Congratulations are in order for the San Francisco 49ers organization. The franchise has been named a finalist for ESPN’s Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year award. This marks the second consecutive year they have been named a finalist. The award honors teams that serve communities and make a positive impact on society.
The 49ers have a large number of philanthropic efforts, but the biggest aspect for purposes of this award is their effort to help with youth education. They have a “San Francisco 49ers Academy,” which is a middle school helping underserved students in East Palo Alto. Additionally, they have pushed heavy on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education, creating two programs:
- 49ers STEM Education Program at the 49ers Museum: Annually provides a free day of STEM learning for 60,000+ students through a common core-aligned science of football curriculum
- 49ers STEM Leadership Institute (SLI): A six-year program that delivers more than 300 hours of supplemental STEM education to 60 students in grades 7-12 each year.