You can upvote Emily Vandeventer once daily now through April 1. Click here.
MANCHESTER, NH — A Webster Elementary fourth grade teacher is earning national recognition for bringing hockey into the classroom in an innovative way. Emily Vandeventer has been named a finalist for the National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association Most Valuable Teacher Award, which honors educators who use the sport as a meaningful educational tool.
Vandeventer is one of 31 educators nationwide — each represented by an NHL team — selected as finalists.
Her cross-curricular project-based learning unit, “The Science, Stats and Stories of the Stanley Cup,” integrates STEM, literacy, and social-emotional learning through the lens of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Students analyze real playoff statistics, apply probability and trend analysis to predict outcomes, explore the physics of skating and puck movement, and research the history and global impact of hockey.
As a professional figure skater who teaches with the United States Figure Skating Association and coaches for the Valley Junior Warriors girls hockey team, Vandeventer brings firsthand experience to her lessons.
“My background allows me to bring authenticity into the classroom,” Vandeventer said. “Students respond when learning feels real — and for me, this is very real.”
The project also emphasizes teamwork, perseverance, leadership, and sportsmanship — encouraging students to define what it truly means to be “most valuable,” both statistically and socially.
Voting for the award runs through April 1, 2026. The winner will receive a trip to an NHL event along with national recognition and classroom support. Supporters may vote once per day during the contest period at NHL.com/MVT.