The Windsor-Essex competitor for this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee has been named.
Mareela Eshaq, who attends St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Elementary School in Windsor, is the 2021 regional champion of the spelling bee, sponsored by WFCU Credit Union.
The regional competition took place virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions, administered through the online testing platform provided by the National Spelling Bee. Fourteen students participated in the first test, then after a tie between two spellers, followed by a final round online. Mareela took the prize with a top score of 35 out of a possible 50.
The runner-up was Zain Malek from Academie Ste-Cecile International School.
WFCU Credit Union President and CEO Eddie Francis said the competition went very well despite the challenges.
"Providing youth in our community with opportunities to develop their skills and build their self-confidence across a variety of platforms has always been a top priority for WFCU Credit Union," said Francis. "Although this year we couldn’t have our competition in person, we appreciate the teachers who participated and allowed their classes to experience this ‘virtual’ Spelling Bee. We know this year has been challenging but you gave your students the chance to challenge and develop their literacy and language arts skills in a fun and engaging way."
To prepare for the regional bee, participants were given a 4,000-word resource, Words of the Champions, to study.
Mareela has won a $200 scholarship from WFCU Credit Union to be invested toward post-secondary education, along with a one-year subscription to The Britannica Online Premium, and a one-year subscription to The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online. She will now advance to the Scripps National Bee, which will be held virtually and broadcast live on ESPN cable channels.