As part of a Science of Baseball and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Showcase, the Arizona Diamondbacks will welcome 14,000 Arizona students and their families to their game tomorrow against the St. Louis Cardinals. Aside from watching the game, 3,000 students and teachers will also take part in a pregame STEM parade on the field and receive a D-backs Science of Baseball t-shirt. Chase and the Arizona Diamondbacks foundation will present 10 different STEM clubs with a $2,500 grant. It won’t stop there, as there will be interactive exhibits and experts of the field stationed around the ballpark as well as the distribution of STEM Showcase maps, and a student-created robot that will be used for the Pepsi t-shirt toss.
This program was started in 2013 with the objective of promoting STEM education through classroom theory and practical applications of baseball. Science of Baseball Founder, and University of Arizona Professor, Ricardo Valerdi, and his engineering students try to keep the kids engaged by using curriculums that include classroom activities, athletic activities, and take-home activities.
The Diamondbacks Chief Executive Officer and President, Derrick Hall, was quoted as saying: The future of Arizona depends on our youth and the Science of Baseball program and the STEM showcase has really tapped into an area that will have a major impact for generations to come.”
The Diamondbacks aren’t the only ones in the sports industry that think highly of STEM, as there have been multiple examples of STEM becoming more and more prevalent within the sports world.
With technology taking an ever stronger grip on our society, we should continue to see more leagues and teams follow the D-Backs lead and work to promote STEM as it will be imperative to keep our youth educated in these fields.