No giving up for Penang’s Soo
GEORGE TOWN: Sixteen-year-old Sophia Soo Hoo did not give up after failing to make it to the finals in the previous RHB New Straits Times Spell-It-Right (SIR) challenge.
Sheer determination this time around saw the SMK (P) Methodist student book her place in the finals as the state representative under the secondary school category.
“I thought it was too late for me to register for SIR this year, but I did it and was taken by surprise when I was told that I was the state champion,” she said.
“I was a little stressed out at the time, but I am glad to have made it to the finals.”
Soo loves to read novels during her leisure hours. She is also eager to learn new words and would occasionally surf online dictionaries.
“I will try my best for the finals. I will be very happy if I win, but if not, it will still be a very valuable experience.”
The state representative in the primary school category, Teoh Yii Ling, gave her best for the preliminary and state challenge even though she was busy preparing for the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination at that time.
The 12-year-old said she usually spent her leisure time reading storybooks.
“It has helped me in my school examinations as well as in the SIR challenge.
“I would refer to the dictionary whenever I come across unfamiliar words. This helped strengthen my vocabulary,” said the SK Convent Green Lane pupil.
Teoh said she registered and participated in the SIR online challenge along with her friends after she was encouraged to do so by her school teachers.
“I was surprised when I was announced the state winner. I will do my best in the finals to make my parents and teachers proud,” she added.