San Jose Sharks host students to share science of hockey during STEM Day

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- When you watch the San Jose Sharks during one of their games, you're probably thinking about angles, force and science right?

Probably not.

But that's how South Bay students may see the game after participating in STEM Day at the SAP Center where they took year-long lessons and put them to the test on the ice at the Shark Tank.

"The Sharks are here in the heart of the Silicon Valley and STEM is growing by the day," San Jose Sharks Community Relations Program Manager Stephanie Dubin said. "Today we had 150 students from three school districts that have completed the hockey scholar computer program. They've been learning about STEM concepts and the science of hockey via the Sharks all year long."

The Sharks and SAP North America teamed up to create eight stations that each taught a different STEM principle.

The stations included the gear the players wear, the angles of passing and shooting the puck and even the importance of the zamboni to make the ice slide on the ice easier due to less friction.

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"We're hoping to get them really excited about the math and science behind the scenes when they are watching hockey," SAP North America Head of Corporate Responsibility Katie Morgan said.

In addition to the stations, students were able to hear from three employees about their roles in STEM and how it relates to hockey.

Each student took something different from the lessons that they will remember in their daily lives.

"I learned about the different jobs that people do with the Sharks," Baldwin Elementary School Student Sadie Garo said. "I learned about angles which I thought was really interesting."

"I learned that the angle and power that you put into shots matter," Baldwin Elementary School Student Alyssa Cutforth said.

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As our world evolves, the need for STEM becomes more and more important, especially in the youth.

The Sharks and SAP hope that events like this can kick start a passion of STEM and influence the next wave of workers for the future.

"Our tech industry does not represent all the people that live in the Bay Area," Morgan said. "We have events like this today to make sure that kids can see and meet people that work in technology that look just like them."