Senior Dental Surgeon at the Ministry of Health, Wellness, Human Services and Gender Relations, Dr. Sherry Ephraim-LeCompte, officially launched the National Spelling Bee Competition last Thursday, at the offices of Peter and Company Ltd. in Cul De Sac.

The Colgate Spelling Bee Competition, now into its fourth year, will feature Grade Three students from around the island.

“The process of the Spelling Bee is rather simple,” Dr. LeCompte said. “The schools are forwarded a dental test spelling bee booklet, from which the students study and learn the words. They compete within their schools for a representative who will participate in the preliminary competition at the district level. A winner will emerge from each district.”

Peter & Company Brand Manager for Colgate, Chanelle Bailey, said that the company is excited to be a part of the event.

“There are some things that fit; like hand and glove,” she said. “Colgate and the dental spelling bee is one such fit. Colgate is especially proud to be the title sponsor this year, contributing in conjunction with Paradise Water just under EC$20,000 to ensure its success. What makes it even more exciting is that we are directly contributing to the development of the literacy of our young people.”

The preliminary round of competition will be held in the third week of November, with the grand finale in December 2014.

The competition is a collaboration of the Dental Department of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development and Labor and the title sponsor Colgate, through their local agents Peter and Company Ltd.