CHARLOTTE – The Carolina Panthers today announced the launch of 3rd & Goal, a new flagship platform developed in collaboration with Bank of America that invests in the critical years of childhood development through literacy (Read 20), physical wellness (Play 60) and personal well-being (Feel 100). The program will launch this year and is expected to reach 10,000 students across North and South Carolina.
In football terms, 3rd & Goal represents a pivotal moment when preparation, execution and opportunity converge to determine the outcome of the drive. The platform applies that same urgency and focus to education, recognizing third grade as a defining moment in a child's academic success.
"For years, the Carolina Panthers and Bank of America have worked together to create meaningful impact across the Carolinas, and 3rd & Goal gives us an opportunity to bring that work together under a single, unified platform," said Kristi Coleman, CEO, Tepper Sports & Entertainment and Carolina Panthers President. "Our vision is for 3rd & Goal to become the signature community initiative for our organization, creating opportunities for thousands of young people each year and serving as a national model for how sports partnerships can drive meaningful impact."
The platform was officially introduced during a special field day at Bank of America Stadium that brought together Panthers players and staff, Bank of America executives, local elected officials, and more than 400 third-grade students and school administrators from Title I schools across the Carolinas.
"Our longstanding partnership with the Panthers reflects a shared belief that investing in young people strengthens our communities," said Kieth Cockrell, President, Bank of America Charlotte. "By bringing literacy, physical activity and mental well-being together through 3rd & Goal, we can help more children across the Carolinas build a strong foundation for lifelong success."
Research consistently shows that early elementary years are critical for establishing emotional regulation skills that influence academic performance, peer relationships, and mental health outcomes later in life. The organizations will work closely with partner schools to set and utilize key benchmarks to help measure the success of the program over a three-year span. The UNC Charlotte Center for Educational Measurement and Evaluation (CEME) will provide ongoing evaluation throughout the school year, working closely with each school to track program implementation and student engagement.
ABOUT 3RD & GOAL presented by Bank of America
The 3rd and Goal platform includes the following three pillars:
READ 20
Research shows that children who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school, making early literacy a critical predictor of long-term success. A Read Charlotte-commissioned study conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that students with below-average reading ability in third and fourth grade face significantly worse outcomes later in life, including lower household income, reduced likelihood of attending college, high unemployment and increased mental health challenges.
Together, these findings underscore the importance of early intervention and provide the foundation for Read 20, an initiative aimed at improving literacy during the most pivotal years of a child's development through Panthers-themed, incentive-based activities designed to motivate young people to read twenty minutes a day and reinforce positive reading habits.
PLAY 60 presented by Atrium Health
Play 60, an NFL-wide initiative long-supported by the Carolina Panthers, promotes at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity for children. The effort is especially critical in the Carolinas, where many young people fall short of recommended activity levels, with North Carolina and South Carolina ranking 33rd and 23rd, respectively, among states. Through school based, Panthers-themed programming, including flag football equipment support, educator resources, student engagement experiences and recognition opportunities, the initiative encourages healthy habits, sustained movement and positive outcomes for young people.
FEEL 100 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina
The addition of Feel 100 reflects the growing need to support the personal well-being of young people and reinforces Blue Cross NC's broader youth mental health strategy by advancing a prevention-first approach to mental health that supports students during critical developmental windows. Feel 100 rounds out 3rd & Goal by supporting students' personal well-being through literacy, discussion, and experiential learning in classroom settings to help students understand emotions, practice self-regulation, and build healthy social connections.
Annual 3rd & Goal Field Day at Bank of America Stadium
Each participating 3rd & Goal school will have the opportunity to select 15 third grade students to attend a one-of-a-kind 3rd & Goal Field Day at Bank of America Stadium each year at the end of the school year. The experience is designed to serve as a powerful incentive, with schools recognizing five students for achievements in Read 20 literacy efforts, five students for excellence in Play 60 physical education, and five students for being good classmates who exhibit positive wellness and being through Feel 100.
