STRONG — Strong Elementary School sixth-grader Rowan Jellison correctly spelled “aspen” to win Tuesday night’s regional spelling bee and land a spot in the March state competition.

“I was pretty nervous, and I misspelled the word in the practice round,” he said. “Maybe that psyched everyone out.”

Jellison said he practiced spelling with his sister, Patia, and mother, Sabrina Reed. He credited much of his spelling ability to reading lots of books, although he confessed that he enjoys video games almost as much.

Runner-up was Meg Targett, representing RSU 78 in Rangeley. She stumbled on the word “hosta,” which Jellison spelled correctly.

Sixteen contestants from four school districts in Franklin County competed at the Strong school. They were slightly nervous but composed as they sat on stage before the audience of parents, teachers and friends.

School Principal Felecia Pease, serving her 10th year as the official bee governor, assigned each contestant a number. She also introduced judges Judi Richard, Shirley Schrader, Nicole Goodspeed and Riley McLaughlin, before relinquishing the podium to Bee Master Monica Allen, a five-year veteran of the annual challenge.

Allen provided students with an opportunity to warm up in a practice round. Students were eliminated in the five rounds, misspelling a mixture of common and obscure challenges, including “spherical,” “dross,” “pinafore” and “simile.” As disappointed contestants returned to sit in the audience after each round, the audience gave them warm applause.

Contestants

RSU 9 in Farmington: Alena Knox, Gabe Marcus, Zeke Robinson, Katelynn Remick

RSU 58 in Strong: Alice Cockerham, Cameron Talbot, Samuel Storer, Rowan Jellison

RSU 78 in Rangeley: Leonardo Perez, Meg Targett, Hunter Lowell, Devon Clark

RSU 73 in Livermore Falls: Cecelia McDonald, Rachel Pike, Patrick Delano, Kevin Farrington