The Arizona Educational Foundation (AEF®) is the recipient of a $25,000 grant from Thunderbirds Charities to support the Arizona State Spelling Bee. Arizona has one of the largest Spelling Bee participation rates in the nation, with 484,122 students competing this year from public, private, parochial and homeschools statewide. For the two students who place first and second place in the State Spelling Bee, AEF supports travel for the students and their chaperones to represent Arizona as official champions in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in National Harbor, Maryland. The Arizona State Spelling is scheduled for Saturday, March 18th, 2023 at the Madison Center for the Arts in Phoenix. The Bee will be open to the public and is free to attend. For more information, visit here.

“Having Thunderbirds Charities serve as the presenting sponsor of the Arizona Spelling Bee is incredible,” says Kim Graham, AEF Executive Director. “They do so much to support education in Maricopa county and we are truly honored that they have chosen to support this vital academic opportunity for students.”

Arizona Educational Foundation

This grant is part of the Fall 2022 cycle. View a list of all Recent Grantees.