Everfi delivers STEM programs in schools with NHL teams

Sport & STEM Alliance member EverFi have been delivering STEM programs in schools around the U.S. this year through the Hockey Scholar initiative. Both the Florida Panthers and the Detroit Red Wings have hosted STEM days for hundreds of students, leveraging highly interactive gameplay and the sport of hockey to reinforce important educational concepts. 

The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and the National Hockey League (NHL) launched Hockey Scholar, a hockey-themed STEM education course as part of their Future Goals Program, back in 2014 with EverFi. Since its launch, it has reached more than 2 million students in over 15,000 schools. 

Last month, the Florida Panthers hosted a hockey clinic and floorball demonstration at Liberty Elementary School in Margate, South Florida. Panthers defensemen Mike Matheson and Ian McCoshen met with fifth graders to coach floorball hockey sessions and also discuss the Hockey Scholar STEM program. 

The players participated in activities on the school's athletic courts and then went into the classrooms to take part in the course, which takes students on an exciting educational journey with the goal of winning a virtual Stanley Cup.

As they guide their team, students complete 12 learning modules that educate them and test their knowledge on core STEM concepts covering data analysis, geometry, life science, and physical science.

These topics come to life through real hockey examples that include the dynamics of the ice surface, equipment design, athletic performance, and geometric and energy considerations, all relating to how the game is played.

The Detroit Red Wings, in partnership with Chevrolet, also welcomed more than 300 students and educators from the Detroit Public Schools Community District to experience an interactive STEM Day at Little Caesars Arena, using the same format and programming.

Further to this, the Red Wings and Chevrolet donated $30,000 to the Detroit Public Schools Foundation to purchase technology equipment for each attending school. The STEM Day and the donation from the Red Wings and Chevrolet is part of a long-term, community impact investment within Metro Detroit.

Hockey Scholar is developed in accordance with state and provincial math and science standards, as well as the national U.S. NGSS and CCSS Math standards. The course is available to elementary and middle schools across North America for free. It was developed five years ago by EverFi, the critical skills education leader that has certified more than 12 million learners.

“The level of engagement in this program from the League, the players, and their clubs is unprecedented in the sports world,” said EverFi Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Jon Chapman. “What’s most important is how this partnership is making a difference for hundreds of thousands of students and teachers across North America.”

“The Future Goals initiative – which reaches hundreds of thousands of children in schools across North America – helps us demonstrate to today’s youth that there are many different ways to participate in sports,” said Bill Daly, NHL Deputy Commissioner. “The free Hockey Scholar online course is a great way to engage and educate youth, pairing the excitement of hockey with the importance of STEM skills.”

“‎Hockey not only provides children with an opportunity to learn about fitness and sportsmanship, but also the STEM topics through the Future Goals program,” said Mathieu Schneider, NHLPA Special Assistant to the Executive Director. “This Hockey Scholar course will allow our players to support teachers in helping these subjects come to life by making it fun and engaging for their students to learn.”

The NHL recently joined Beyond Sport as part of the Sport and STEM Alliance. Find out more about it here.