A Blue Mountain Middle School student won the 2025 Northeast PA Manufacturers and Employers Council Regional Spelling Bee coordinated by Schuylkill Technology Center.

Rowena Cresswell-Blickley, a seventh grader at Blue Mountain, was named the winner in the 14th round after correctly spelling “orthochromatic.”

The bee was held Saturday at the DHH Lengel Middle School auditorium in Pottsville.

The event saw 39 spellers representing Schuylkill County public school districts and nonpublic schools.

During the ninth round, the competition came down to three spellers: Cresswell-Blickley; Riley Jordan of DHH Lengel; and Jeffrey Salcedo of Mahanoy Area Middle School. The trio vied for the title through the 14th round, with Cresswell-Blickley coming out on top.

She will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee scheduled for the week of May 25 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. In addition, she won subscriptions to Merriam-Webster Unabridged and Britannica Online Premium; a trophy created and constructed by students enrolled in the Precision Machine Trades Program at Schuylkill Technology Center; and a $50 gift card provided by the Delta Kappa Gamma International Society.