From left, Jordan Hoffman, 14, of Lee's Summit, Mo., Gokul Venkatachalam, 11, of Chesterfield, Mo., and Emma Ciereszynski, 14, of Dover, N.H., wait for their turn to spell in the semifinals of the National Spelling Bee, Thursday, May 31, 2012, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)