Katie Turner Wins 2026 Read To Succeed Queen Bee
The former champion defended her title at the 20th Annual Celebrity Spelling Bee in Murfreesboro.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Philanthropy
Katie Turner won the 2026 Read To Succeed Queen Bee title at the Battle of the Bees, held Friday, November 6, 2026, at The Fountains at Gateway in Murfreesboro. The invitational featured 12 former champions competing to determine Rutherford County's Queen Bee or King Bee.
Why it matters
The competition raises funds and awareness for Read To Succeed, an organization that has served Rutherford County learners since 2003. Its work spans literacy programs for learners from ages 3 to 99 in the Murfreesboro area.
The Battle of the Bees field included 12 former champions, and the 20th Annual event marks two decades of the spelling competition. Read To Succeed's programs serve learners ages 3 to 99, though the event's total funds raised were not reported.
The players
Katie Turner
Turner is a Murfreesboro native and Youth Services Coordinator at Linebaugh Public Library who won the Read To Succeed Queen Bee title in 2025 and again in 2026.
Read To Succeed
Read To Succeed is a Murfreesboro-area literacy organization established in 2003 that offers adult literacy tutoring, English classes, citizenship preparation, and HiSET/GED instruction.
The details
Former champions competed in a spelling competition until the final letters were spelled and a winner was determined. Turner, a Murfreesboro native who serves as Youth Services Coordinator at Linebaugh Public Library, defended the title she won in 2025.
Timeline
2003: Read To Succeed was established through a partnership.
2025: Katie Turner won the Read To Succeed title.
November 6, 2026: The Battle of the Bees spelling competition was held at The Fountains at Gateway.
Community Legacy
The 2026 event marks the 20th Annual Celebrity Spelling Bee, extending a run that began when Read To Succeed was established in 2003. The competition continues the organization's long-running model of using celebrity spelling to support adult and youth literacy in Rutherford County.
The event supports Read To Succeed's adult literacy tutoring, English classes, and HiSET/GED instruction for Murfreesboro residents. Readers who want to support those programs can find local literacy services through the organization's community offerings.
The takeaway
Literacy programs like Read To Succeed serve learners across a wide age range, from preschoolers to adults earning a HiSET or GED. Supporting community literacy efforts in Murfreesboro helps sustain tutoring and classes that many residents rely on.
Further reading
For more on local giving, browse Philanthropy coverage across Murfreesboro.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WGNSRadio.
