OKLAHOMA CITY – Third- and fourth-grade teachers throughout the state of Oklahoma are eligible to sign up to participate in the Oklahoma City Dodgers MVP Program: Encouraging STEM Education, thanks to partners Devon Energy and Olsson as the program enters its fourth year.
The free OKC Dodgers MVP Program encourages third- and fourth-grade students and teachers to participate in STEM curriculum focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Participating students are then rewarded for their STEM achievements inside and outside of the classroom.
This marks the second straight year the program is being offered statewide across Oklahoma and teachers have until March 31 to register to participate for 2020.
“The OKC Dodgers MVP Program continues to grow and evolve thanks to our partners Devon Energy and Olsson,” OKC Dodgers President/General Manager Michael Byrnes said. “STEM-based learning is critical to youth education across our state and the MVP Program gives us the opportunity to provide unique classroom resources to teachers, while motivating positive outcomes for students.”
The program experienced rapid growth over its first three years and impacted more than 7,200 third- and fourth-grade students in 2019.
Participation in the MVP Program was initially only open to Oklahoma City Public Schools in 2017. After a successful start, the program expanded in 2018 to include additional metro-area classrooms in the Mid-Del, Putnam City, Edmond and Norman school districts.
In 2019, program participation expanded statewide for the first time and was used in more than 330 classrooms across Oklahoma. On the first day of registration for 2019, more teachers signed up to participate than during the entire first year of the program.
Participating teachers have found a variety of ways to integrate the program into their classrooms.
“I use the Dodgers MVP Program to promote good citizenship and improve classroom behavior,” said Tracey Brauer, a fourth-grade teacher at West Field Elementary in Edmond. “It has been a great help and kids love it.”
Gayla Walker teaches fourth grade at West Elementary in Weatherford.
“Our fourth-graders attend a monthly STEAM class where they get to explore and create while doing a variety of activities,” Walker said. “We look for characteristics such as cooperation, collaboration, ingenuity, critical thinking and problem solving.”
The OKC Dodgers MVP Program culminates each summer with MVP Field Day at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – an exclusive event for participating MVP students and teachers, as well as their families, featuring STEM activities and appearances by OKC Dodgers players.
Participating teachers receive all necessary MVP Program materials free of charge, as well as tickets to an OKC Dodgers game honoring MVP participants and an exclusive MVP baseball hat.
All students participating in the MVP Program will receive tickets to an OKC Dodgers game honoring MVP participants and also receive an exclusive MVP baseball hat. Select students are rewarded with unique Dodgers experiences such as throwing the ceremonial first pitch and delivering the game’s lineup card.
For additional information about the OKC Dodgers MVP Program, or to register as a participating teacher for 2020, visit okcdodgers.com/mvp or email mvp@okcdodgers.com.
Season ticket and group packages for the OKC Dodgers’ 2020 baseball season are available now for purchase. Visit okcdodgers.com or call (405) 218-2182 for more information.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.