Srihan is a spelling champ

He out-spelled more than 350 other standard three students from 175 primary schools.

The competition began with district qualifiers between November 2016 and March 2017.

Angelo Harragin of Dunross Private Preparatory place second while Ross Ramkissoon of St Peter’s Private Primary School came in third.

The finals, held yesterday at the Government Campus Plaza Auditorium, Richmond Street, Port-of- Spain, featured what the Ministry of Planning described as “an intense competition among 17 finalists.” Many of the words they had to spell were about the environment.

The students competed before an audience of approximately 250 students from their schools, their teachers and parents.

The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) partnered with Sandee Communicat ions Limited (Sancom) and the Ministry of Planning’s green fund executing unit to host this year’s competition under the national restoration, carbon sequestration, wildlife and livelihoods project.

Planning Minister Camille Robinson- Regis said she was honoured that her ministry “could have contributed to not only environmental awareness in these students, but could have collaborated with other agencies to have a positive impact on the school curriculum.” The EMA said that specially invited guest Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat, commenting on the level of difficulty of the competition, expressed doubt about whether “adults could even spell some of the words.” Rambharat also told the audience that in his moment of prayer during the start of the Senate yesterday, he said a special prayer for his alma mater Rio Claro Hindu Primary School to emerge victors.