Trinity’s Koeppel Center Serving as Host to “Olympic Fever on Ice”
HARTFORD, Conn. – Thanks to a $92,376 grant from the state Department of Education, Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov, 2006 Winter Olympians and U.S. National Four-Time Ice Dancing Silver Medalists, are spearheading a program called “Olympic Fever on Ice at Trinity College,” in which middle-school students from Portland and Hartford are being taught to skate and also receiving academic mentoring.
The program, which began in September and will continue until March, is being held on weekends at Trinity’s Koeppel Community Sports Center on New Britain Avenue. Participating students include children in grades 6, 7 and 8 from the Sport and Medical Sciences Academy in Hartford and Portland Middle School.
“Hartford Public Schools – especially the students at the Sport & Medical Sciences Academy – are blessed to have a program that combines ice skating instruction by two of the world’s top skaters with academics,” Hartford School Superintendent Steven J. Adamowski said. “Olympic Fever on Ice at Trinity College embraces all of the elements of our reform strategy for improved student achievement.”
The program, which was facilitated by the Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance (SINA) and state Rep. Kelvin Roldan, whose House district includes Trinity, combines ice skating instruction and academics while fostering relationship-building skills between suburban and urban students. Harlick Skating Boots and Riedell Skates provide support for the program through the donation of figure skates.
"Hartford Public Schools are delighted to welcome Melissa and Denis to the city of Hartford,” said Roldan. “This is a unique opportunity for our students to be exposed and learn from two of the top Olympic skaters in the world. Our students will not only learn to skate but also learn about all the science surrounding the sport - physiology and health." Roldan is director of strategic partnerships for the Hartford school system.
Approximately 40 students from each school are participating in the hour-long program, which takes place on Saturdays and Sundays. The instruction, busing, ice skates and snacks are provided free of charge. But in addition to learning how to skate, the participants have homework assignments in math, science, writing and other subjects.
Francisca Jumi, a 7th grader at the Sports & Medical Sciences Academy, acknowledged that learning to skate was hard at first but said that she’s gotten “the hang of it,” and it’s especially surprising and exciting to be learning from “famous skaters.”
“The instructors helped me to understand how to skate by looking forward not down,” Jumi said. She also noted that she’s made friends with the Portland students. “They help me to understand how to skate because they have skating experience.”
Gregory, who is American, and Petukhov, who hails from Kirov, Russia, competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics. “We are very excited about this unique program, which fuses education and sport,” said Gregory. “The students will learn vital educational and life skills as well as skating fundamentals that will help in their everyday life.”
“Olympic Fever on Ice” will culminate in an ice skating show in March at the Koeppel Center. "Trinity is very happy that we were able to provide the facilities and ice time for this program that allows children to interact with and be taught important life lessons by world class athletes like Denis and Melissa,” said Jason Rojas, Trinity’s director of community relations.
For more information, contact Melony Brady at the Sport and Medical Sciences Academy at 860-695-6938 or at bradm002@hartfordschools.org, or Scott Giegerich at Portland Middle School at 860-342-1880 or sgiegerich@portlandct.us.
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