Toledo Walleye host field trip for virtual school students from across Ohio

by Derek Heid
Wed, April 5th 2023, 5:47 PM EDT

April 5, 2023: Toledo Walleye players Gordie Green, John Albert, Joseph Nardi, Ryan Lowney and Ty Enns lead Ohio Virtual Academy and Ohio Digital Learning School students through several hockey drills. (Derek
Heid/WNWO)

TOLEDO, Ohio — A group of students from the Ohio Virtual Academy and Ohio Digital Learning School put down their computers for an in-person field
trip to the Huntington Center.

They were given a tour around the arena and the Walleye players led a practice of teaching the students how to play hockey.

"It's a lot of fun," forward Gordie Green said. "They come out here, they all have smiles on their face. It makes me very grateful for the game I get to play
every day."

Green along with his teammates John Albert, Joseph Nardi, Ryan Lowney and Ty Enns were happy to spend Wednesday sharing the ice with their newest
teammates.

Promoted Links

Jennifer Grey Is Probably The Most Beautiful 61 Year Old Woman

Swift Verdict

Radar

Brooklyn Decker Was A High School Cheerleader - See How She Looked
PensAndPatron

Lake Township Fire Department becomes first in Wood County to offer naloxone kits

Fourth grader Raegan McCormick shared how she learned about the trip and couldn’t hold back her excitement of being named a walleye for the day.

"It's really cool, it's really, really cool," McCormick said. "I got an email from my teacher saying I got this reward and I picked this, so I was really excited
and yeah, I screamed and jumped up and down.ddint know it was this big of a thing, I screamed and jumped up and down very excited."

McCormick and 11 of her classmates attend fully virtual school.

They left home for a special field trip, trading in their laptops for hockey sticks.

"That's nice for them too then to come out and meet some other classmates maybe that they don't see that so often," Green said.
Sarah Sánchez, director of communications for the Ohio Council of Community Schools, shared that they're always looking for ways to engage their
students.

"We like to partner with community organizations that can provide a very unique and special opportunity for our schools in northwest Ohio and across the
state," Sánchez said.

The students met Spike, got new uniforms and even scored a few goals on the professionals.

"They're learning from the hockey players themselves, the professionals who play on the ice every weekend and so they're learning these basics of hockey
and tying in education. So the players talk about what their educational journey has been to get to this point, what hockey is like, all the skills and
educational aspects that go into playing this sport."

It's safe to say the Walleye have made several new fans.