TOP SPELLERS — Kaden Haddox, a sixth-grader at Indian Creek Middle School, emerged the winner of the 2025 Jefferson-Harrison County Regional Spelling Bee, Presened by the Herald-Star held Saturday at Buckeye North Elementary School. Haddox will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. On hand for the presentation of trophies and prizes were, from left, front: Haddox, Brheanna Boyles, a sixth-grader at Buckeye Local Junior High School, second place; Learynn Hanson, an eighth-grader at Edison Junior High School, third place; Lucas Wood, a sixth-grader at Harrison Central Elementary School, fourth place; and Johanna Dennis, a sixth-grader at Catholic Central High School, fifth place; and back: Linda Lenzi, co-coordinator for the bee; Ross Gallabrese, executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times; Ron Sismondo of the Jefferson County Educational Service Center, the bee’s coordinator; Gabriel Loot, an eighth-grader at Harding Middle School, sixth place; Carter Stotley, a sixth-grader at Buckeye Local Junior High School, seventh place; Susie Safranski, an eighth-grader at Catholic Central High School, eighth place; Doug Holmes, a fifth-grade at Stanton Elementary School, ninth place; Jaden Nice, a seventh-grader at Harrison Central Junior High School; and bee co-coordinators Amber Fomenko and Patty Ferrell. -- Warren Scott

BRILLIANT — While he may have spelled “codswallop,” a word meaning a lot of nonsense, before spelling “abscess,” the final word in the 2025 Jefferson-Harrison County Regional Spelling Bee, Presented by the Herald-Star, the performance of Kaden Haddox in the competition was nothing to make light of.

The sixth-grader from Indian Creek Middle School battled Brheanna Boyles, a sixth-grader at Buckeye Local Junior High School and the defending champion, through 30 rounds of the 41-round competition, which was held Saturday at Buckeye North Elementary School.

Asked how he prepared for the event, Haddox said, “I studied really hard with my mom and dad.”

It all led up to him being able to spell the winning word, which is a noun meaning a localized collection of pus surrounded by inflamed tissue.

The son of Jessica and Nick Haddox of Steubenville, he said he’s very excited about visiting Washington, D.C., as this region’s representative to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which will be held May 27-29.

As the regional winner, he will receive an all-expense paid trip to the nation’s capital.

He also will receive a one-year subscription to the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary Online, one-year subscription to Britannica Online Premium from Encyclopaedia Britannica, a $250 gift from the Jefferson County Educational Service Center, and the Samuel Sugarman Award, which is a 2025 U.S. Mint proof set.

Ross Gallabrese, executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times, estimated that 166 words were presented to the regional bee’s 29 competitors, with about 40 of them put before the top two finishers.

He said all of the participants deserve applause for the effort that brought them to the event from spelling bees held in their schools and school districts, with credit also going to the many family members and school personnel who supported them.

Among the many words spelled correctly by the bee’s participants were: Palatial, flexitarian, punily, elicitation, dudley, vlogging, intertidal, elicitation and remnants.

Boyles will receive a trophy and a $150 prize from the ESC and a copy of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition, from Merriam-Webster through the Herald-Star.

Rounding out the regional bee’s top 10 finishers were:

• Learyn Hanson, an eighth-grader at Edison Junior High School, who placed third.

She will receive the second edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Thesaurus and a $50 gift from the Jefferson County ESC.

• Lucas Wood, a sixth-grader at Harrison Central Elementary School, who placed fourth.

• Johanna Dennis, a sixth-grader at Catholic Central High school, who placed fifth.

Wood and Dennis each will receive the second edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Thesaurus and a $25 gift from the Jefferson County ESC and Dr. Paul Macdonald.

• Gabriel Loot, an eighth-grader at Harding Middle School, who placed sixth.

• Carter Stotley, a sixth-grader at Buckeye Local Junior High School, who placed seventh.

• Susie Safranski, an eighth-grader at Catholic Central High School, who placed eighth.

• Doug Holmes, a fifth-grader at Stanton Elementary School, who placed ninth.

• Jaden Nice, a seventh-grader at Harrison Central Junior High School, who placed 10th.

Those who placed sixth through 10th each will receive a $25 gift from the Jefferson County ESC and Dr. Paul Macdonald.

All of the participants received a spelling bee bobblehead from the Herald-Star and book bag donated by PNC Bank.

Ron Sismondo, director of curriculum and development at the Jefferson County Educational Service Center and coordinator of the regional bee, expressed thanks to the schools that held qualifying bees and the regional event’s many sponsors.

They include S.T.A.R.T. LLC, Tri-State Financial Services, the Mingo Knights of Columbus, John Center, Dr. Paul Macdonald, PNC Bank, the Herald-Star, Ascent Resources, Encino Energy, Cardinal Operating Company-Cardinal Plant, McBane Insurance and the Ohio Lottery Commission.

Sismondo was aided in coordinating the event by ESC staff members Amber Fomenko, Linda Lenzi and Patty Ferrell.

Among many others also lending their time and talents to the bee were: Mary Ann Zeroski, who served as pronouncer with assistance from fellow retired educator Paula Diorio; Professor David Schaefer of Franciscan University of Steubenville, who served as recorder; and Toni Dondzilla, a longtime educator and Jefferson County ESC board member; and West Liberty University professors Stephen Criniti and Jermy Larance, who served as judges.