By Joe Hadsall

jhadsall@joplinglobe.com

The third time was a charm for Nona Salsbury.

After spelling stucco correctly Wednesday, the sixth-grader from Northeast Vernon County Elementary in Schell City was declared the champion of the 2007 Joplin Globe Spelling Bee.

After finishing second in last year’s bee, she lasted until the very end. She also was a contestant in 2005.

Sixth-grader Jennie Snyder, of Avilla Elementary, came in second. Dalton Young, a fourth-grader at Rockdale Elementary in Miami, Okla., finished third.

Ninety-nine pupils from across the region competed in the 30th annual event in Taylor Auditorium at Missouri Southern State University. The children, in fourth through sixth grades, were selected from similar events held at their schools.

The contestants took turns spelling words randomly chosen by judges.

“There were 2,500 words on the study list,” said Katy Schrader, educational services coordinator for the Globe. “I’ve never known a student who learned them all. The more they studied, the better their chances, but there is a degree of luck.”

About 250 people watched the bee — many of them in support of various contestants.

MSSU English professor David Ackiss, Globe features editor Scott Meeker and the 2000 spelling bee winner, Ivy Love, were the judges. Globe Publisher Dan Chiodo opened the event

Erica Stagner attended the bee to watch two contestants. One is her neighbor, and the other is a pupil in her fourth-grade class at Cecil Floyd Elementary in Joplin.

“I’m just impressed with their abilities,” Stagner said. “They have put in so much time studying for this.”

Many of the children spent hours studying for the contest. They downloaded word lists, typed words on computers and had family members quiz them.

Dalton Young’s mother, Shelly Thomas, said she added to Dalton’s study time while driving.