On Saturday, November 22, 2025, the Okinawa Prefectural Spelling Contest was held at the Kadena Cultural Center. A total of 31 teams from 11 schools across Okinawa participated, competing to demonstrate their ability to spell English words correctly. The contest follows a format very similar to our annual “Spelling Bee” at AMICUS, in which contestants listen to spoken English words and spell them accurately. Spelling bees are a national tradition in the United States, continuing for nearly 100 years, and are also held in the United Kingdom, Australia, and many other countries around the world.
Three AMICUS teams (each consisting of Grade 7–9 students) took part in the competition, and all three teams successfully passed the preliminary round. Two teams advanced to the final round, which was contested by four teams: two from AMICUS and two from Okinawa Shogaku Junior High School.
And the results were —
🌟 AMICUS won 1st place and 3rd place!
🥈 2nd place was awarded to Okinawa Shogaku Junior High School.
To be honest, I felt that AMICUS might even sweep 1st through 3rd place, as every team demonstrated outstanding ability. The team that narrowly missed the finals was only separated by one word, based on my observation. This result clearly shows that all AMICUS teams competed at an exceptionally high level.
Spelling in English is known to be challenging even for native speakers, which is why contests like this are held worldwide. Our students’ determination and persistence under intense pressure on stage were truly inspiring.
I would like to express my deepest respect to all AMICUS students who bravely represented our school and honor the effort they put into preparing for this contest.
Special thanks go to Ms. Kaori Asato, who coached and supported the teams with great dedication.
The first-place team received G-SHOCK wristwatches, the school received a pronunciation training app, and all participants were awarded tickets to a Ryukyu Golden Kings basketball game.
Watching our students challenge themselves and cheer for one another made me once again so proud to be part of AMICUS. I hope they will continue to value effort, courage, and the spirit of challenge as they grow further.
Finally, I would like to thank all the parents and guardians who came to support the students at the venue. Your encouragement meant so much.
