ISLAMABAD: The 12th annual Dawn in Education Spelling Bee Competition concluded on Tuesday after the final round featuring contestants from Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad at the Islamabad Club.

A total of 27 students participated in the final rounds of three age groups, after winning regional competitions held in their respective cities.

The Dawn in Education spelling bee is an annual competition that aims to improve spelling and vocabulary among students and teach them new concepts.

Like the regional competitions, in the final round contestants were divided into three age groups: nine to 11, 12 to 14 and 15 to 17.

In the nine to 11 category, Eshaal Fatima from the Learning Alliance School in Lahore was adjudged the national champion, while Ayesha Kakakhel from the EMS Girls High School in Islamabad was the first runner-up, followed by Istaara Amjad from Khaldunia High School in Islamabad.

`Becoming national champion is a great achievement. I`m very much excited, I still can`t believe that I have won,` said Ms Fatima.

EMS Girls School, Islamabad, student Maryam Khan Wazir was declared the national champion in the 12 to 14 category.

Aryan Taugeer from Links School, Karachi, came second and Shameer M Nawaz from Aitchison College, Lahore, came in third.

Ms Khan said she was enjoying the moment. `I worked hard. At the start ofcompetition I was not sure about this big success.

In the 15 to 17 category, Sania Irfan from Generations School, Karachi, was declared the national champion, while Fatima Karim Kundi from EMS Girls High School Islamabad was first runner-up and Munema Zahid from Lahore Grammar School came third.

Ms Irfan said the competition was `amazing` and thanked her trainers.

The chief guest at the event, Christina Tomlinson from the United States embassy`s culture affairs department, distributedtrophies and prizes among the participants.

She said spelling bees had been a tradition in the US for 200 years, and the first national championship in her country was held in 1925.

Calling the competition a wonderful way to improve vocabulary, critical thinking and teamwork, she congratulated the winner and participants.

The pronouncer at the spelling bee was Azka Khan, while Ameena Saiyid from the Oxford University Press and Zahra Ansari from Gems Learning Academy judged the competition.