This is the third time Anuk Dayaprema (Speller 36) has been to the Bee. It's the first time he's made the Semifinals.
Anuk is excited about moving forward in the Bee, but the eighth grader -- who is here from Italy, representing Europe -- said over the years, he's learned that it's about more than spelling.
"When I first came here, I felt really reserved," he said. "Instead of worrying, studying and fretting, you should really take this in."
Anuk is still reserved, he said, but less so. This year, his last, he's made a point of getting his Bee Keeper signed -- something he was too quiet to do when he started.
