Kashima Antlers is pleased to announce the launch of "Mercari Stadium Grand Adventure," an experiential learning program for third-grade elementary school students, as part of its ongoing educational support for the next generation and new community contribution initiatives.
As children's ways of playing and learning become increasingly diverse in modern society, opportunities for real-life experiences are declining. As a professional sports club that is a familiar presence in the community, we have launched this new educational program utilizing the stadium to provide new learning opportunities.
Third-grade elementary school students are at an important stage when "Period for Integrated Studies" becomes more comprehensive and they deepen their interest in the local community. By providing an extraordinary "learn-by-playing" experience across the entire stadium on non-match days, we aim to foster children's attachment to their hometown (civic pride) and create a rich foundational experience that lasts a lifetime.
Furthermore, by deepening their interest in Antlers through this experience, we have designed it as a continuous experience that strengthens children's connection with the club as they grow, allowing them to enjoy watching actual matches even more during the "Hometown Elementary School Student Match Ticket Invitations" aimed at fourth-grade students and above.
Experiential missions visiting areas usually closed to the public and corporate booths
As the first phase of this initiative, on Thursday, November 12, we will hold this program as an off-campus field trip for approximately 400 third-grade students from nine elementary schools in Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture, in collaboration with the Kashima City Board of Education.
On the day, children will hold a "Mercari Stadium Grand Adventure Passport" and participate in a rally-style activity around the entire stadium. We have carefully designed the program so that children can learn actively and enjoyably while taking on missions scattered throughout the venue.
The program allows children to experience the club's appeal by walking around the stadium, including entering the players' locker rooms, which are usually inaccessible, experiencing a press conference in the interview room where they can pretend to be the manager, and participating in soccer and exercise classes led by school coaches.
In addition, booths featuring Antlers, partner companies, and companies in the ANTLERS BUSINESS CLUB will provide opportunities to directly experience real-world jobs and technologies. In addition to experiential content utilizing each company's expertise, such as the mechanism of thermometers and a rice measuring quiz, we have also included plenty of opportunities to learn about environmental considerations. Through recycling experiences using paper containers actually used in the stadium, a corner where they can learn how everyday household items are transformed, and a "Trash Fishing Game" where they learn proper waste separation by fishing out trash, the program is structured so that children can also learn about sustainability in a fun and in-depth way.
Future Developments
This initiative will start at elementary schools in Kashima City, and we plan to gradually expand its scope, with a view to expanding it to other hometowns and friendly towns in the future.
Kashima Antlers has previously collaborated with local governments and educational institutions to conduct career education classes for elementary school students and provide "TPR (Total Physical Response) Videos" that allow them to become familiar with English while exercising. We are also committed to ongoing educational support, including broadcasting "Tokoton Anton TV," an educational content program for preschoolers to learn with the official mascot, and creating "English Reading Materials" for junior high school students based on the club's history and the Geco Spirit. This experiential learning program, "Mercari Stadium Grand Adventure," is positioned as one of the pillars of nurturing the next generation, and we will continue to develop it as a new form of educational support through community collaboration involving local governments and businesses.