Champion Bee - Hanif's zeal pays off
Published:Thursday | February 3, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Laura Redpath, Gleaner Writer
For some, the disappointment was too much to bear, much less at the 52nd national finals of The Gleaner's Children's Own Spelling Bee competition, aired live for all Jamaica to watch.
Finishing in seventh place, Sajaey Harrison, of Ferncourt High School in St Ann, barely made it off the stage at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston before he removed the placard bearing his name from around his neck and took his seat. His shoulders slumped, Sajaey sat with his head between his legs.
Davian Stewart, of Jonathan Grant High School in St Catherine, was less expressive, but it was evident that his jaw was clenched and his lips pursed.
Joyful moment
But for St Andrew parish finalist Hanif Brown, of Ardenne High School, his stage-leaving moment was a joyful one filled with fist pumps from his father, Hanif Brown Sr, and coach, the Reverend Glen Archer.
Spelling Bee champion Hanif's winning word, Z-E-A-L-O-U-S, was perfect for describing the audience of approximately 500 teachers, students and well-wishers as their enthusiasm seemed to peak with each passing moment.
However, there was not enough time for the audience to react to the final face-off of the night, as the top two - Hanif (who is from St Thomas) and Jonmore Hyman of Manchester High School - battled for less than five minutes under the watchful eyes of spectators.
Earlier moments in the competition seemed more tense as calls for "quiet please" from Dr Clive Lai, spellmaster, fell on the deaf ears of a restless audience.
Hanif's word, C-A-R-Y-A-T-I-D (meaning sculpted female figure), sparked "wows" and "mhmms" from the young males in the audience and each incorrect spelling of a word resulted in hisses from the spectators.
Each 'ding' of the bell yanked on heartstrings and the drawn-out "awws" reflected this.
But by the end of the competition, smiling faces and screams drowned out the memories of tense moments, tears and disappointment as Hanif shot to celebrity status.
"I want a picture," said a child no older than 10.
"I can't describe how I feel right now, but I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow, now that some of the pressure is off," Hanif said.
Archer, who also coached Kingston College student Gifton Wright, said Hanif would have one week to unwind before he starts hitting the books in preparation for the Scripps National Spelling Bee competition in Washington, DC.
Humbling experience
"(Brown) reminds me of Jody-Anne Maxwell," said the reflective Archer.
Maxwell was the first and only Jamaican to win the Scripps competition back in 1998.
Archer said that to be champion coach again was "a humbling experience" as this year's "playing field was quite level".
"But (Hanif and I) exhausted the 3,000-word Oxford Shorter Dictionary twice and Hanif scanned it once more. We were very thorough this year," he said.
Brown's father, the mayor of Port Morant, smiled proudly.
"I have no regrets. Hanif has brought joy for both parishes (St Andrew and St Thomas).
Third place went to Justine Brooks, of New Horizon Preparatory School in Westmoreland, who also took the champion girl title.