All-Star Fan Fair

SAN JOSE -- Michael Taylor watched nine of his students tear through the San Jose Convention Center looking for clues during a scavenger hunt throughout the premises of the 2019 NHL Fan Fair presented by SAP and was bursting with pride.

"It's just so beautiful," said Taylor, who teaches enrichment technology to middle school students at KIPP Bayview Academy in San Francisco. "This is one of my proudest moments right now."
The kids, part of a group of almost 1,000 students from across northern California, were on hand for the NHL All-Star Future Goals Kids Day Program on Friday.
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It was designed to allow the students hear from a panel of hockey professionals about the practical applications of STEM - science, technology, engineering and math - throughout the world of hockey.
"I'm a network engineer by trade, I have 11 years active duty as a Marine and a couple of deployments, so it was really big for me to come from somewhere doing ugly things at times to come back and show the kids, 'Hey there are better opportunities out there, so many better options.' Education is the key."
The panel featured Willie O'Ree, the first black player in the NHL, and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and Alex Rigsby, a member of the United States Women's National Team. Neda Tabatabaie, the vice president of business intelligence for the San Jose Sharks and Bjorn Ganzhom, head of SAP global sponsorships were also on the panel, hosted by Sharks radio broadcaster Dan Rusanowsky.

O'Ree

That was the plan, according to Ira Frankel, executive vice president of Everfi Sports Entertainment Group. Everfi organizes the Future Goals - Hockey Scholar program -- the digital STEM program used by each of the 31 NHL teams to introduce the educational concepts to students through the prism of hockey. Future Goals is a joint initiative of the NHL and the NHL Players' Association.
"This is very special, it is the opportunity for these kids to hear from an Olympic gold medalist, a Hall of Famer, specialists from SAP and the Sharks and to talk to the children about bringing the concept of STEM to life through the game of hockey," Frankel said. "We want students everywhere to know that even if they don't play the game of hockey, there is a really cool way for them to be a part of the game of hockey, whether it be a statistician, a building engineer, a physical therapist."
Rob Knesaurek, NHL group vice president, youth development and industry growth fund, looked around as the kids sat in the bleachers surrounding the Fan Fair hockey rink, smiling as they intently listened to the speakers discuss how education paved the way for their remarkable careers.

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      Outdoor rink opens as part of San Jose Legacy Project

      "This is the end result of a lot of hard work, bringing all of the kids out, but again it is part of that engagement strategy we have," he said. "If we connect with you through the classroom and you live through the program and live through the spirit of the program and ultimately achieve the results we are looking for, these are the wonderful things that occur.
      "We can bring you to these events, we can bring you to outdoor games, we can allow you participate in practices, to meet players; all these wonderful things that our game has to offer."
      According to Tabatabaie, it is also the perfect time to expose the students to the concepts being stressed. She regularly speaks to older students, but many have already started to identify their dreams and aspirations. At the middle school ages, it is more of a blank canvas.
      "Talking to kids at this age is really important because this is when they are building their math foundation and science and technology foundation and as they grow, the jobs of the future and even the jobs now are more and more going to requiring that STEM background," Tabatabaie said. "Not all of them now understand that when they grow up, that can become a career or a passion or other interest."
      As important as the learning was, it was even more gratifying to see the students enjoy a special morning during the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend.
      "It's nice to see all these kids here today," said Rob Zepp, manager of special projects for the NHLPA. "I understand there is a school that came all the way from Sacramento, California, which is quite a distance away to partake in this. It's exciting to introduce the great sport of hockey to these children. This is the culmination of all the work, the day-to-day work at the club level. To bring those concepts to life is pretty exciting."