Capitals Players, So Kids Can Surprise DCPS Elementary School

Washington Capitals players and So Kids Can members Nicklas Backstrom, Braden Holtby and Tom Wilson surprised Washington, D.C.,'s Hendley Elementary on Nov. 20 with the announcement that the school will receive So Kids Can funding at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season. The funding will be used for a So Kids Can and Heart of America Foundation® makeover.

The Heart of America Foundation®, a national nonprofit headquartered in the Washington, D.C., Metro area, transforms spaces into modern learning environments so that students and communities can learn and grow. Through its educational space transformation program, the Heart of America revitalizes technology labs, school libraries, gyms and other educational spaces in under-resourced communities into vital and vibrant centers of learning. Since 1997, Heart of America has provided children in need with more than four million library and take-home books and vital technology and has transformed more than 400 educational spaces nationwide.

The players also delivered 75 laptops and 45 tablets that Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation, the charitable arm of the Washington Capitals, donated to the school as part of their partnership with the school through the DCPS Adopt-a-School Program. This technology donation will provide a much-needed resource for Hendley students to help provide a level playing field for standardized testing.
During the 2018-19 season the players and Elliot Segal of the Elliot in the Morning Show will raise money for Heart of America through So Kids Can. Each player and Segal will donate $50 per Capitals win during the regular season and $100 per Capitals win during the playoffs. Fans are also encouraged to donate to the program at
MonumentalFoundation.org
. At the end of the season, the funds will be used to renovate a learning space at Hendley.

So Kids Can was created in 2008 by former Capitals defenseman Mike Green and Segal to benefit youth-focused, nonprofit organizations. Backstrom and former Caps forward Brooks Laich joined the cause in 2011, former Caps defenseman Karl Alzner and Holtby joined in 2015 and Wilson joined in 2017. To date, So Kids Can has donated nearly $400,000 to charity. Most recently, the 2017-18 So Kids Campaign raised $41,604.00 for Kids Mobile Medical Clinic/Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Hendley Elementary School serves students in preschool through 5th grade and is committed to DCPS' vision of ensuring every student feels loved, challenged and prepared to positively influence society and thrive in life. Hendley has three competitive robotics teams, including the all-girl Sparklebots, and has integrated STEM into other subject areas with the support of the DCPS Design Lab, which provides forward-thinking school leadership teams with the resources, support and time they need to launch bold school models. By incorporating STEM-based design challenges throughout the school year, Hendley is focused on providing students with opportunities to work on problem-based projects to develop their critical thinking and teamwork skills through joyful and rigorous learning.