San Jose, CA, Feb. 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The puck drops on a new San Jose Sharks-themed coding activity at The Tech Museum of Innovation Feb. 28. Innovation on Ice: Code Teal is the latest in a series of STEM-focused design challenges developed in partnership with The Sharks Foundation and SAP.
“Using the game of ice hockey to demonstrate the fundamentals of coding provides an engaging and interactive way of teaching a critical skill to the youth of Silicon Valley,” said Jonathan Becher, President of San Jose Sharks. “The Sharks Foundation is honored to once again partner with SAP and the Tech Museum to deliver this innovative activity.”
Students and visitors will use a drag and drop program to code their own hockey play and watch as a microprocessor-driven puck zips around a rink. They’ll engineer solutions to different challenges to score on a mini version of the Shark Tank ice.
“We are incredibly proud of this collaboration as it offers students in the San Jose community the opportunity to engage in a one-of-a-kind coding activity and develop their STEM skills in a creative and unique way. Programs like Innovation on Ice: Code Teal help to bridge the often too-wide digital divide for young people, which is something that we are SAP are focused on improving,” said Erin LaBarge, Interim Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, SAP North America.
More than half a million annual visitors come to The Tech to learn about robotics, bioengineering, anatomy, immersive AR/VR media, cybersecurity, the engineering design process and how to creatively solve problems using technology. The Tech also offers free field trips for Title I schools, bringing 25,000 underserved students to the museum each year for an experience dedicated to STEM learning, including hands-on science labs.
“It’s been a joy to team up with The Sharks Foundation and SAP and help so many families learn new ways to use tech to solve problems together. The ability to use hockey to bring coding to a new generation is a real treat,” said Katie Ozawa, Experience Developer and Program Manager, Engineering Design at The Tech.
Innovation on Ice: Code Teal will run daily March 1 through 22, then join a rotation of programming at The Tech. The challenge is one of several sports-themed tech and engineering activities this partnership makes possible. Students learn about physics while experimenting with different materials to build a faster ice skate and while building their own wind-powered ice resurfacer.
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When: Thursday, Feb. 28, 3 p.m.
Where: The Tech Museum 201 S. Market St. San Jose, CA 95113
Visuals: Students coding devices and testing them out on a Sharks-themed rink with the help of select VIP guests from the San Jose Sharks.
Please RSVP to Marika Krause at mkrause@thetech.org.
Media Inquiries:
Marika E. Krause, The Tech Museum of Innovation, mkrause@thetech.org
Jim Sparaco, Sharks Foundation, jsparaco@sjsharks.com
About The Tech Museum of Innovation
The Tech is a hands-on technology and science museum for people of all ages and backgrounds. The museum — located in the Capital of Silicon Valley — is a non-profit experiential learning resource established to engage people in exploring and experiencing applied technologies affecting their lives. Through programs such as The Tech Challenge, our annual team-design competition for youth, and internationally renowned programs such as The Tech for Global Good, The Tech endeavors to inspire the innovator in everyone. Visit TheTech.org for more information.
About the Sharks Foundation
Established in 1994, the Sharks Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the lives of youth and families in the community with an emphasis in the areas of education, health and safety, and character development. Since inception, the Sharks Foundation has positively impacted the lives of individuals in the community through its contributions to local non-profit organizations. The Sharks Foundation and the San Jose Sharks are committed to being to a good community partner and continuing to make a positive impact through 2040 and beyond.
To learn more about how the Sharks Foundation is helping underserved youth and families in need in the community, visit the Sharks Foundation’s website, read our 2016-17 Community Report, or connect on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
About SAP
As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device – SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable approximately 300,000 customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com.
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