JOPLIN, Mo. —
The winning word at the annual Joplin Globe spelling bee — “paladin” — was a word that Jaden Gallagher knew.
“I’ve read it in books before,” said the fifth-grader from Truman Elementary School in Nevada. “It has to do with a knight.”
Gallagher spelled the word correctly — after also correctly spelling “troglodyte” — to take first place in the spelling bee, which was held Monday morning at Central Christian Center in Joplin.
The second-place finisher was Silvio Venturella, a fourth-grader from Steadley Elementary School in Carthage. Third place went to Kelsey Kerrigan, a fifth-grader at Stapleton Elementary School in Joplin.
Nearly 80 fourth- through sixth-graders from local schools competed.
Gallagher said she was nervous throughout the bee, which lasted more than three hours. But spelling is something that comes easily to her, she said.
“I write stories all the time, and I want to become a writer,” she said.
Kerrigan, who had studied her word lists since February, said she was happy with her third-place finish. She said spelling is an important skill to learn.
“When you’re older, if you don’t know how to spell, it makes you look bad, but if you do, it makes you look good, and it helps you get the right message across,” she said.
Local News
Related Photos
-
Joplin Globe Spelling Bee finalists, Jaden Gallagher, of Nevada, Mo., left, and Silvio Venturella, of Carthage, compete for first and second place Monday morning, March 18, 2013. Globe/T. Rob Brown
Discussion
Nevada fifth-grader wins annual Joplin Globe spelling bee
- Local News
-
-
Jasper County to start enforcing newly adopted nuisance ordinance
Jasper County has received 15 complaints based on a new nuisance ordinance adopted earlier this spring, members of the County Commission said Tuesday. John Bartosh, presiding commissioner, said he and the other commissioners reviewed the complaints during a meeting last week with workers at the Jasper County Health Department.
-
Neosho School Board votes to boost custodians’ salaries
Action taken Monday night by the Neosho Board of Education on salaries was designed partly to retain custodians. The measure approved by the board gives custodians, with a starting salary of $8.77 an hour, a 10 percent raise.
-
Mike Pound: Carthage holding parties for a good cause
When my wife told me that we were going to host a party, I had only one question: Why? My wife might be the party-hosting sort of person, but I am not. She said this party was for a good cause. She also told me that our friends Lana and Bill, Lee Ann and Rob, and Amy and Jimmy were going to help host it.
-
Proposal would reduce 20th Street to two lanes
A design proposal that would convert much of 20th Street into two lanes instead of four from Main Street to Campbell Parkway to make room for streetscape and green features did not draw much public support on Tuesday.
-
Local runners show support for Boston in cross-country relay
After completing the Boston Marathon on April 15, Ashleigh Beyersdorfer made her way through the throngs of runners to retrieve the bag she had checked in and was on her way to meet up with her family when she heard the explosions.
-
MSSU board to complete terms of president’s departure
The Board of Governors of Missouri Southern State University will meet Wednesday to complete the terms of the agreement that terminated President Bruce Speck’s contract, board Chairwoman Sherry Buchanan said.
-
State’s key witness testifies in murder trial
The fate of Dustin Boggs may ultimately depend on the credibility of Arturo Council. If jurors believe Council, then Boggs, 25, could be convicted of first-degree murder in the 2012 stabbing and shooting death of his ex-girlfriend, Danyel Borden, 21, at his trial this week in Ottawa County District Court.
-
Swimmers attempt to set world record
Even before the instructor had finished giving his direction to the class of young swimmers, 4-year-old Alexa DeBerry had dunked herself underwater and had come up giggling.
-
Missouri moves to lift ban on foreign farm owners
Weeks before a Chinese conglomerate agreed to buy Smithfield Foods Inc. in the largest such takeover of a U.S. business, Missouri lawmakers quietly approved legislation removing a ban on foreign ownership of agricultural land.
-
Neosho Board of Education approves 10 percent raise in effort to keep custodians
School custodians are receiving the biggest percentage raise among salaries approved Monday by the Neosho Board of Education.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Jasper County to start enforcing newly adopted nuisance ordinance
