San Francisco 49ers create digital learning platforms for kids sheltering-in-place
May 1, 2020
The NFL's San Francisco 49ers and 49ers EDU are bringing their STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education program to the public with the launch of an interactive digital playbook that uses the lens of football to teach everything from physics to math.
49ers EDU leverages football as a platform to connect, engage and inspire K-8 students and teachers in STEAM - creating meaningful and relevant experiences through informal education. The hope is to spark interest and light a fire in the next generation of STEAM professionals to help support the STEM pipeline. Since its began in 2014, 49ers EDU has served over 250,000 participants through its programming.
The team has always been dedicated to the cause of helping Bay Area youth with physical and educational training, but they are now expanding its reach with the 49ers EDU online playbook, demonstrating how football and education come together.
"It's our mission. We do this kind of work everywhere throughout the year. To put four classrooms in the stadium is a really unique thing within the NFL and within sports in general. So, we've definitely been committed to it in the stadium with being able to bring in so many participants annually to our home at Levi's, but this way you get to experience that out in the community wherever you live," said San Francisco 49ers Vice President of Community Impact Jenni Luke.
"Even our president, Al Guido, has been using it to help his daughters understand some physics. It's a really fun set of tools to engage in."
I got your back is the motto of the team and that message even extends to the younger members of 'the faithful'. 60,000 students are welcomed annually into the classrooms at the stadium and now the team is virtually welcoming them in again.
But there's more than mental work as kids can break a sweat too with a video series puts kids through drills in the safety of their own backyard through video demonstrations by the 49ers Prep Team.
"Our hope is that they help these kids get ready for next football season," Luke said.
"They are broken out into traditional football drills and flag football skills taught by basic, intermediate and advanced levels. Every week the 49ers Prep team is going to be adding videos to the site to give our fans a look at what our players are doing to stay in shape."
49ers EDU are a Founding Member of the Sport and STEM Alliance – you can learn more about joining the Alliance here.