Thunderbirds Charities underscored its commitment to education and literacy by awarding $25,000 to the Arizona Educational Foundation (AEF) in support of the Arizona Spelling Bee.

This program, which AEF has facilitated since 2001, acts the state qualifier for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. In 2024, 531,990 of Arizona’s students participated in school and district bees around the state.

“Spelling Bees are gateways to academic excellence and confidence-building for students,” said AEF’s CEO Kim Graham. “Every child deserves the opportunity to participate, regardless of their school’s financial standing. This generous grant from the Thunderbird Charities ensures Spelling Bees remain a vibrant and inclusive educational tool for years to come.”

The funding will allow AEF to help Title I schools cover the Scripps enrollment fees and will help AEF cover the cost of broadcasting the Arizona Spelling Bee finals statewide. It also offsets the costs of sending the top two Arizona winners and their chaperones to Maryland to compete in the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee. This year’s national bee marks the 100th anniversary of this tradition that builds self-confidence and improves oral and written literacy skills.

“The Thunderbirds are committed to programs that serve Arizona’s youth,” said George Thimsen, President of Thunderbirds Charities. “It’s a privilege to impact so many individual lives and know that we’re helping to create a better future for students and for Arizona.”

Arizona Educational Foundation (AEF)

This grant is part of the Fall 2024 cycle. View a list of all Recent Grantees.