Instructure, Utah Jazz Team Up to Honor Educators with Season-Long Educator Appreciation Program and Awards Dinner

Nominations Now Open and First Teacher to be Recognized at Nov. 11 Jazz Game
 

SALT LAKE CITY (October 28, 2021)– Instructure, the Salt Lake City-based makers of the Canvas Learning Management System, and the Utah Jazz today announced a new partnership aimed at recognizing local educators at Jazz games throughout the season. The program, “Utah Jazz Most Valuable Educators, presented by Instructure” invites the Utah community to nominate local educators who are making an impact in their schools and communities and who are an inspiration in the lives of their students.

“At Instructure, we’ve seen first-hand the impact that educators have on the lives of students around the world – and especially so during the pandemic,” said Steve Daly, CEO of Instructure. “Here locally, our Utah teachers have been able to create a classroom continuity whether virtual or in-person in spite of the challenges COVID has brought. We’re honored to be able to show our appreciation for the wonderful teaching that happens every day in our community.”

Through the Most Valuable Educators program, Instructure will recognize 21 educators during 21 home games throughout the 2021-22 Jazz regular season. The first recipient will be honored on Nov. 11 during the Jazz-Indiana Pacers game at Vivint Arena. Each honored educator will be guests of Instructure at the game and receive a personalized Jazz jersey. In addition, they will receive a $1,000 classroom grant courtesy of Instructure and a surprise classroom visit or organized assembly involving the Jazz Bear mascot, and personnel from the Utah Jazz and Instructure.

Nominations are now being accepted at www.utahjazz.com/MVE from anyone in the local community including students, parents, peer educators, principals, administrators, and college deans to honor the best educators in Utah. Nominators will be asked to answer, “How does this educator inspire students, spark curiosity, and support student growth and achievement?”.

“The Utah Jazz believe very strongly in the power of education and we are excited to join Instructure in a program to honor and showcase the hard work of our educators,” said Jim Olson, president of the Utah Jazz. “Teachers deserve this spotlight to be recognized, thanked and celebrated for the incredible dedication and support they give to our children in the classroom.”

As part of its expression of gratitude for local educators, Instructure will also be providing 300 tickets for Utah educators to attend the Jazz game on March 14 against the NBA defending champion Milwaukee Bucks. Throughout the game night, Utah educators will be recognized for their work in the community and given opportunity to participate in various arena activities. In addition, attending fans will be able to write their own messages of gratitude for local educators.

All 21 honorees of the Most Valuable Educators program will be invited to attend an awards dinner with the Utah Jazz and Instructure on center court at Vivint Arena at the end of the season.

Instructure, based in Salt Lake City, joins the Jazz as a new corporate partner this season. Instructure and its flagship product Canvas was founded in Utah in 2008 and currently has more than 30 million educators and learners across K-12 and higher ed using Canvas and other solutions in its Instructure Learning Platform.

About the Utah Jazz

Founded as the 18th member of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1974, and located in Salt Lake City since 1979, the Utah Jazz are committed to excellence as a team and in the community. On the court, the Jazz are the second-winningest team in the NBA over the last 30 years, having won nine division titles and two Western Conference championships along with 17 seasons of 50-plus wins, and are supported by one of the most passionate fan bases in all of sports. The Utah Jazz also operate the Junior Jazz program, the largest and longest-running youth basketball league in the NBA, featuring more than 60,000 players and an additional 13,000 volunteers who take part annually across six states. For more information on the Utah Jazz, visit www.utahjazz.com.