The South-West Regional Sports Arena buzzed with excitement on Friday as four primary schools went head-to-head in the finals of the inaugural Mindstar Labour Day Spelling Bee & Tech Park 2026 team championship — the first-ever school-versus-school team format.
After a nail-biting showdown, Grace Academy emerged victorious, showcasing extraordinary prowess, teamwork and composure under pressure, setting the stage for what promises to be a new tradition in competitive learning.
One of this year’s winners and student of Grace Academy, Maliyah Taylor, shared how she felt: “I am really happy that I won. It’s just really crazy, it’s unbelievable for me.”
Teammate Sean Glenn reflected on the intensity of the competition and underscored just how demanding the challenge had been.
“The finals was really tense. You do not know what I’ve been through to win this.”
Cap-de-ville Government Primary School placed second, followed by Point Fortin Anglican School in third place and Point Fortin Roman Catholic School in fourth place.
Following the success of the competition, Member of Parliament for Point Fortin, Ernest Kesar, encouraged organisations under the A.L. Williams Educational Services and Consultancy to build on the Mindstar initiative by expanding it into a national annual competition.
“A spelling bee, brothers and sisters, is not just learning how to spell words. It is the foundation of ensuring all the young people have the opportunity to learn, to master basic literacy and numeracy skills and to ensure that you continue to build and to develop yourself as an individual.”
Beyond the spelling bee, students and attendees explored an expanded Tech Park experience, headlined by the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology (NIHERST) alongside cutting-edge robotics and innovators.
The showcase featured live demonstrations, coding challenges, 3D printing exhibits and interactive STEM stations designed to inspire the next generation of creators and problem-solvers.