The Ebelechukwu International Group of Schools, Nkpor, Anambra State, has awarded scholarships to 10 students, who represented the school at the 17th edition of the spelling leaders competition in Lagos.

The students were honoured during a reception organised by the school at its Akuzor Campus in Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area, following their impressive performance at the national competition.

The school had qualified for the grand finale after emerging successful at the Anambra State stage of the competition, organised by Spell Africa International, in May.

At the final held in Lagos, on August 1, one of the school’s representatives, Miss Chimamanda Ekeigwe, emerged second runner-up in the secondary school category, placing Ebelechukwu International Group of Schools third among 191 participating schools from across Nigeria.

Another representative, Miss Blessing David, also finished seventh in the primary school category after competing against pupils from the participating schools nationwide.

Speaking at the reception, the director of Ebelechukwu International Group of Schools, Mr Ebelechukwu Timothy Chukwukelu, commended the students for their outstanding performance, particularly as it was the school’s first outing at the competition.

Chukwukelu said the trophy won by the school represented more than an award, describing it as a symbol of hard work, discipline, preparation, determination and excellence.

He said, “Our students have demonstrated that with the right preparation, confidence and commitment, our children can compete and excel at the highest level.”

The director urged other pupils and students to draw inspiration from the achievement and strive for greater accomplishments.

“At Ebelechukwu Schools, our motto is ‘Inspired to Aspire,’ and our mission is to discover and develop the potential in every child. This achievement is a beautiful demonstration of that vision. 

One trophy must lead to another achievement, one success must inspire another, and one generation of winners must prepare the next,” he added.

Chukwukelu also commended the teachers and coaches for their commitment, saying their dedication and countless hours spent preparing the students had contributed significantly to the success.

He noted that the students’ performance had further demonstrated that quality teachers produce quality results.

The Team Coach, Miss Chika Omerede, said the team faced several challenges during preparations, including the demanding nature of the spelling-bee coaching programme.

She, however, said the students’ commitment and dedication helped the school achieve the feat despite participating in the competition for the first time.

Similarly, the team lead, Mr Rowland Nwekeson, praised the resilience of the students, saying their success was a product of hard work. 

“We’re not surprised with our results because we worked hard. But this success is a wake-up call to do more because we have Africa to conquer, and we also have the world to face. This is the beginning of the journey,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the students, Chimamanda Ekeigwe recounted some of the challenges the team encountered as first-time participants but expressed delight that their efforts eventually yielded laurels.

She expressed optimism that the team would surpass its current achievement in subsequent competitions.

As part of the celebration, the school director announced scholarships for the 10 students who participated in the competition.

According to him, the scholarship covers tuition and school uniforms for the beneficiaries.

He also announced cash awards for the students’ coaches, Mr Okekeson and Miss Omerede, in recognition of their contributions to the team’s success.