Riley Fields remembers sitting on a sofa in his home office in 2021 when he heard the news. The Carolina Panthers’ director of community relations learned that the Scripps National Spelling Bee’s long-time regional partner in North Carolina was not going to continue in that role.

“There was going to be large population segments of students in our region with no pathway to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee,” Fields said. “That didn’t seem right. I thought it was an interesting opportunity for us to pick the ball up and run with it, so to speak.”

That’s, in part, because Panthers owner David Tepper and his wife Nicole have made supporting literacy efforts a priority for the National Football League organization.

Fields recites research-supported facts about the importance of strong reading skills between third and fourth grade when students go from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” Studies have shown that if students can’t read proficiently by this time they have less chance for long-term academic, economic and professional achievements.

“We want to help put kids on a pathway to success,” Fields said. “We have a strong focus on elementary school literacy and providing resources and inspiration to encourage early learners to develop strong reading habits.” 

The Panthers regional program today encapsulates more than 90 school districts in North Carolina and 23 counties in South Carolina. This past year, roughly 1,700 schools were involved, Fields said. Four spellers from North Carolina and two from South Carolina advanced to the national competition.

“They are making a huge difference for the schools and students in North and South Carolina," said Bryan Witt, regional partner specialist for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. “We are so impressed by the ways in which the organization celebrates students for their academic achievements in bold, meaningful ways.”