Oklahoma Students Celebrate MVP Field Day and STEM Education with OKC Dodgers

Free statewide program will resume in September for the 2021–22 school year

Students from across Oklahoma came out to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in July to enjoy hands-on STEM curriculum as part of MVP Field Day. Photo courtesy of the OKC Dodgers.

Hundreds of third- and fourth-grade students from across the state of Oklahoma filled Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark on a recent Saturday morning to celebrate a school year filled with hard work and enjoy hands-on science, technology, engineering and math curriculum during MVP Field Day.

Robots roamed the concourse and doled out high fives. A NASA space suit sat watch as students strolled past. Binary bracelets helped students learn about binary code.

Devon Energy set up a station to demonstrate snap circuits. Olsson provided students the opportunity to learn about building bridges. Science Museum Oklahoma exhibited Bernoulli’s Principle with a fun display.

Students participated in MVP Field Day at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in July. Photo courtesy of the OKC Dodgers.

MVP Field Day marked the culmination of the fifth year of the Oklahoma City Dodgers MVP Program: Encouraging STEM Education with an exclusive event for participating MVP students and teachers, as well as their families.

Attendees enjoyed participating in a variety of STEM activities and demonstrations presented by:

• Devon Energy
• Olsson
• NASA
• COSTEMA (Central Oklahoma Regional STEM Alliance)
• Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum
• Mad Science of Central Oklahoma
• Women in Technology
• Rose State College STEM Outreach
• FIRST Robotics
• Science Museum Oklahoma
• Engage Learning
• SAGE STEAM Camp (SWOSU)
• Oklahoma Geological Foundation

“MVP Field Day allows us to reward MVP Program students, teachers and their families with a day filled with fun STEM activities and learning opportunities at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark,” OKC Dodgers President/General Manager Michael Byrnes said. “STEM education is so important for our youth and we thank all who participated this school year for their hard work and efforts throughout Oklahoma.”

Students learned about STEM education at MVP Field Day in July. Photo courtesy of the OKC Dodgers.

The MVP Program is free to all participants thanks to partners Devon Energy and Olsson and rewards area elementary students’ achievements in science and math while incentivizing students as well as their teachers to participate in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum.

Top-performing MVP students received tickets to an OKC Dodgers game as well as a commemorative MVP baseball hat.

Attendees to MVP Field Day also received a take-home activity kit that included items donated by the OERB, Science Museum Oklahoma, Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance, Women’s Energy Network and Mathnasium.

Participation in the MVP Program was initially open only to Oklahoma City Public Schools in 2017. After a successful start, the program expanded in 2018 to include additional metro-area classrooms in the Mid-Del, Putnam City, Edmond and Norman school districts. The OKC Dodgers MVP Program became available statewide in 2019.

The program was offered throughout Oklahoma for the third straight year in 2021 and has experienced increases of more than 1,000 percent in both participating classrooms and total students impacted since the program’s inaugural year in 2017.

The 2020 and 2021 programs each impacted more than 10,000 students per school year, even in the midst of the unique challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

MVP Field Day celebrated students’ achievements in STEM curriculum. Photo courtesy of the OKC Dodgers.

The OKC Dodgers MVP Program will resume in September for the 2021–22 school year, which will be the program’s sixth year.

For additional information about the OKC Dodgers MVP Program, or to register as a participating teacher, visit okcdodgers.com/mvp or email mvp@okcdodgers.com.