Hamden's Anthony Capasso Makes Scripps National Spelling Bee

All told, a pretty impressive run for Hamden's Anthony Capasso.

Anthony, a 13-year-old eighth-grader at Hamden Hall Country Day School in Hamden, was eliminated Wednesday night from the Scripps National Spelling Bee, according to the New Haven Register. Anthony spelled all of the words correctly while on stage, but only spelled 24 of 36 words correctly on a spelling test required to make the semifinals, which eliminated him, according to the Register.

“We’re just really proud of him, no matter what happened. Everyone was really excited to hear how he did,” Brian Christman, the director of the Hamden Hall’s middle school division, told the Register. “We’re excited to welcome him back and spend some time honoring him.”

Despite finishing as one of the best 281 student spellers in America, Anthony wasn't as pleased. He really wanted to win, which is normal, according to the New Haven Register.

“He’s very headstrong, he's very competitive,” Anthony's mom, Sandy Capasso, told the Register. "He competes for those A’s.”