Children formally learn subjects like science and mathematics in the classroom, where abstract concepts can often be difficult to grasp. However, educators recognize the immense value in building a child’s education outside of the classroom.
The San Francisco 49ers and the Bayside STEM Academy understand this, and the result is an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for nearly 150 students from a school in San Mateo, California, which focuses on science, technology, engineering and math.
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On April 15th, STEM Academy teacher Joe Spina will bring a large group of students to Santa Clara to visit Levi’s Stadium, where they will learn first-hand how a creative curriculum can seamlessly intertwine with sports. “We are really appreciative of this opportunity,” said Spina. “This is a once in almost a lifetime opportunity for the students to take a trip like this.”
The 49ers Museum will play host to the students for the day. The museum is an extension of the organization’s educational outreach initiative, which seeks to provide local California students with unique educational opportunities. A series of interactive lessons has been planned for the betterment of the kids, which aim to explain concepts related to the state’s Common Core curriculum by using real world examples that might be too abstract for one to fully grasp in the classroom alone.
The planned courses will stress and explain to the children the importance of self-health and exercising, engineering, the sustainable “green” concepts throughout Levi’s Stadium, the technology present in football equipment, and how mathematical theory has impacted the game of football. Representations from the organization proudly proclaimed that “…by the time the lesson is complete, students will learn how to think like a designer and understand that by applying a design-centered approach to problems found in the game, that teams can conceive radically innovative solutions, and understand how to assess the effectiveness of their solutions, so as to improve the game in various ways.”
This is not the first time that the Niners have taken the initiative to help local children in their science education. The 49ers STEM Program is about to celebrate its second year, and exists in order to expose children, from kindergarten through 8th grade, to the world of science and technology at a young age. The program provides students with interactive robots, which they can program themselves, and seeks to promote technological and engineering practices to the children.
The students will also be granted the opportunity to tour Levi’s stadium, which will provide for them an array of educational opportunities. The new stadium raised the bar in terms of the presence of modern and sustainable technology in sports stadiums. Students could have the opportunity to explore the stadium’s NRG solar bridges, which can offset the amount of power used during 49er games by generating an equivalent amount of solar energy. When stepping on the field, students could also have the opportunity to see the team’s irrigation methods, and learn how recycled materials were used to build the venue itself.
This is an organization that should be commended for their efforts in the community. The team reached out to Mr. Spina, who excitedly accepted their offer instantly. Spina said, “when this came up, I jumped for it.”
The Niners will additionally look to provide for some of the older students in ways where they can parlay their knowledge of STEM concepts into a career in sports. Spina added that “There are a lot of opportunities and possibilities all around,” he said. “So it’s very exciting for us to get that rich experience.”