to the second level. So we had so much pressure because we had to sit every day. I also have my pressure, but we’ve got this.”

Reflecting on her win, she said she had kept things low key rather than burying herself in extra study material. “To be honest, don’t judge, because I haven’t been doing anything. I just went like they told us two weeks before. I was like, okay, it’s a spelling bee. I didn’t even take it seriously until the day came and I saw it. I was surprised.”

In the primary category, Tirisano Mmogo Primary took first runner-up and Cosmo City Primary 1 took second runner-up. In the high school category, Mafaesa Secondary finished first runner-up, while Sgodi-Phola Secondary took second runner-up.

Winners walked away with trophies and an array of prizes, including a Maslow Sun International accommodation voucher, Chicken Licken vouchers, Northgate Ice Rink vouchers and a Harties boat cruise sponsored by the Serage Group. Goodie bags were sponsored by Pick n Pay Cosmo City, Cash Crusaders, Roman’s Pizza, Cosmo FM, M Designs and Pedro’s.

Other sponsors include: Our Space alondside Polish and Co

Sibande said the prizes were about more than winning.

“The prizes were not simply rewards. They were a way of saying to the learners: your hard work, dedication and achievement are valued and celebrated. Most importantly, every learner who participated should be proud. Standing on that stage and representing your school is an achievement in itself.”

She said the competition’s real value lay beyond the trophies. “Ultimately, the spelling bee is about more than spelling words correctly. It is about building confident young people and creating opportunities for the next generation.”

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