Sudbury Spelling Bee champs crowned

There wererepeat champions as 40 children competed in three age divisions at the Sudbury Spelling Bee on Sunday, with more than $1,000 in prize money handed out.

BrendonMatusch, 11,won the junior divisionfor students aged 9 to11. It's the fourthwin for the Sudbury Christian Academy student who mastered the word 'coast' to take home$300 in prize money.

"Spell check messes up a lot and if you ever have to just write stuff down, there's not going to be autocorrect," Matusch said about the importance of learning to spell.

Urooba Ahmedof Churchill Public School took second prize in the Junior Division and Jacob Sharkey, who is home schooled, took third place.

The youngest childrenin the primary division, aged 6 to 8,went throughmore than 40 rounds of spellingbeforeNicholas Sharkey, who is home schooled,took the win. He correctly spelled the word 'workmen'.Sharkeyreceived $200and a big trophy for his win.

Avani Innisof Alexander Public School took second in the primary division and AnnikaMatuschplacedthird.

The top prize in the intermediate division, for studentsaged 12 to 14, went toJulia Burns of Marymount Academy. Burns correctly spelled 'congenial' for the $400 prize.

Nana Kwaku Awuah-Ben of St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School took second prize and AzkaAhmed was third.

The winners of all three divisions atthe Sudbury Spelling Beequalifiedto moveon to the provincial championships in Toronto in a few weeks time.