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    NNSL Photo/Graphic

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    Grade 7 super speller to compete on TV

    Ben Morgan
    Northern News Services
    Published Wednesday, September 10, 2008

    SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Jessica Guigon won't be in school this week because she's flying to Vancouver to tape a game show called Canada's Super Speller.

    The new CBC documentary-style game show will be hosted by Evan Solomon.

    NNSL Photo/Graphic

    Wearing her Super Speller medal, regional qualifier Jessica Guigon studies from the Collins Gage Canadian Dictionary, the official dictionary for a new CBC game show called Canada's Super Spellers hosted by Evan Solomon. - Ben Morgan/NNSL photo

    Guigon, a straight-A student enrolled in French immersion at William McDonald school, is a regional contestant. If she wins in Vancouver, her next stop will be the final round in Nova Scotia for a taping in early October.

    "I'm really excited," said Guigon. "My parents and my brother are really excited too because a family member is going to be on TV."

    Guigon is a little nervous to be on television but her mother is confident she'll do well. Adelle Guigon said her daughter has done well to make it so far.

    "We're so proud of her, she's doing great," she said.

    The Grade 7 student went to St. Joseph school last year and said she wasn't the best speller in her class.

    "It's funny because last year we had spelling bees in our class and I never made it past the second round, said Jessica Guigon. "I guess my brain figured out how to spell more words."

    Guigon logged on to Canada's Super Speller website in early May to prove her skills by playing online games then she had to compete locally. Four contestants will now challenge her this week at regionals.

    For the final round, the show will bring together 12 contestants from across the country to compete for a $20,000 registered education savings plan, a laptop computer, and a trophy.

    Cheryl Hassen, the show's executive producer, said Canada's Super Speller isn't a straight-up spelling bee-styled show.

    "It starts with the more traditional spelling bee that we all know and love but additionally at the regionals there is a speed spelling round - how many words you can spell in 40 seconds - and then at the national finals there will be a third round added to the contest and that will be the unscramble round," she said.

    "We have a most amazing set - called the spell dome - which has a real bullpen-like atmosphere to it. It should be very exciting."

    The show is expected to air in the spring.

    "There's no date yet, but CBC is putting the full weight of their brand behind this, said Hassen. They believe in this show completely. It's creative and well organized. The kids need to be smart, they need to think on their feet and they're having fun at the same time."