By: Shallon S. Gonlor
Student Isaac Gweh of Area ‘B’ School in the mining town of Yekepa has won the championship of an annual spelling competition.
Gwen won the ArceloMitta-Liberia Annual Spelling Bee Competition for 2022/2023 ahead of two others who had vowed to emerge as top performers.
Student Gweh was awarded USD$200 cash prize, a gold medal, and the Spelling Bee trophy on Saturday, July 1, 2023, at a well-attended event in Yekepea.
Rafael Odo of Area ‘B’ School emerged as the 2nd winner, awarded USD$150, a gold-colored medal, while third-placed winner, Emmanuel Lakpor of Area ‘ C’ School received US $100 with a gold medal.
At the close of the spelling bee competition, all participating students were handed medals for their performances.
The competition, organized by the ArceloMitta-Liberia School System in Yekepa, featured 24 students from eight primary schools including Area ‘B and C’ Schools, St. Joseph, St. Martin, St. Francis, Prime System, Rev. Peter K. Siaway Inland Academy, and Free Pentecostal Schools respectively.
It was held in the auditorium of the African Bible College University (ABCU) right by the AML Yekepa concessional area.
ArcelorMittal Liberia School Superintendent Peter Zuagar said the superintendent was to bring young students together to showcase their spelling skills.
According to him, the spelling bee tournament introduced by the Ministry of Education, Nimba County School System in collaboration with the ArcelorMittal Liberia School System is an annual and long-term event to improve education outcomes at the primary school level.
ArcelorMittal Liberia said it believes that the learning process accompanying the spelling bee is likely to enhance child’s memory and allow them to develop better learning skills, which can prove to be highly beneficial during higher education.
Spelling bee competitions like this one supported by AML can help beginner-level students gain the confidence they need to speak in public and accept their mistakes, while also getting the applause for their hard work deserves.
ArcelorMittal has years funded varied education objectives across Liberia ranging from international to community-level scholarships for scores of Liberians.
The company has either through its social development funded or on its own constructed, rehabilitated, or supported dozens of public and private schools, especially in its host counties of Grand Bassa, Bong, and Nimba.
Under its training and development program, ArcelorMittal Liberia 2017 launched a Vocational Train Centre (VTC) in Yekepa, with a $7m investment.
The center has been providing young people with globally recognized and certified apprenticeship training for roles such as diesel mechanics, electricians, mechanical fitters, boilermakers, welders, and instrumentation technicians, it is one of a kind in the country.
The first group of 46 apprentices started their training in March 2018, and in March 2019 the second group of 54 students, including 6 women entered the training program.
AML said, “We Wem to have 50 apprentices graduating every year”.
