More than 40 Yukon students spent part of their Rendezvous Friday giving their spelling skills a work-out. They were participating in the tenth annual Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Northwestel Spelling Bee. When the competition ended, nine students had won the top positions in three different categories.

“Northwestel is proud to support this event, now in its tenth year,” said Anne Kennedy, Northwestel Director of Corporate Communications.  “The students showed their impressive spelling skills. I’d like to congratulate all of those who took part. As a Northern company, we are happy to support the events that make our communities great places to live, and the annual spelling bee is a great example.”

The top place finishers in this year’s spelling bee are:

 

1^st Place English – Maira Magsi - Whitehorse Elementary School

1^st Place French – Marek Boulerice , Grade X, Ecole Emilie Tremblay

1^st Place French Immersion – Matthias Hoenisch, Whitehorse Elementary School

 

2^nd Place English – Rasina Amin - Selkirk Elementary School

2^nd Place French – Lara Herry-Saint Onge, Ecole Emelie Tremblay

2^nd Place French Immersion – Sonia Radwanski, Whitehorse Elementary School

 

3^rd Place English – Sana Javed - Whitehorse Elementary School

3^rd Place French – Genevieve Grigg – Ecole Emelie Tremblay

3^rd Place French Immersion – Zoe Sage, Whitehorse Elementary School

 

A total of 41 students took part in the spelling bee, coming from 10 different schools. Of those students, 21 competed in the English category, 10 in the French category and 10 in the French Immersion category.

The in the bee were St. Elias Community School in Haines Junction, Golden Horn Elementary just outside Whitehorse, and a number of Whitehorse schools: Christ the King Elementary, École Emilie-Tremblay, École primaire Whitehorse Elementary School, Elijah Smith Elementary, Jack Hulland Elementary, Selkirk Elementary, Takhini Elementary and Vanier Catholic Secondary.   

Northwestel awards the three 1st place winners received cash awards of $150.00 each, the three 2nd place winners $100.00 each and the three 3rd place winners $75.00 each. All nine winners also received a trophy and a selection of other prizes donated by Northwestel. In addition, all the schools whose students won 1st, 2nd or 3rd place will receive a cash award of $200.00 and a larger trophy to display at the school for a year.

Northwestel would like to thank Sandra Henderson for organizing this event. Thanks are also extended to all of the volunteers and judges who made this event possible.

In 2010, Northwestel contributed more than $600,000 in cash and in-kind donations to many northern community groups. Throughout its history, Northwestel has played a key role in the economic, social and cultural development of the North. Northwestel is recognized as a key contributor to the well-being of northern communities through its community investment program and the volunteer contributions of its employees.

Northwestel provides complete telecommunications solutions and entertainment services in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, northern British Columbia and High Level, Alberta. The company’s operations span nearly 4 million square kilometres of the most remote and rugged areas of Canada.