In January, Scotiabank published The Hockey Jersey, a children's picture book designed to fill the diversity gap in literature and hockey. Created as a part of the bank's hockey for all initiative, the book aims to promote diversity, accessibility, and inclusion in the sport, and to inspire the next generation of players.
Turns out, the book was just the thing that Canadian educators were waiting for. Since launch, The Hockey Jersey has received overwhelmingly positive support, with teachers, librarians, children, and families recognizing the book's important message around diversity both on and off the ice. Scotiabank received thousands of requests from educators looking for their own copies. And, the book has already sold more than 4,000 copies across Canada.
The response made it clear - educators and families are hungry for more diverse and inclusive stories written by Canadian authors, something that is simply not available on bookshelves en masse yet.
Today, filling that gap, Scotiabank is proud to announce that it will be donating 3,000 copies of The Hockey Jersey to schools across Canada.
Recognizing the desire to bring diverse Canadian stories into the classroom, Scotiabank has also created an Educator's Guide in collaboration with Experiential Learning Consultant Donna Indrakumaran to help teachers create lesson plans around The Hockey Jersey. Intended for students from Kindergarten to Grade 12, the Educator's Guide includes question prompts to encourage open discussion around topics like belonging and community, fostering safe spaces for important conversations.
Teachers and educators can download the Educator's Guide and submit a request for a copy of The Hockey Jersey at scotiabank.com/thehockeyjersey.
