The NCAA® Middle School Madness program was initiated at the 1999 NCAA Women’s Final Four. In celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2009, the Middle School Madness program will provide an opportunity to bring the excitement of the Women’s Final Four into classrooms as a stimulating teaching and learning opportunity and celebrate St. Louis’ role as host.
The NCAA Middle School Madness program has two components: a curriculum and an essay and poster contest. The curriculum, developed by the NCAA, includes lesson plans in the subjects of language arts, math, social studies, physical education and health, art and science. The lesson plans tie the academic disciplines with the sport of women’s basketball. Accompanying the lesson plans are basketball trivia and sportsmanship exercises that make teaching and learning fun. Teachers can use all or part of the curriculum that best fits their individual classroom needs.
The second component of the Middle School Madness program provides middle school students in grades 6-8 in a selected school district with the opportunity to enter essay and poster contests centered around the power of dreams, setting goals and striving to achieve those goals to make dreams into reality. All middle school students in the selected district who enter the essay and/or poster contests are eligible to receive participation prizes provided by the NCAA. The four overall grand prize winners (one boy and one girl from the essay contest and one boy and girl from the poster contest) receive tickets to a variety of event including the 2009 Women’s Final Four games, NCAA Hoop City Refreshed by Coca-Cola®, and the Women’s Final Four Salute, as well as a field trip to area media outlets. Additionally, these contest winners will earn basketball equipment provided by the NCAA for their home use. The winning essay and poster entries will be displayed at Hoop City and the individual winners will be honored at the Women’s Final Four Salute. Schools in the selected district that submit timely entries in the essay and poster contests will receive basketball equipment for use in their physical education programs and an honorarium to be used to purchase library books, science equipment, physical education equipment, etc.
For more information on the NCAA Middle School Madness program in St. Louis, please contact Kathleen Killion at 314/286-2046.