A Blue Mountain Elementary East student is headed to the nation’s capital after spelling her way to victory at the 2026 Northeast PA Manufacturers & Employers Council (NEPA MAEC) Regional Spelling Bee.
Nora Lloyd, a fifth-grade student from the Blue Mountain School District, captured the championship Saturday morning by correctly spelling the word “ripples,” securing the title and earning a trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
The regional competition began with 42 students from schools across Schuylkill County, quickly narrowing the field as the rounds progressed.
- After Round 1: 36 competitors remained
- After Round 2: 14 competitors remained
- After Round 3: 6 competitors remained
By the fourth round, Lloyd was the first competitor to spell. She spelled “chorten” correctly, placing the pressure on the remaining five finalists. Each of the other competitors misspelled their words, leaving Lloyd in position to win if she could correctly spell one final word.
Moments later, she took the microphone and correctly spelled “ripples,” officially clinching the championship and punching her ticket to the national competition.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee will take place May 26–28, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
Following her victory, Lloyd said the final moments of the competition were intense.
“I was just like, ‘Oh my gosh, there’s only one other person,’” Lloyd said. “I knew I was going to be sad if I didn’t get it because I made it so far. But the girl next to me was very friendly and we said good luck to each other and may the best win.”
Lloyd said she prepared for the competition by studying word lists and practicing regularly.
“I used the app and printed out the list and went over the words,” she said. “Sometimes my parents asked me the words, and I also went to after-school practice two times a week. That helped a lot.”
Despite winning the county competition, Lloyd admitted she was still processing the moment.
“I’m still shocked,” she said. “I don’t know how I did that. Some of the words I had to guess a little bit with the letters and how they sounded.”
Her mother said the family was both proud and surprised by the accomplishment.
“We’re just very proud and shocked, like she said,” her mother said. “We didn’t know what to expect, but it was great.”
Lloyd was presented with her championship trophy by Darlene J. Robbins, President of the Northeast PA Manufacturers & Employers Council, and Courtney L. Fasnacht, Executive Director of the organization.
Adding a local connection to the event, the 2026 Regional Spelling Bee trophy was designed and manufactured by Nathan Elo, a 12th-grade Precision Machine Trades student from the Blue Mountain School District.
The 2026 Spelling Bee was guided by a team of volunteers. Mary Ann Hodges, a retired speech therapist, served as pronouncer, while the judging panel included Cynthia Mensch of Alvernia University, Devina Singh, a former National Spelling Bee competitor, Joshua Sophy of Coal Region Canary, and Justin Reed of Skook News Media. Ashley Hess of Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 served as recordkeeper, Cathy Bronakowski as appeals judge, and Shannon Brennan of Schuylkill Technology Center as emcee. Stage assistance was provided by Dr. Rene Evans and Jaime Zimerofsky.
