Jack Nolan, 13, of Elkridge, Md., is escorted from the stage by E.W. Scripps Sponsorship and Operations Coordinator Janice S. Liebenberg after misspelling his word and being eliminated during the semifinals of the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, May 31, 2012. (Rod Lamkey Jr/The Washington Times)
Jack Nolan, 13, of Elkridge, Md., reacts after misspelling his word and being eliminated during the semifinals of the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, May 31, 2012. (Rod Lamkey Jr/The Washington Times)
Vanya Shivashankar, 10, of Olathe, Kan., works on spelling her word during the semifinals of the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, May 31, 2012. (Rod Lamkey Jr/The Washington Times)
Jae Canetti, 10, of Fairfax, Va., celebrates after spelling his word correctly during the semifinals of the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, May 31, 2012. (Rod Lamkey Jr/The Washington Times)
Vismaya Jui Kharkar, 13, of Bountiful, Utah, celebrates spelling her word correctly during the semifinals of the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, May 31, 2012. (Rod Lamkey Jr/The Washington Times)
Jae Canetti, 10, of Fairfax, Va., kneels behind a row of seats as he waits to approach the stage to spelling his word during the semifinals of the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, May 31, 2012. (Rod Lamkey Jr/The Washington Times)
Jordan Gabriella Hoffman, 14, (left) of Lee's Summit, Mo., looks in the direction of the trophy during a commercial break, during the semifinals of the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, May 31, 2012. (Rod Lamkey Jr/The Washington Times)
Abigail Violet Spitzer, 13, of El Paso, Texas, reacts after spelling her word correctly during the semifinals of the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, May 31, 2012. (Rod Lamkey Jr/The Washington Times)
The trophy is seen on a stand at the side of the stage during the semifinals of the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, May 31, 2012. (Rod Lamkey Jr/The Washington Times)
