SM City Grand Central buzzed with excitement as 167 young spellers, aged 9 to 11, gathered for the highly anticipated Spelling Bee, an event designed to promote literacy and inspire the next generation of wordsmiths. The competition, featuring students from both public and private schools across Northern Metro Manila, provided a platform for the young participants to showcase their spelling skills, fostering not just healthy competition but also a spirit of camaraderie and learning.
Representing Malinta Elementary School, Marcuz Paguio emerged as the elimination round champion, securing his place in the next stage of the competition. Paguio’s exceptional performance earned him over P20,000 worth of prizes from SM Supermalls, Jollibee, and the National Book Store. His victory at SM City Grand Central marks a stepping stone on his journey to the Grand Finals, which will be held at SM Mall of Asia.
The stakes will be even higher at the Grand Finals, where the winner is set to take home up to P50,000 in cash and SM Gift Certificates, P150,000 worth of National Book Store Gift Certificates, P10,000 in Jollibee Gift Certificates, a new laptop from Power Mac Center, and tuition discounts from the National University (NU).
A total of 154 students from public schools and 13 students from private schools– all from Grades 4 to 6– participated in this competition, underscoring the educational initiatives of SM Supermalls and their partners in supporting youth development and literacy.