Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
Let’s try that one more time—good evening, ladies and gentlemen! That’s better. Thank you very much.

Angela Duckworth, in her book Grit, studied a number of successful people and found that each of us has a gift. But if we don’t apply ourselves to develop that gift, it goes to waste, and we fail to live out God’s purpose for us on this earth.

Her research showed that successful people are not necessarily the most talented. They are the ones who practice consistently and work hard. I was reminded of this while thinking about today’s theme: The power of practice.

I also drew inspiration from the movie Coach Carter, which some of you might remember from the 1990s. It’s about a coach who takes on a group of boys from difficult backgrounds. He teaches them discipline, sets high academic standards, and shows them that hard work and consistency can change their lives. Let’s take a moment to put our hands together for all our spellers. A big round of applause! (Applause)

Even for adults, standing on stage is not easy. So to see our young people here, spelling with such confidence, is truly inspiring. You must all be proud of yourselves.

And another round of applause for the parents in the room. (Applause) Each time we show up for our children, we invest in their future. It tells them that we value and support their dreams.

I would also like to appreciate the enjuba team. Thirteen years of running the National Spelling Bee is no small feat! What you provide is a rare opportunity for children to express themselves, to discover language, and to grow.

Now, back to practice. Practice is preparation for excellence. In the process of practice, growth happens. At Stanbic Bank, we believe in growth. Our motto is “Uganda is our home, we drive her growth.” That is why we partnered with enjuba. If you want to plant a seed, the earlier, the better, and what better age than that of the spellers?

Through practice, the spellers have learned to fail forward. I saw this in the final round, some misspelled a word at first, but later corrected it. They will never forget those words. That is one of the most powerful lessons from practice: you learn to fail forward.

Practice also builds many other skills—grit, persistence, listening, confidence, communication, and emotional regulation. I was amazed by how carefully the spellers listened to definitions and questions. That focus is rare, even among adults.

Confidence is another gift. Many adults are terrified of public speaking, but here we have 7-year-olds and 12-year-olds on stage! And when they falter, they’ve learned grace, to lose with dignity, and to try again. As Coach Carter said, what matters is not just the result, but what changes within you because of the effort you gave. That’s what practice does. It transforms you from the inside out.

From this spelling bee, many paths are possible. You could become a journalist, a writer, a lawyer, a filmmaker. Language opens doors everywhere. But whatever you choose, remember: we are not always in the mood to practice. There will be days you don’t feel like it. Yet when there is purpose in what you do, you will still get up and try.

So to summarize: Practice is preparation for excellence. The greatest growth doesn’t happen on the stage; it happens in the hours spent preparing for it. Excellence is not an accident, it is built through effort, persistence, and purpose.

It will not always be easy, but it will always be worthwhile.
If we keep showing up and practicing, we will surely finish strong.
Practice will help us all see the world differently.

Thank you very much.