On Friday, November 13, 2026, ten talented secondary school students drawn from educational institutions across Dominica gathered at the Alliance Française de la Dominique in Roseau to put their Kwéyòl (Dominican Creole) literacy proficiency to the test, marking the official kickoff of the country’s first ever national Secondary Schools Creole Spelling Bee. The highly anticipated event commenced promptly at 10:00 a.m. local time, drawing educators, family members, cultural advocates, and community leaders as in-person attendees, with a nationwide digital audience tuning in via a live broadcast hosted by local news outlet Dominica News Online. The landmark youth-focused initiative is spearheaded by Ambassador Leroy “Wadix” Charles, founder of the cultural advocacy group Creole Heartbeat, operating under the unifying theme “Spell Our Language, Create Our Culture, Celebrate Our Future.” Organizers designed the competition to fill a longstanding gap in local youth cultural programming, creating a dedicated, high-visibility platform for young Dominicans to showcase their mastery of written Kwéyòl, while driving widespread adoption of the language in daily settings ranging from classroom campuses to family households and neighborhood community spaces. The ten carefully selected competitors representing their respective schools are Samake Guerrier of Arthur Waldron Seventh Day Adventist, Rickara Prescott of Castle Bruce Secondary School, Aimee Leblanc of Dominica Grammar School, Kenly St. Valis of Goodwill Junior High School, McKayla Laurent of Isaiah Thomas Secondary School, Kanya Alexander of North Eastern Comprehensive School, Denzley Desir of Pierre Charles Secondary School, Anthony Jones of Portsmouth Secondary School, Michelot Casseus of Saint Mary’s Academy, and Hephzibah Ademola of Wesley High School. Event coordinators emphasized that the core long-term mission of the spelling bee extends far beyond competitive rankings: it is a deliberate, community-led effort to safeguard Dominica’s unique Creole linguistic and cultural heritage for future generations, a priority as global digital and mainstream linguistic influences continue to reshape local youth communication patterns. In a statement ahead of the opening round, Creole Heartbeat leadership noted that every participating student who invested time and effort to prepare for the contest is already recognized as a champion of cultural preservation, rather than only the top finalists. The organization also issued a formal public acknowledgment of gratitude to participating secondary schools, classroom teachers, supportive parents, and institutional partners who contributed countless hours to help the students refine their Kwéyòl skills ahead of the inaugural competition.