03 APR 2009, KUALA TERENGGANU: Mu-hammad Danial Zainuddin wants to spell it out this year that the four As that he scored in the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination last year was not a fluke. This time around, the autistic 13-year-old first-former intends to prove that his disability is no obstacle to success by making a mark in the RHB New Straits Times Spell-It-Right Challenge.

He beat fifth formers at SMK Agama Sheikh Abdul Malek in Batu Buruk last week in the preliminary rounds of a competition to pick the school's spelling team.

Next week, he will pit his spelling skills against nine others vying for the four spots.

School English panel head Aniza Mohd Abu Bakar said Danial was proving himself equal to those older than him.

"He made it through the early rounds last week and will meet nine others next week in the finals."

Meanwhile, at SMKA Tok Jiring in Wakaf Temesu, more than 150 students have signed up for the school-level Spell-It-Right competition scheduled to be held early next week for a chance to represent the school.

School English Department head Wan Haniza Wan Halim said it was a source of pride for the school to emerge state champions in the school's category last year.

"We want to defend the title now."

She said 20 contestants from the competition would go through a series of tests to pick four spellers to represent the school at the state-level challenge at the Terengganu Trade Centre on May 22 and 23.

Similar competitions are scheduled to be held at schools in the state, including SMK Kompleks Gong Badak in Gong Badak where last year's state-level trophy in the secondary school individual category is kept.

English Department head Maheran Mohd Noor said even with only about a week to prepare for last year's competition, school representative Salina Sayang was the best speller in the state.

She said trials and school competitions would be held this year to find four contestants.?

source: New Straits Times Online