Monrovia — Yeyeh Initiative, a not-for-profit NGO run by former Miss African Methodist Episcopal University, Amb. Yayesorie Jalloh has formally launched its 2021 spelling bee competition for high schools across Montserrado.
The group, which is a non-profit NGO aiming at elevating women and children, making sure they have equal rights to education, health care, social-economic status in society, is co-operating with the Ministry of Education and other partners to kickoff this academic challenge, which begins on Thursday, March 26 and expected to end on Friday, March 27.
Speaking at the launch of the competition at the start of the week, Amb. Jalloh noted that the spelling bee competition is designed to develop children’s confidence, presentation and cognitive skills positively sharing their attitudes for life as enabling them to attain Education.
“Education is the great engine for personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, the child of a farm worker can become the president of a great Nation. It is what we make out of what we have not what we are giving that separates one person from another,” Amb. Jalloh quotes former South African President Nelson Mandela.
According to her, this year’s target is to work with 100 high schools, to include two(2) representatives per school, making it 200 students in total to contest at the preliminary rounds.
“Out of the 200 students 150 will drop and 50 will contest at the Grand Final where our team will confirm the best three winners of the YayehInitiative In collaboration with the ministry of Education and Monrovia City Corporation Youth Affires Unit 2nd Edition 2021,” Yeyeh further stated.
The competition will be accordingly held under the theme “Spell to secure a future life.”
She said the competition is a part of Yayeh Initiative spelling bee program to benefit schools across Montserrado County. The Spelling Bee is a Competition that brings together children in school to compete in Spelling words.
“As per our policy, the proceeds of this event are used to sponsor students in schools which include, giving Scholarships, Books Laptops and cash prices.etc,” Amb. Jalloh added.
Additionally, at the end of the challenge, the third winner will walk away with computers, books, and pens pulse cash. The second winner will also receive computers, books, and pens plus cash as well and the first winner will walk away with cash benefits, computers, books, and pens. Not only will the winner be awarded prizes but also an international scholarship available for the winners based on their eligibility.
The young Liberian female leader noted that the Coronavirus situation has mitigated the learning capacity of Liberian children, thereby creating several challenges for parents and the societies, as such, academic activities like spelling bee has also been created to fill in these corridors, enabling our children improve their literacy, learning key social skills and developing positive attitudes towards life.
She believes the benefit that the students will gain from the event will make them more eager to study, help motivate them to complete in school and transform them into change agents and credible leaders.
Amb. Jalloh also said the preliminary rounds of the competition will be conducted at the Paynesville City Hall while the Grand finale will be at the Monrovia City Hall Theatre on the 26 & 27 March 2021.
Meanwhile, Amb. Jalloh stated that the spelling bee competition forms a part of YayehInitiative strive in giving back to Liberia, since her victory as Miss AMEU.
“Our journey goes back since 2018, as Miss AMEU when I set up my team to embark on our humanitarian endeavors were we singled handily established relationships with orphanages and Mental Health homes, and making donations of relevant logistics, food, clothes, paying school fees, etc. But with your help, we can do more,” Amb. Jalloh averred.