November 15, 2023
DENVER — The Denver Broncos Foundation kicked off a two-year partnership with the Science of Sport with a STEM Field Day on Wednesday.
In honor of National STEM Day, the Broncos partnered with Science of Sport for a STEM and football-themed field day at College View Elementary.
The event featured six stations designed to incorporate football basics into STEM learnings, such as Elasticity of Different Ball Types, Reaction Time, Throwing Accuracy and more. Activity stations were operated by Denver Broncos employee volunteers, most of whose full-time roles with the team are in associated STEM fields.
Leading by example, Denver Broncos employees displayed the connectivity between everyday STEM education and opportunities in STEM-related careers in the sports industry. In addition to staff, safety Justin Simmons and alumni Nick Ferguson, David Bruton and Billy Van Heusen joined Denver Broncos Cheerleaders to encourage students through each of the activity stations.
Science of Sport's mission is to develop an interdisciplinary STEM curriculum and programming that is relevant through hands-on, mind-on learning through the incorporation of sports.
"We are immensely proud of this partnership with the Denver Broncos Foundation," Science of Sports' executive director Darren Heaton said. "This collaboration not only highlights our commitment to advancing education but also our dedication to inspiring Denver Public Schools students to understand academics through the lens of football and the Broncos. We believe that this program will ignite a passion for learning and provide valuable life skills both on and off the field."
The partnership will center on the development and creation of the "Denver Broncos Science of Football" program, scheduled to launch during the 2024 spring semester.
More than 5,000 fourth- through seventh-grade students and 50 teachers will have access to the curriculum and programming, which will feature 20 lessons emphasizing science, technology, engineering, arts, and social-emotional learning topics in the context of the Denver Broncos and the sport of football.
"College View Elementary is thrilled to host the Denver Broncos," College View Elementary principal Joey Denoncourt said. "We strive to provide a deep connection between our instruction and life outside of school. Our [third- through fifth-graders] are excited to see how their math, science, and physical education classes align to the Science of Sport in one of the most engaging ways possible. We're so grateful for this partnership."
