McConnell Education Foundation awards grants to central Ohio hockey teams

In keeping with its mission to support the development of youth and amateur hockey, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced that the McConnell Education Foundation will award grants tonight to 35 Columbus-area high school hockey programs for the 20th consecutive year. A group of approximately 1,100 players, coaches and families will be in attendance at the Blue Jackets-Maple Leafs game to celebrate High School Hockey Night.

The McConnell Education Foundation has offered philanthropic support for high school hockey in greater Columbus for the past 19 years with the cumulative donation reaching in excess of $1.2 million. Grants will support clubs from the Capital Hockey Conference and the Greater Columbus High School Club Hockey League.
This year's recipients include high school varsity and junior varsity teams in the Capital Hockey Conference representing Bishop Watterson, Dublin Coffman, Dublin Jerome, Dublin Scioto, Gahanna Lincoln, New Albany, Olentangy, Olentangy Liberty, Olentangy Orange, St. Charles Preparatory School, St. Francis DeSales, Thomas Worthington, Upper Arlington, Worthington Kilbourne and first-year program Columbus Academy.

Additional varsity and JV programs in the Greater Columbus High School Club Hockey League receiving grants include the Athens Bobcats; the Columbus Ice Hockey Club (representing Columbus City Schools and Columbus Recreation and Parks Department); Hilliard Southwest; the Newark Generals; Northeast Storm (representing Bexley and Johnstown); Olentangy District Hockey Club; Prowler Hockey (representing Pickerington, Reynoldsburg, Pataskala, Canal Winchester) and the Westerville Warcats.
To recognize these programs, high school varsity captains representing the recipients will take the red line during the performance of the US and Canadian national anthems alongside the Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs before tonight's game.
The Blue Jackets return to action tonight when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Game time from Nationwide Arena is 7:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage on FOX Sports Ohio begins with the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show at 7 p.m. The game will also be broadcast live on the Eldorado Scioto Downs Blue Jackets Radio Network, including 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.