Finola Hackett Tops all Competitors at National Spelling Bee
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
Congratulations to 13-year-old Finola Hackett of Tofield, Alberta, who was the winner of the national spelling bee sponsored by CanWest Global Communications on April 16.
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FINOLA HACKETT, winner of the National Spelling Bee.
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The CanWest CanSpell National Spelling Bee was held in Ottawa at the National Arts Centre. This was the first time ever for the competition and the winner received a cash prize in the amount of CDN$10,000 issued as the Izzy Asper Scholarship Fund.
This new initiative provides Canadian children with an exciting opportunity to improve their spelling skills and expand their vocabularies. In addition to the cash prize, the CanWest CanSpell Cup is a perpetual award donated to the national winner’s school for display until 2006. The winner also gets a CanWest CanSpell Winner’s Trophy as a take home award.
While in Ottawa, Finola was kept busy with television interviews and meeting many dignitaries, such as Adrienne Clarkson, the Governor General of Canada and Canada’s Prime Minister.
“The Prime Minister Paul Martin arrived in a motorcade with a full entourage,” said Finola, “he was very nice and there was a group photo and cheerful conversation. He looked very energetic and smart, although we didn’t ask him to spell any hard words because he has enough trouble in Question Period!”
Along with being the Canadian spelling champion, Finola is also a very talented musician and Irish dancer. Her father and mother, Dr. Dick and Sai Yah Hackett are active members of the Irish Sports and Social Society Edmonton. Dr. Hackett is originally from Dublin and has a medical practice in Tofield. Fiona’s mother is from the Phillipines.
Arriving back to a heroes’ welcome at Edmonton International Airport, Finola was again met by the media and photographed, including interviews with her parents and at her school. She said that she couldn’t wait to get back home to Tofield and tell her teacher Mrs. Belik and classmates all about the awesome time she had in Ottawa.
But best of all Finola said, “I’m back in my home town where it is often dusty or windy, and I can hear the train go ‘hoot’ in the night from my bed. And sometimes, I can hear the coyotes yipping just on the edge of town.”
But Finola will need to keep her bags packed for awhile because on May 29, she will be heading off to Washington, D.C., to take part in the American version spelling championships. And we wish her much luck and success.
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For more information about how your school can participate in the CanWest CanSpell championships, check-out their website at www.canspell.com.
[N.B. Thanks to Ken McManus, Treasurer of the Irish Sports and Social Society Edmonton, for suggesting this article on Finola Hackett.]
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