Registration Open for 2021 OKC Dodgers MVP Program

OKLAHOMA CITY – The free, statewide Oklahoma City Dodgers MVP Program: Encouraging STEM Education enters its fifth year in 2021 and all third- and fourth-grade teachers and classrooms in Oklahoma are eligible to register now and participate thanks to partners Devon Energy and Olsson.

The OKC Dodgers MVP Program encourages third- and fourth-grade teachers and students to participate in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum, rewarding students for their STEM achievements both inside and outside of the classroom. The 2021 deadline for teachers to register to participate is March 31.

The current school year has brought unique challenges and the MVP Program also currently includes a website filled with STEM activities and resources to help accommodate distance learning that can be found by visiting okcdodgers.com/stem.

The program is being offered statewide for the third straight year 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.

“STEM-based education is vital to our Oklahoma youth and the OKC Dodgers MVP Program allows us to provide fun, unique classroom resources and incentives to learning,” Michael Byrnes, OKC Dodgers President/General Manager, said. “Growing the MVP Program throughout the state of Oklahoma since 2017 has been very rewarding and we are grateful to our partners Devon Energy and Olsson for helping make that expansion possible. We look forward to reaching new classrooms in 2021 and beyond.”

In 2020 alone, 497 classrooms participated in the MVP Program, impacting 11,363 students before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participation in the MVP Program was initially only open 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 Dodgers MVP Program has allowed me to utilize STEM activities in my classroom,” Lindsay Public Schools fourth-grade teacher Natalie Jennings said. “The incentive of receiving a prize really encouraged and motivated my students to think critically and fully engage in hands-on learning.”

Participating teachers receive all necessary MVP Program materials free of charge, as well as tickets to an OKC Dodgers game honoring MVP participants and an exclusive MVP baseball hat. All students participating in the MVP Program will receive tickets to an OKC Dodgers game honoring MVP participants and also receive an exclusive MVP baseball hat.

The OKC Dodgers MVP Program culminates each summer with MVP Field Day at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark — an exclusive event for participating MVP students and teachers, as well as their families, featuring STEM activities and appearances by OKC Dodgers players. The safety of all MVP Program teachers, students and their families is of the utmost importance to the OKC Dodgers. Events held at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, such as MVP Field Day and OKC Dodgers games, will follow all state and city mandates, as well as league protocols, regarding COVID-19.

During the last four years, participating teachers have integrated the program into their classrooms in a variety of ways.

“The program has allowed my class to utilize their critical thinking skills and participate in hands-on learning through STEM activities,” Lindsay Public Schools third-grade teacher Shannon Horner said.

Oklahoma City Public Schools third-grade teacher Amber Lusk said she used the program mostly as an incentive and award for students who “strive each day to work hard, take on challenging material and have fun with learning and exploration.”

Depew Public Schools third-grade teacher Tiffany Kearney’s students created projects following certain parameters and the MVP Program helped motivate their success.

“I used the MVP Program as a reward for great work from the students,” Kearney said. “For many of our friends, they would not have had the opportunity to attend a game otherwise.”

For additional information about the OKC Dodgers MVP Program, or to register as a participating teacher for 2021, visit okcdodgers.com/mvp or email [email protected].

Season ticket and group packages for the OKC Dodgers’ 2021 baseball season are available now for purchase and Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark is available to host socially distanced events year-round. Visit okcdodgers.com or call (405) 218-2182 for more information.