Wake County Spelling Bee in jeopardy after losing sponsor

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Wake County Spelling Bee is in dire need of help.

PAGE or Partners for the Advancement of Gifted Education puts the event on.

The kids are up to grade 8 and they win their school-wide bee (elementary or middle) rather than a high school championship.

"It gives students a chance to participate in something that is competitive," said Brandi Brown, president of PAGE. "The spelling bee has vocabulary so the children who are working to be in our bee are often studying the roots of language which is really beneficial to them."

The group had corporate sponsorship but it doesn't anymore and it's looking to raise $7,500 in the next month to be able to pay for the McKimmon Center at NC State to stage the bee.

The money would also go toward travel and lodging for the winner of bee so they can stay in Washington for the big event.

"If we can't host it and there is no one that steps in to pick it up, then there would not be a spelling bee for Wake County students this year," Brown said.

If you want to help, you can do so here.