Ten-year-old Raheem Nu’Man has built his young life around two very different, equally demanding passions, proving that ambition does not have to fit into a single box. For years, he has nurtured two big dreams: one on the soccer pitch, where he trains to become a professional player inspired by global icon Cristiano Ronaldo, and another in the classroom, where he has long chased a spot at the top of the regional Anglican Schools Spelling Bee Competition. That long-held dream became reality in 2025, when Raheem walked away from the competition with the first-place title, capping off months of disciplined daily study.
In May 2026, Raheem returned to the same competition venue at the invitation of organizers, but this time, he took on a new role: supporter and mentor for the new cohort of young spellers. Accompanied by his father Saleem Nu’Man, the 2025 champion spent the day encouraging competitors, sharing his own experience of the challenge and reward of the competition. For Raheem, the greatest value of the spelling bee extends far beyond the trophy. “The benefit of it is that you get to learn new and challenging words and helps you to know better words,” he explained of what the competition has given him.
What has stood out most to those around Raheem is not just his work ethic or his competitive success, but his uncommon empathy and character. Following his 2025 victory, Saleem Nu’Man recalled being genuinely surprised by his son’s immediate reaction. “Honestly he told me that he felt bad for the ones that did not win, that really caught me off guard. He felt bad winning, being the champion, the level of empathy,” the elder Nu’Man shared.
That empathy comes from Raheem’s own intimate understanding of how much work goes into competing. He recalled the rigor of his preparation for the 2025 event: “For me I personally studied every few days, for an hour or two, studying one hundred words every day. The most challenging part about studying is that everyday after school it was stressful and you have to do it everyday and it was just very nerve wrecking.” His years of preparation were no accident; spelling bee glory was a goal he nurtured from his earliest years in primary school. “It has been a dream of him from infant one, infant two, he always wanted to go into spelling bee. So, going through the years when he told me he was entering I was not surprised,” his father added.
For Jeremy Cayetano, General Manager of Anglican Primary Schools, events like this spelling bee fill a critical gap in modern childhood education. “We know it is important for children to know how to spell especially in this time in 2026 where text language is very prevalent,” Cayetano explained, noting that the competition aims to foster a love of language and mastery of core skills that will serve students for life.
With his spelling bee title secured, Raheem now turns his attention to the next set of goals he has set for his future. He plans to continue pursuing his two passions long into adulthood: “Well, me personally I would like to be a football player and a police officer. I like the law and sports,” he shared.
In the 2026 competition, Jair Gordon of Saint Andrews Anglican in the Cayo District took home the first place title, carrying on the legacy of excellence that Raheem helped establish a year prior. For Raheem, though, his experience has already taught him a lesson far more valuable than any trophy: success is not only about winning, but about the heart you bring to every challenge, and the kindness you show to others along the way.