S-I-R Challenge 2009

Ikhwan (left) and the other two winners admiring their mock cheques.

SAKTI sent a team of four students to the Spell-It-Right Challenge at Johor Bahru City Square yesterday. Fifth-former Ikhwan Aliff Abdul Halim performed brilliantly, spelling "menagerie" to clinch the first runner-up prize in the individual category. From the news report in today's NST:

Ikhwan Aliff Abdul Halim, from SM Sains Kota Tinggi, won the tie-breaker with Ahmad Nazri Seleman, of SMK Agama Johor Baru, to come in second. He received RM1,500 while third prize winner Ahmad Nazri won RM1,000.

Ikhwan Aliff said hard work and prayers paid off for him.

"I learned up to 200 new words a day. I'm at a boarding school, so I practised during prep time."

Siti Maizatulnisa Abd Malik and Hisham Mohd Alifiah from form 4, and Nor Anis Suraya Mohd Nor from form 3 did not disappoint either. Their combined efforts won us the second runner-up prize of RM1,000 in the school category.

(From left) Hisham, Ikhwan, Cik Khadijah, Maizatul and Anis posing before the competition.

For those students who'd like to represent the school at next year's challenge, better get started on your word lists pronto! :)