One of the major highlights to look forward to in the 2008/2009 school year is the possibility of Kingston College having an entrant in the Parish and eventually the National Spelling Bee Competition.
After the results of the recent Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) were released, it was noted that the 2007/2008 St. Catherine Parish champion and eventual third place finisher at the National Spelling Bee Championship; Jordi Nickoli Dunbar was placed at Kingston College as a seventh grade student.
Jordi placed third in the National Spelling Bee finals behind two females with the winner being his older sister from Immaculate Conception High. This means that in separating them, Jordi came out as the top male speller in the competition. Born March 22, 1996, making him just 12 years old and just entering first form, the rules of the competition would favour him well in giving him two (2) more years to compete. Jordi would enter the National Spelling Bee Competition again, this time with the purple and while banner behind him (and I must say without the influence of the Rev. Glen Archer).
Jordi resides in Keith Hall, Bog Walk in St. Catherine with his parents and older sister Sade Dunbar, the winner of the National Spelling Bee Competition who also went on to place thirteenth in the international Scrippts Howard Spelling Bee that was held in Washington DC earlier this year. Jordi is the son of two computer engineers, Ms. Lorna Wallace and past student Millard Dunbar 1984-1986.
Jordi earned his place at Kingston College after sitting the GSAT at his former school, Spanish Town Primary and achieved the following results; Mathematics 78, Science 81, Social Studies 94, Language Arts 87 and Composition (which shows his writing capabilities) a good 9 out of 12.
I did not get to speak to Jordi as he did not accompany his father to KC for registration. However, based on the conversation I had with his father, Jordi was “jumping for joy” when he heard that he was placed at KC. His father, Millard Dunbar, after doing his first five years at St. Catherine High and his sixth form years at Kingston College in his younger days and who is now head Track and Field coach at St. Catherine High made it clear that no other school would have been acceptable for Jordi other than Kingston College.
It must also be mentioned that Jordi is going through the same process his sister did when she was placed at Immaculate Conception High and not at Ardenne High. Jordi and his parents have been approached by the Rev. Glen Archer to attend Ardenne High and to be under his guidance when he enters the spelling bee again. It must also be noted that Jordi Dunbar as well as his sister Sade Dunbar both went through the competition finishing third and first respectively without the help of the Rev. Glen Archer. This was done under the guidance of their father Millard Dunbar and other friends.
Kingston College is now in the spotlight: can we turn a third place finisher into a national champion and possibly into the next International Scripps Howard Spelling Bee Champion. Let us now see if we can make history by adding this to our enviable list of achievements.
