Tonight, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced the McConnell Education Foundation awarded grants to 35 Columbus-area high school hockey programs for the 26th consecutive year. The Foundation has a mission to support the cultivation and growth of youth and high school hockey. A group of more than 1,100 players, coaches and families attended tonight’s Blue Jackets game against the Los Angeles Kings to celebrate High School Hockey Night.
For the past 25 years, the McConnell Education Foundation has donated more than $1.8 million in support of high school hockey in greater Columbus. Grants will support clubs from the Capital Hockey Conference and the Ohio Scholastic Hockey League.
This year’s programs receiving grants include high school varsity and junior varsity teams in the Capital Hockey Conference representing Bishop Watterson, Columbus Academy & St. Francis DeSales, Dublin Coffman, Dublin Jerome, Gahanna Lincoln, New Albany, Olentangy, Olentangy Berlin, Olentangy Liberty, Olentangy Orange, St. Charles Preparatory School, Thomas Worthington, Upper Arlington and Worthington Kilbourne.
Additional varsity and junior varsity programs in the Ohio Scholastic Hockey League awarded grants include the Athens Bobcats, the Columbus Ice Hockey Club (representing Columbus City Schools and Columbus Recreation and Parks Department), Dublin Irish, Hilliard Wildcats, Newark Generals, Northeast Storm (representing Bexley and Johnstown), PHA Prowlers (representing Pickerington, Reynoldsburg, Pataskala, Canal Winchester) and Westerville Warcats.
High school varsity captains representing the recipients’ respective teams were recognized during the game.
