On March 9, 2020, 16,000 students will experience a field trip they’ll never forget.

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Their hosts: the Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club.  And the field trip is the Ducks’ unique “First Flight Field Trip“.

As part of the Ducks’ free S.C.O.R.E. program, the students, grades 3-6, will be visiting the Honda Center.   In the context of hockey, they’ll be learning science, technology, engineering, art and math concepts.

Since 2005, the Ducks have offered this award-winning educational initiative to local schools.  S.C.O.R.E. stands for “Scholastic Curriculum of Recreation and Education”.  And the “First Flight Field Trip” is an initiative of the Ducks’ In-Class Education Program.

Annually, the Ducks come up with a hockey-related theme for the “First Flight Field Trip”.  This year’s is “Light the Lamp”, in which students will be exploring electrical circuits and creative ways to design a red goal light.

Jason Cooper is the Anaheim Ducks’ Manager of Fan Development Marketing.  In a 2019 episode of Over Coffee®, we talked about the S.C.O.R.E. program and some of its other initiatives, including the “Reading is the Goal” program.

And for this 2020 update, Jason offered a closer look at the “First Flight Field Trip”!  He offered a preview of what will be happening at Honda Center on March 9th, took us behind the scenes for a look at the preparations, and even previewed the 2021 field trip (for which, if you’re a teacher or other education professional, you’re invited to contact the S.C.O.R.E. program NOW!  They book up early and have a waitlist, starting in August).

On this edition of Over Coffee®, you will hear:

• What first inspired Jason, in his own STEAM education journey;

• What students can expect to encounter, when they attend this year’s First Flight Field Trip;

• How educators who can’t bring their classes on this year’s filled-to-capacity field trip can get on the list for the 2021 excursion;

• How the community provided resources to support this year’s First Flight Field Trip;

• And, a “sneak preview” of the 2021 trip, plus an explanation of the theme!;

• How to get involved, if you’d like to volunteer to help inspire the next generation;

• One of the best creative challenges involved in planning this year’s field trip;

• What last year’s “Build a Better Puck” field trip challenge was like for Jason, the students–and the Ducks