49ers Deliver Football and Education to Happy Campers

Minicamp is over. Training camp is still a few weeks away. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t football in Santa Clara! Last week, the San Francisco 49ers launched a football and STEM Academy camp for local children. The camp took place from Wednesday June 22 to June Friday, June 24, with over 80 participants ranging from 3rd-8th grades.

“As NFL teams look to create new ways to engage youth, we’re excited to continue to launch unique programs like the 49ers Football and STEM Academy summer camp that get kids excited about education, particularly as it applies to the concepts of science, technology, engineering and math, through football,” said Jesse Lovejoy, director of STEM education and the 49ers Museum. “The camp is a great example of how the 49ers are raising the bar in STEM learning concepts for youth, providing children with a better understanding of how sports science and STEM are present in football and vice versa.”

The 49ers STEM Education program and the 49ers Youth Football Program put the camp on together. The kids were treated to a number of football lessons, including innovation breakthroughs in equipment, strength and training, flexibility and speed drills and football force and movement. NT Ian Williams also joined the campers to stress the importance of staying hydrated on the field and in training.

It’s great to see the Niners continue their commitment to the community and to the youth in it. Go Niners!

To learn more about both the Youth Football Program and the STEM Education Program, see the below information provided by the organization.

About the San Francisco 49ers Youth Football Program

The San Francisco 49ers Youth Football Program provides youth from ages 5-18 with the opportunity to experience football through a multitude of diverse programs aimed at creating young, healthy leaders on and off the field throughout the Bay Area and beyond. From providing incarcerated youth with football lessons and life skills to hosting health and fitness assemblies at local schools, the 49ers Youth Football Program strives to make a positive impact on the community while promoting a more enjoyable, safer game for boys and girls. In 2015 alone, the 49ers Youth Football Program directly impacted more than 26,000 youth and hosted 180 events in partnership with the NFL’s “Play 60” initiative, which encourages children to get outside and play for 60 minutes each day. For more information on the 49ers Youth Football Program, please visit: www.49ers.com/community/youth-football.html.

About the 49ers STEM Education Program

The San Francisco 49ers are the leading professional sports organization in the support of STEM learning concepts for youth. The 49ers STEM Education Program, which opened in conjunction with Levi’s® Stadium in 2014, provides learning platforms for K-8 students through its education program that teaches content-rich lessons using the STEM principles of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.  The 49ers STEM Education Program reaches more than 60,000 participants annually – with 50% of students coming from Title I Designated schools. The 49ers efforts in STEM education additionally translate to the 49ers STEM Leadership Institute’s Chevron STEMZONE at Cabrillo Middle School in Santa Clara, Calif., where a six-year curriculum that begins in seventh grade and continues through high school seeks to prepare students with high academic potential to be outstanding in STEM. The STEM Leadership Institute, launched in 2014 in partnership between the 49ers, Chevron, the Silicon Valley Education Foundation, and the Santa Clara Unified School District, currently hosts two cohorts of scholars totaling 120 students enrolled in the 7th and 8th grade program and will expand to Santa Clara High School in fall 2016.

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• Under the Helmet: Meet Joanne Pasternack, V.P. & E.D. Community Relations & 49ers Foundation
• 49ers Work to Build Equality for Women in Sports