Twenty-nine pupils from across our region had the chance to put their knowledge, analytical skills and poise on display Saturday during the Jefferson-Harrison County Regional Spelling Bee Presented by the Herald-Star.

Held in the auditorium of Buckeye North Elementary School in Brilliant, the bee lasted about two hours and included some intense moments as the competition neared its conclusion. When all of the spelling was concluded, Kaden Haddox, a sixth-grader at Indian Creek Middle School, correctly spelled the word “abscess” to earn his win.

That means Haddox, the son of Jessica and Nick Haddox of Steubenville, will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center in the Washington, D.C., suburb of National Harbor, Md. That competition will be a part of Bee Week, which opens May 25.

Saturday’s bee marked the end of the competition that began shortly after pupils returned to school in August. The road to the regional bee included classroom bees, building bees and district bees, where the top finishers earned the chance to compete in the regional bee.

The Herald-Star has presented the regional bee since 1985. Helping to make the event possible were several local sponsors, including S.T.A.RT. LLC, Tri-State Financial Services, the Mingo Knights of Columbus, Dr. Paul Macdonald, John Center, PNC Bank, Ascent Resources, Encino Energy, Cardinal Operating Co. — Cardinal Plant and McBane Insurance. State and national sponsors included the Ohio Lottery Commission, Encyclopaedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster.

Area educators and administrations handle the hard work of running the bee. Working to coordinate all of their efforts is Ron Sismondo, director of curriculum and professional development at the Jefferson County Educational Service Center.

E.W. Scripps Co., which sponsors the national bee, explains that the purpose of the program is to help young people improve their spelling skills, increase their vocabularies and learn concept and develop correct English usage. By inspiring the exploration of words, Scripps says on its website, the bee illuminates pathways to lifelong curiosity, celebrates academic achievement and enriches communities.

More than 11 million pupils participate in the bee program each year. Of those, just a few more than 200 will advance to the national bee. Haddox will be one of them, and we wish him well in the competition.