Sport, STEM & The Global Goals – Beyond Innovation 2019
October 11, 2019
The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) which will be hosting Beyond Innovation on November 15 with a focus on leveraging sport and STEM in support of the UN Global Goals (SDGs), has been using baseball and softball to promote positive change in Los Angeles since 1995. Combining their historic brand and the power of sport, they are running and funding proven programs to increase the quality of life and confidence of the people they serve.
Led by an innovative leader, CEO Nichol Whiteman, whose journey mirrors those who she now serves, LADF has impacted millions of underserved youth in economically challenged neighborhoods of Los Angeles - and STEM education is playing a significant role. We spoke with foundation CEO Nichol Whiteman to learn about the opportunities they are creating for young Angelenos.
Can you tell me about some of your current programs and how they are innovating the way you create opportunities for the children, especially in relation to science and math?
The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation’s three core programs include: Dodgers RBI, a sports-based youth development program for ages 5-18 that uses baseball and softball participation to provide kids life-changing social and emotional learning and access to health care and educational opportunities; Dodgers Dreamfields, a program that builds and refurbishes baseball and softball fields in underserved communities to provide a safe place for youth to conduct positive recreational activity in their neighborhood; and LA Reads, a literacy campaign that promotes reading among youth and helps them build a lifelong love of reading.
For science and math, we co developed the Science of Baseball Curriculum. Included in the curriculum is a planning packet containing four Dodgers-themed projects and a culminating STEM Showcase/Field Trip hosted at Dodger Stadium.
A traveling Science of Baseball pop up exhibit will be featured at various community events, including Dodgers Dreamfields and Dodgers RBI. The pop-up exhibit features interactive activities that focus on the Science of Baseball program. The objective is to leverage the love of sports to make math and science even more fun and engaging by teaching students about home runs, base running, batting averages and nutrition.
What are the key impacts you want to have on young Angelenos?
LADF believes in the power of sports to change lives and develop life skills. We envision a city where every young Angeleno, regardless of neighborhood, has the opportunity to thrive. Our commitment to engaging underserved kids in sports helps them lead healthy lifestyles in childhood and beyond, all while building confidence and promoting their academic success. The foundation has grown to impact over 2.3 million youth through direct programs and grants to local organizations.
And for the city of Los Angeles?
We are identifying and tackling the most significant problems facing Los Angeles. Our goals are to give our poorest families the same opportunities as our wealthiest and make this city unstoppable.
Access to education, health and sports shouldn’t be dependent upon your zip code. We run programs that use sport to improve the quality of life and confidence of the people we serve across Greater Los Angeles.
Can you speak about innovation and STEM within the larger MLB framework?
Baseball is an incredible textbook and our Science of Baseball curriculum brings the game to life. This is one of our most significant investments in STEM through our grant making program. We believe that in order to improve diversity in STEM professions, it is crucial that we go into the most underserved and diverse communities of Los Angeles to educate our young people and spark curiosity in these subjects.
We’ve used the ‘Science of Sport,’ which a few other MLB teams have as well, to create a ‘Science of Baseball’ curriculum. We train third through sixth grade teachers on the curriculum, which they then implement in classrooms in the Inglewood Unified School District.
We plan to broaden the reach of that curriculum to more schools and grade levels. This diverse approach leverages a fun product – baseball - to make theories more engaging. Prior to experiencing our curriculum, many kids struggled with science and/or felt it was not for them. We’re proud to have introduced them to a new way of exploring STEM that will hopefully inspire them to keep going.
We are currently working on expanding this Curriculum with Compton Unified School District. Furthermore, we are infusing STEM and components of the curriculum into a new $1 million Dodgers Dreamfields project in the City of Compton as well.
And globally?
While our work concentrates on the greater Los Angeles region, we serve as a model that can be used across the country and around the world. Our core components represent best practices for the creative use of sport to increase participation and engage youth. We can provide models for others to use and access other organization’s models to grow from as well.
You attended Beyond Innovation 2018 and in 2019 you are hosting the event. The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation also became a member of the 2019 Sport and STEM Alliance. What was it about Beyond Innovation that drew you in?
For us, Beyond Innovation represented “access.” The attendees – individuals, organizations and corporations -- everyone was providing access to education to youth in underserved communities who don’t have it. The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation wanted to be part of that community, especially a community that specifically uses STEM as the hook. It’s creative and something we support.
Recently, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation drew up a five-year strategic plan with STEM as the focus of our Education and Literacy pillar. The timing was perfect in terms of joining the Alliance and hosting Innovation this year – to use our brand to leverage and bring some real excitement around STEM to the greater LA region.
[Editor’s note: The Sport & STEM Alliance was founded in 2017 by Beyond Sport, the San Francisco 49ers Foundation and Chevron to leverage the global appeal of sport to ignite passion in STEM education, particularly among young people. On November 14, the Alliance will gather at the TGR Learning Lab, for an interactive session run by the TGR Foundation – a Tiger Woods Charity].
As a member of the Sport and STEM Alliance, what impact specific to the work you are doing in Education and to the larger global efforts at education do you want to see the Alliance achieve?
As a part of a new five-year strategic plan, LADF is planning new and significant investments in STEM education. We know that a quality STEM education will provide access and opportunity for youth throughout their college and career paths and we want to use the power of baseball to help create excitement around these important subjects. The Alliance has the ability to convene essential stakeholders that could change the landscape of the STEM workforce of the future. Exchanging creative approaches can lead to engaging youth in diverse communities, allowing them to see STEM as a career path.
You yourself studied Economics. With women being underrepresented in math, and especially women of color, can you tell me a bit about your personal path in this area? What drew you to the subject and kept you interested?
Ironically, what drew me to the major was my research with my friends into possible degrees. Econ was one of the degrees that paid the most after graduation and that was most attractive to me!
Once I got into the major, I saw how hard it was and it became a challenge I wanted to overcome. A lot of people think it’s only about business, but it’s not. The supply and demand theories it teaches are very relevant to daily life. The theoretical side of the math ended up being what drew me in the most and sticking to it has been really beneficial to my life and career. Together, the theory aspects of my studies helped me to think more strategically and to be practical.
What role can sport and STEM play in promoting sustainable cities and communities, climate action, gender equality and more? On November 15, we are convening executives from across the sports, tech, government and education sectors to inspire cross-sector partnerships and innovative solutions to the world’s pressing social issues at the third installment of Beyond Innovation.
The event is by invitation only, but you can register your interest to attend. Taking place at the iconic Dodger Stadium, it will feature a stimulating program of world class speakers, live interactive programming on Dodger field, roundtable workshops and a networking reception.