Pittsburgh Penguins Donate to Keystone Oaks Schools

The Pittsburgh Penguins might not be on the ice yet this season, but their proteges at Keystone Oaks elementary schools will be getting a lot of "ice" time, thanks to a donation.

The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation donated more than 20 pieces of street hockey equipment to each of the Keystone Oaks elementary schools: Dormont Elementary, Fred L. Aiken Elementary, and Myrtle Elementary.

The district received the equipment after applying through the PensFIT program, an initiative to encourage children to be physically active. The hockey gear retails for more than $3,000.

“We implement a floor hockey program each winter as part of our curriculum,” Dormont Elementary physical education teacher Brad Bengele said in a statement from the district. "The equipment the Penguins have donated will definitely add to that program and it will help keep our students safer as well."

Each school received hockey sticks, helmets, goalie pads, balls, goals and storage bags.

Jennifer Watenpool, a physical education teacher at both Dormont and Aiken elementary schools, said the schools had some hockey equipment, but that the new equipment is extra-appealing to students because it's a much better quality—and has the Penguins logo on it.

Myrtle Elementary begins its hockey program this week. Physical education teacher Matt Paradise said he's glad the students will no longer have to share equipment. He said it will help them get a little imagination time into the game, too.

"This equipment gives every student in all of our classes a chance to participate without waiting and it allows us teachers to offer bell-to-bell instruction," he said. "The students leave my class thinking they are the next Sid, Geno or Fleury."

This information was provided by Keystone Oaks School District.

Follow Dormont-Brookline Patch on Facebook and Twitter. For more news, sign up for our email Newsletter.