Winner of the 2017 National Final of The Spelling Bee Ghana, Lily Tugbah, has left for the United States to represent Ghana at the 2017 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The Scripps Spelling Bee will take place during the Bee Week from May 29 – June 3.
The competition, which brings together contestants from all over the United States and other continents, will be held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Washington DC.
Lily Tugbah emerged the winner at the 10th edition final of The Spelling Bee Ghana in February this year and she will be the only contestant from Africa taking part in the 90th edition of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Lily, a JHS 1 student of Solidarity International School, Ashaiman is the first contestant outside the so-called privileged schools to represent Ghana at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The last three contestants to represent Ghana were Rohit Sahijwani, Vishal Thakwani and Afua Ansah, students from Delhi Public International School and Ridge Church School, respectively.
Related: Spelling Bee competition boosted my confidence – 12-year-old winner
“Most of the time people think because you are from Ashaiman you cannot make it this far. I am going to set myself as an example that nobody is too big or small, neither is anybody better than other. If you are serious and stay focused, you can make it,” Lily she said in an earlier interview.
The Executive Director of Young Educators Foundation (YEF), Eugenia Tachie-Menson, organisers of The Spelling Bee Ghana said they have worked very hard over the last three months to ensure that Lily Tugbah would be ready for the competition.
“The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a tough competition and so our national coaches take their time to prepare the winners to ensure they are ready to take on the challenge and this year was no exception with Lily,” Mrs Techie-Menson said.
She was hopeful that Lilly would make Ghana proud in the USA.
Lily Tugbah’s participation in the 90th edition of the Scripps National Spelling Bee is made possible by South African Airways (flight ticket sponsor), DSTV, ECOBANK, United States Embassy in Accra and Indomie, title sponsor of The Spelling Bee.
