PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Colin Coetzee, a Grade 9 student at Plettenberg Bay Secondary, is emerging as a rising star in spelling competitions. 

Colin began his journey by participating in the Sanlam WOW Spelfees festival in 2022, which featured competitions at district, provincial, and national levels. 

Despite not making it through to the national level last year, he persisted and tried again this year. 

Colin competed in both English and Afrikaans categories, winning first place in all three tournaments at this year's Sanlam WOW Spelfees. His impressive performance reflects his passion for reading and languages. 

In addition to spelling competitions, Colin also won his school's idiom competition earlier on this year. On top of this, he received recognition as a merit student in the first term of this year. 

Colin credits his family, teachers, and principal for their unwavering support, which boosted his confidence to participate in the competitions. 

Plettenberg Bay Secondary principal Juan Jullies praised Colin for his newfound respect and new eyes for the competition. 

Another Grade 9 student from Plettenberg Bay Secondary, Onako Manyela, also showed an impressive 60% knowledge of the words on the spelling list.

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