DOE Invites Public to Territorial Spelling Bee, State MATHCOUNTS Competition

The Virgin Islands Department of Education (DOE) invites the public to the 46th Annual Territorial Spelling Bee and State MATHCOUNTS Competition. Both events will be held on St. Croix.

Z’Qi Chapman, winner of the 2017 Territorial Spelling Bee.

The Territorial Spelling Bee will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 19, in the John H. Woodson Jr. High School auditorium.

The territory’s top 12 spellers will compete for the championship title and the opportunity to represent the Virgin Islands at the 92nd Scripps National Spelling Bee on May 28–30, in Maryland.

Schools represented include: All Saints Cathedral School, Addelita Cancryn Jr. High, Antilles School, Yvonne Milliner-Bowsky Elementary School, Tutu Church of God, Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, Good Hope Country Day, Elena Christian Jr. High, Church of God of Holiness Academy, Ricardo Richards Elementary, John H. Woodson Jr. High and St. Patrick’s Catholic School.

MATHCOUNTS students who won the St. Thomas-St. John District competition in 2016

The State MATHCOUNTS Competition will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, March 21, in the University of the Virgin Islands Great Hall.

A total of 20 mathletes from five schools across the St. Croix and St. Thomas-St. John District will compete to represent the territory in the 2019 Raytheon MATHCOUNTS National Competition scheduled for May 12-13, in Orlando, Fla.

Schools represented are Antilles School, Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, Good Hope Country Day, Church of God of Holiness Academy and John H. Woodson Jr. High School.

MATHCOUNTS is a national program designed to improve math skills among U.S. students. The program focuses on middle school students, who are at a crucial stage in developing and sustaining math interest and ability. Students who do not begin developing strong problem-solving, logical thinking and analytical abilities in middle school will face an uphill battle later in life if they wish to pursue a medical, scientific, mathematical, engineering or technical career.