And that`s not the only first-jody-Anne,an eighth-grader from Kingston,Jamaica,is also the first speller from her contry and the first speller from outside the U.S.to win the contest.She conpeted against 248 spellers,aged nine to15,from the U.S.Mexico the U.S.Virgin Islands,the Bahamas, American Samoa,Guma,and Europe.
Jody-Anne began preparing for her big day in late 1996.She and her spelling coach, the Reverend Glen O.J.Archer ,studied using an entire dictionary,the root words,and their orginal meanings.The long hours of studying paid off.She won the spelling bee in her school (similar to a country spelling bee).About 3,000-4,000 kids competed in the Jamaican nation spelling bee in August 1997.And Jody-Anne won !