The 2024 Regional Spelling Bee in Schuylkill County has a new sponsor and is set to c-o-m-m-e-n-c-e. And 39 of the area’s top spellers are ready to compete for the 1 spot in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
This year’s Bee is sponsored by the Northeast PA Manufacturers & Employers Council. For years, the Spelling Bee was sponsored by the local daily newspaper, which announced in the past year that it was no longer able to back it.
With the event in j-e-o-p-a-r-d-y, the Northeast PA Manufacturers & Employers Council stepped in. The Spelling Bee is being coordinated by Schuylkill Technology Center.
“Losing the Regional Bee would have been a tremendous loss for Schuylkill County, and so I’m thankful that Northeast PA Manufacturers & Employers Council stepped up to sponsor the event,” Shannon Brennan, Director of STC, says in a release.
This year’s Bee is being held at DHH Lengel Middle School Auditorium in Pottsville on Saturday, March 2, beginning at 10 a.m.
The 39 spellers represent the 12 public school districts and non-public institutions in Schuylkill County. There are 20 alternates.
Here are this year’s competitors:
| Speller | Grade | School District |
|---|---|---|
| Azaylee Adams | 8 | Williams Valley |
| Ava Applegate | 7 | Schuylkill Haven Area |
| Aisaha Ayasha Feliz | 6 | Mahanoy Area |
| Najlaa Belkhoutout | 7 | Pottsville Area |
| Owen Borger | 4 | Blue Mountain |
| Savannah Carduff | 4 | Shenandoah Valley |
| Rowena Cresswell-Blickley | 6 | Blue Mountain |
| Nathan Derr | 8 | Mahanoy Area |
| Nora Digris | 6 | North Schuylkill |
| Gianna Donovan | 8 | Shenandoah Valley |
| Andrea Forro | 7 | Tri-Valley |
| Bryce Frymoyer | 6 | Pine Grove Area |
| Olivia Gerlott | 5 | Blue Mountain |
| Elliott Getz | 7 | Tri-Valley |
| Ella Heming | 4 | Pine Grove Area |
| Grayson Hess | 6 | Schuylkill Haven Area |
| Harper Hoffman | 7 | Williams Valley |
| Grey Hopkins | 5 | Minersville Area |
| Padraic Kerns | 8 | Pottsville Area |
| Daniel Kim | 7 | Assumption BVM |
| Allison Knecht | 5 | Mahanoy Area |
| Alivia Kroh | 4 | Shenandoah Valley |
| Annabelle Lemke | 4 | Pine Grove Area |
| Lena Lucht | 6 | Tri-Valley |
| Renee Machamer | 6 | Williams Valley |
| Romeo Marshall | 6 | Tri-Valley |
| Kayda Monberger | 7 | North Schuylkill |
| Stella Mongrain | 8 | Assumption BVM |
| Riley Nguyeno | 4 | Schuylkill Haven Area |
| Eva Ochenride | 5 | Minersville Area |
| Abigail Parson | 5 | Williams Valley |
| Liam Peddigree | 4 | Schuylkill Haven |
| Gage Penkauski | 7 | Pine Grove Area |
| Caylee Pytko | 8 | Mahanoy Area |
| Journey Randolph | 5 | North Schuylkill |
| Abigail Rhode | 6 | Blue Mountain |
| Olivia Rudloff | 5 | Blue Mountain |
| Kaitlin Salonga | 5 | Blue Mountain |
| Gregory Stump | 8 | North Schuylkill |
Alternates are:
- Maria Neifert, Assumption BVM
- Christian Machamer, Blue Mountain
- Callie Frie, Blue Mountain
- Jackson Fischetti, Blue Mountain
- Caleb Ulnitz, Tri-Valley
- Brody Sunday, Pottsville Area
- Aisha Ayasha Feliz, Mahanoy Area
- Alexzander Miller, Mahanoy Area
- Lyla Clay, Minersville Area
- Ella Stump, North Schuylkill
- Drew Wartman, North Schuylkill
- Charlie Cuff, North Schuylkill
- Owen Mentzer, North Schuylkill
- Kessa Howell, Pine Grove Area
- Izabelle Miller, Pine Grove Area
- Emma Schwartz, Pine Grove Area
- Ryland Freed, Schuylkill Haven Area
- Mikayla Tippett, Schuylkill Haven Area
- Adrian Turcinos, Shenandoah Valley
- Jude Zimmerman, Tri-Valley
The Pronouncer for this year’s Spelling Bee is Charles Underwood.
Dr. Nikki Andel, of Penn State University; Cynthia Mensch, of Alvernia University; and Devina Singh, a former National Spelling Bee competitor, will all serve as Judges. Karen Durkin is the Appeals Judge.
Ashley Hess is serving as Recorder.
The winner of the Regional Spelling Bee gets a chance to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Washington, D.C., during the week of May 26-31.
Photo: Canva Pro
