The San Francisco 49ers have had a big week, and I’m not just talking about Monday night’s win over the Rams. The organization has also had a big week in the community, as the 49ers Foundation had two major announcements.
The Fab Lab
On Tuesday, September 13, the 49ers announced the opening of the Fab Lab at Santa Clara High School. What’s a Fab Lab you ask? It’s a rather impressive science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fabrication lab and it will be opened to the community at large. The lab comes to Santa Clara due to a partnership between the 49ers Foundation, Chevron, the Silicon Valley Education Foundation (SVEF) and the Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD).
Per the 49ers:
Fab Labs give students experience working with tools, machinery and technology used today in STEM-related industries and helps them develop the critical skills needed to prepare them to become inventors and innovators of the future. The Fab Lab features a suite of digital fabrication tools and prototyping machines such as laser cutters, 3D printers, vinyl cutters and milling machines, used for ‘making almost anything.’
49ers STEAM Education and KHAN Academy
The 49ers are committed to bringing education to a variety of people and have been doing so for the past three years through their STEAM Education Program. Per the 49ers, the program
…provides learning platforms for K-8 students through its education program that teaches content-rich lessons using the STEAM principles of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.
On Tuesday, Sept. 14, the 49ers and Khan Academy announced a partnership to bring “online supplemental learning resources for students and teachers available free on Khan Academy to support the 49ers STEAM Education Program.”
The 49ers are not only the first professional sports organization to proved STEAM education to young people, but they are also the first professional sports organization to partner with Khan Academy.
Big week on the field and off the field. Here’s hoping that momentum leads to a big upset of the Carolina Panthers. Go Niners!
*All photos in this article provided by 49ers.com