Miss Central Mountain First Runner-up at Laurel Festival

WELLSBORO, PA- Regan Regina, a June graduate of Wellsboro Area High School, was crowned the 2022 Pennsylvania State Laurel Queen during the Saturday, June 18 coronation that began at 6:30 p.m. in the Coolidge Theatre at the Deane Center for the Performing Arts at 104 Main Street in Wellsboro.

The 80th Laurel Queen was awarded a $3,000 educational scholarship and, as Miss Wellsboro was also named Miss Congeniality by vote of the other queen candidates and awarded a $500 scholarship. She is the daughter of Gretchen Regina and Chad Tennis of Wellsboro and Che Regina of Royersford.

First runner-up Miss Central Mountain Ashley Rich was awarded a $1,500 scholarship and second runner-up Miss Montoursville Ruby Muse, a $1,000 scholarship.

The Wellsboro Area Chamber of Commerce through the Wellsboro Foundation sends the scholarship funds directly to the college each young lady attends to help pay tuition.

“ I was shocked and very happy about being first runner-up,” said Miss Rich who represented Central Mountain High School. “I did not expect it, especially since I was the last candidate to be selected as a top 10 semi-finalist. It was such a great experience.” She is the daughter of Tammy Rich of Bald Eagle Township.

“I’m going to take one for the team,” said Miss Rich upon learning that the question she had drawn was about net-zero carbon emissions. “All of us were given the opportunity to look at 13 questions, 10 of which we were going to answer on stage if chosen to be a semi-finalist,” she said. “That was one of the two questions that were pretty difficult and you had to think more about.”

In her answer, Miss Rich focused on renewable energy and talked about how solar panels and water power could be used to increase electricity and reduce carbon emissions to address the issue of global warming. She also said that increasing sales of electric cars would help.

“I enjoyed the whole weekend, especially the extra time between activities,” she said, describing how the queen candidates used that time to “learn about each other, joke around and have a lot of fun.”

“There were seven of us on one float, including Miss Athens, Miss Blue Ridge, Miss Bucktail, Nicole Embick, Miss Cameron County, Miss Canton, me and Miss Cowanesque Valley. We had a great time,” Miss Rich said.

“During the weekend I became good friends with five or six of the queen candidates. Several of us are planning a trip to Wellsboro to see the 2023 Laurel Parade. As freshmen, Miss Wellsboro and I will be checking in with each other at Penn State and with Jocelyn Renninger, the 2021 Laurel Queen who will be a sophomore there this year,” said Miss Rich who is majoring in kinesiology and exercise science with a minor in coaching to become a pediatric sports medicine specialist.