From left, Boston Bruins left winger AJ Greer stands with Bruins Teacher of the Month Ashley Puopolo in Puopolo’s STEM classroom at the Stoneham Central Middle School. Greer visited Puopolo and her students to celebrate her achievement. (Courtesy Stoneham Public Schools) Boston Bruins leg winger AJ Greer helps students with an experiment to determine whether frozen, room temperature, or hot hockey pucks bounce higher. (Courtesy Stoneham Public Schools) Boston Bruins left winger AJ Greer talks to students at Stoneham Central Middle School during a question and answer session. (Courtesy Stoneham Public Schools) Boston Bruins leg winger AJ Greer helps students with an experiment to determine whether frozen, room temperature, or hot hockey pucks bounce higher. (Courtesy Stoneham Public Schools) (Courtesy Stoneham Public Schools) Boston Bruins left winger AJ Greer poses for a photo with students while visiting Stoneham Central Middle School to recognize STEM Teacher Ashley Puopolo, who was selected as the Boston Bruins Teacher of the Month. (Courtesy Stoneham Public Schools)
STONEHAM — Superintendent David Ljungberg is pleased to report that Stoneham Central Middle School STEM Teacher Ashley Puopolo was selected as the Boston Bruins Teacher of the Month for November.
Each Month, the Bruins select a teacher of the month as part of the National Hockey League’s Future Goals program, which uses Hockey to help students develop STEM skills via online programming.
Puopolo was selected due to her work using the EVERFI Hockey Scholars Program to help teach STEM lessons to Stoneham Central Middle School students.
EVERFI is a free online course that teaches both math and science by leveraging interactive gameplay and hockey to illustrate concepts like scientific thinking and data analysis. It enables students to learn STEM concepts through real-life applications.
Puopolo, who has taught STEM for about nine years and who also serves as the coach of the district’s Robotics Team, said the Future Goals program is amazing because it allows students to connect with STEM topics via a high-interest topic such as sports.
“As an Engineering teacher, I see so many science and math concepts incorporated into the strategies and technologies that the players use to play and improve the game,” Puopolo said. “What I love most are the creative hands-on projects that students build to demonstrate content knowledge. The students themselves are the best part of teaching. They make work a fun place to be.”
On Wednesday, Nov. 30, Bruins left winger AJ Greer came to Stoneham Central Middle School to visit Puopolo and her class. Greer spent about 30 minutes working on hockey-related labs with the students and helped them investigate whether a hockey puck bounces higher at room temperature, when it’s hot, or when it’s frozen. He also joined students in completing STEM-related hockey puzzles, and in a question-and-answer session. Greer also signed autographs and posed for photos with students.
“All of us at Stoneham Public Schools are proud of Ms. Puopolo for this well-deserved achievement,” said Superintendent Ljungberg. “Ms. Puopolo’s passion for STEM and her commitment to project-based learning is a benefit to all of her students and our entire school community. I’d also like to thank the Boston Bruins and the Future Goals program for recognizing this wonderful and accomplished educator.”
About the NHL Future Goals Program:
This STEM curriculum provides students the opportunity to develop STEM skills through online, interactive hockey math games, as well as other STEM sports activities. The Future Goals – Hockey Scholar program is designed to leverage STEM in hockey to create a fun and memorable learning experience. Future Goals also offers engagement opportunities in your local community. To learn more, visit: https://futuregoals.nhl.com/teams/boston-bruins/.