These super smart spellers are standing on the brink of devastating defeat and glorious victory. And it's written all over their faces.
As the Scripps National Spelling Bee comes to a close Thursday night, 281 students from all over the United States, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Department of Defense Schools all over the globe gather to exercise their brains for a chance to be named the best speller in the nation.
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The bee can be cruel, as well as kind. These school age participants have taken their wins and losses like champions, all the way to the bitter end.