KUCHING: Isaac Chung De Wei read the dictionary five days a week from the time he signed up for the Sarawak RHB-New Straits Times Junior Spell-it-Right Challenge.

That paid off handsomely yesterday for the 8-year-old lad: he won first prize.

And with that win, Isaac rewrote SIR lore; for the determined Year Two pupil of Sekolah Kebangsaan Chung Hwa No. 4 had previously taken on, without the backing of his school but with the blessing of the contest organisers, the SIR Challenge that was limited to upper-primary pupils.

In that challenge, he stepped out of contention in the second round, forgetting the "i" in "achieve".

It was a different story yesterday.
Isaac broke into a wide, mischievous grin after he spelled the last word correctly to win RM1,000 and an Acer laptop in the 7- to 9-year-old category.

Just before he collected his prizes, he told the audience that he had his parents to thank for their guidance and a little push.

"My mother is a teacher. She encouraged me to take part in the competition and guided me in learning English.

"I hope the NST and RHB will continue this programme. I will continue to read and study hard because I want to enter more spelling contests."

For 9-year-old Amirah Farwizah Ahmad Pahmi, a Year Three pupil of SK St Mary's, second place was worth RM800. Third place went to Nurul Nabilah Jamali, 8, also from SK St Mary's, who won RM500.

Thirty-six pupils competed. Each received a certificate and a gift bag. RHB Bank Bhd Sarawak region 2 area manager Jee Tzin Kit and New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd marketing director Pat Wahid presented the prizes..