JASON James, the affable teenager who ten years ago created history when he became the first student to represent Jamaica at the International Scripps Howard Spelling Bee Contest in the United States, is at it again.

This time around, however, the 22 year-old Duke University graduate will not be reeling off difficult words like u-r-s-p-r-a-c-h-e. Instead, he is preparing for a career that will see him working with numbers – gathering and analysing statistics that will decide how to promote, distribute, design or price products or services.

James will shortly take up a job offer from the Hudson River Group of companies in New York as a market research analyst. He beat out dozens of applicants from across the United States for the job. For James, beating out his competition was not a new feeling.

It all started in 1996 when he placed second in the Kingston and St Andrew parish spelling bee finals – representing perennial champions Ardenne High. At the time, James thought his dream of becoming the national champion was dead. However, the student who had won the parish contest was unable to compete, and so James was called in to take her place.

The rest is history, as they say coached by Reverend Glen Archer, James went on to win the national title, and then represented Jamaica at the Scripps Howard competition. He placed eight overall, beating out scores of spellers from all over the United States and other countries.

“It was a tremendous experience,” James recalled on Tuesday during a visit to the Observer.

Two years after James did the country proud by placing in the top 10, another Jamaican, Jody-Anne Maxwell -who was 12 years-old at the time – won the competition. The Ardenne High student was the first winner from outside the US.

James said the Scripps Howard competition changed his life as it helped to prepare him for “the strenuous work” in sixth form and university.

“It gave me opportunities to push myself and accomplish much.”

In order to properly prepare for the competition, James said he had to change his usual routine of activities.

“Because it was the first time Jamaica would be competing at the competition, I had to sacrifice many things. I used to swim competitively but I had to put that on hold,” he said with a laugh.

“I did not have a lot of free time. You need the right level of discipline, perseverance and focus from the very start,” he added.

In the end, however, the hard work and dedication, which spilled over into his academics, paid off as following his completion of studies at Ardenne in 2002, James successfully applied to the prestigious Duke University in North Carolina, where for the past four years, he pursued a Bachelors degree in Economics/Mathematics.

“Duke is a very student-friendly school. The professors are very helpful and you get to decide exactly what you want to study,” he told the Observer.

“It one of the top universities in America and it fully prepares you to take on the job world. You will leave there well-rounded,” he said.

While pursuing his degree programme, James also did courses in Chinese and Japanese pop culture and history.

Prior to his graduation from Duke on May 14 this year, James maintained impressive academic records; was on the honour roll for consecutive terms and was an active member of the Varsity swim team, which competes against other universities and colleges in the US.

The second of three children for Audrey and John James, James credits much of his success to the support of his parents and siblings.

James left for New York yesterday to begin his career, but he told the Observer that he intends to pull together all his training and experiences and return to settle and work in his homeland.