Kara Boyles was deemed the top speller in the East when she won the semi-finals in the Eastern zone national spelling contest on Tuesday night.

Ms Boyles of Harrington Sound Primary beat out second place winner Donyae Hollis of St. David?s Primary.

The honour earned her a brand new pedal cycle and the chance to win the national title in finals to be held on November 6.

Mr. Hollis won a $100 gift certificate for toys, while Jordan Renfroe of East End Primary won a Discman for his third place showing.

Organised by the Bermuda College, Bermuda SpellDown 2004 is holding three semi-finals this week.

Tuesday?s Eastern zone competition took place at Harrington Sound Primary while the Central zone semi-finals took place last night with seven students vying for a place in the final at Saltus Grammar School.

(Winners were not available by Press time).

Southampton Glebe Primary is the venue for tonight?s Western zone semi-final competition with eight contestants. It gets underway at 6.30 p.m.

Semi-final competition will produce three winners who will move on to the finals.

Both public and private school students are competing ? contestants were chosen from internal competitions held at their schools.

The SpellDown is open to the public and Bermuda Sun sub-editor Sara Westhead and Assistant Account General David King are acting as announcers for the competitions.

The contest offers a variety prizes with the grand prize being a full, two-year scholarship to the Bermuda College and a seven-day Caribbean cruise for two.

Other prizes include a laptop computer, pedal bikes and gift vouchers to toy stores.

The SpellDown is sponsored by the Bermuda College and the Ministry of Education.

This is the first spelling bee the College has been involved with and the first national spelling bee for at least 15 years, said College director of communications Evelyn James Barnett.