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Alam is WSR spelling bee champion
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Posted on Jan 28 2009
Ten-year-old Masrur S. Alam ruled the William S. Reyes Elementary School spelling bee competition on Tuesday and emerged its overall champion.
The fifth grader will represent the school in the Scripps Spelling Bee in Guam scheduled for March and may get the chance to compete in the national tilt where 53 student representatives from various U.S. states will vie for the title.
Masrur, the youngest son of Touhida and Manzurul Alam, bested opponents in the third through sixth grades during the final round.
He amazed the crowd by responding correctly to all 38 words given by the contest facilitators.
His winning word was “sitology,” a word he admitted confused him at the last minute.
Last December, Alam also emerged champion in the schoolwide Geography Bee and had taken written examinations to qualify for the national contest. Approximately $25,000 in scholarship grants can be won in the competition.
WSR conducted the contest preliminary round in September and thereafter held the semifinal rounds until four finalists were selected for the championship round on Tuesday.
“I feel really good about it,” he told Saipan Tribune moments after he was proclaimed the victor.
The school will send three official representatives to the Guam spelling contest. One of them is Mobtasim Alam, Masrur’s oldest brother and third place winner in Tuesday’s competition.
Masrur was in the Guam spelling tilt in 2007 while Mobtasim was in the same Guam competition last year after winning the schoolwide championship round.
“This time, I will be more prepared,” Masrur said, adding that he will immediately start his review for the contest.
Masrur said he is confident that he can do better this year in both spelling and geography bee contests.
“Every year is a good experience,” he said, citing the assistance and support of his family in all his school activities.
Manzurul Alam, Masrur’s father, vowed to continue to “inspire, encourage and support” his sons’ education.
“We’re so blessed that we have sons like them who are serious and dedicated in their education. We will continue to support them,” he said.
