StarHub’s Creative Classroom Unleashes Girl Power
Singapore, 11 September 2003 –The boys are clearly outnumbered at this year’s StarHub Spelling Bee. Of the three teams in the finals, there is only ONE male contestant! Gabriel Wong and his two female team mates from Nanyang Primary School will take on the all-girls teams from St Margaret’s Primary School and the Methodist Girls’ School. Does this spell trouble for the guys?
The StarHub Spelling Bee 2003 finals will be held this morning at the Concert Hall of Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road). Hosted by Joe Augustin, the Guest of Honour is Mr Chan Soo Sen (Minister of State for Education & Community Development and Sports). Held for the second year, the StarHub Spelling Bee attracted entries from close to 100 primary schools. The preliminary and semi-final rounds were keenly fought in the previous weeks as the teams pitted their spelling skills against one another. Today, the top three teams will battle for the top prize, not only for themselves, but also to do their school proud.
Mr Yong Lum Sung, Chief Operating Officer of StarHub, said, "StarHub’s Creative Classroom has always been very active on the community front, working closely with cable channels such as National Geographic, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet to organise interactive shows and competitions for schools. The primary aim of this schools’ initiative is to nurture creative learning by taking students beyond their classrooms and textbooks. Through the StarHub Spelling Bee, Creative Classroom aims to promote the use of good standard English, a critical skill in this information age."
Launched in 1999, Creative Classroom has to date organised competitions such as the StarHub Spelling Bee, If I were President (2000) and The National Day Song Challenge (2001). Creative Classrom also conducts free learning adventures for schools. In January, Creative Classroom brought live snakes to 25 primary schools where students got up close and personal with different species of snakes. In March, Creative Classroom also organised Insects from Hell where a UK insect expert presented a show with giant millipedes, scorpions and beetles at 20 schools. These are examples of StarHub’s way of contributing to the education of the young in Singapore, by making learning inter-disciplinary fun and stimulating.
Like last year, this year’s StarHub Spelling Bee has seen keen competition. The three finalist teams had already persevered through an intensive preliminary round where each team of three members had to sit for a written test. The top nine teams of the preliminary round (based on the average score of the three team members) then moved on to the semi-finals where the top three schools were then selected for the finals.
And what was the motivation for the teams to excel? In addition to winning glory for their schools and asserting their excellent command of the English language, the top team will also win a 40" plasma TV for their school and individual prizes comprising a digital camera, Creative Classroom hamper and Nestle hamper. Prizes for runners-up include printers, a digital camera for their schools as well as individual prizes such as the Palm Zire (PDA) and CD players. The prize for all finalist teams includes a six-month free subscription to StarHub CableTV.
So, will it truly be the case of the thorn amongst the roses? Or the rose amongst the thorns? Come, join in the action and decide for yourself.
For more information on the StarHub Creative Classroom, please visit StarHub's website. The StarHub Spelling Bee is also sponsored by Nestle KoKo Krunch.
Afternote:
St Margaret's Primary School ultimately won the competition.
