Join us in honoring community educators at Purdue’s Golden Hammer Educator Appreciation football game

Educator Appreciation Golden Hammer logo beside an image of educators being honored in Ross-Ade Stadium.

The Golden Hammer Educator Appreciation football game will take place Saturday, Aug. 30. (Purdue University photo)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University invites all Boilermaker fans to help celebrate the educators who play a vital role in shaping our community’s future generations. The Golden Hammer Educator Appreciation football game will take place Saturday, Aug. 30, during Purdue’s season opener against Ball State University.

With the support of Purdue Athletics, the College of Education, the College of Health and Human Sciences, the Office of Engagement, and the Office of the First Lady, Purdue is proud to honor the dedication and impact of community educators who serve the children and youth across our region.

“Educators serve as the foundation of strong communities,” said Kei Hui, the First Lady of Purdue, whose key initiatives include health care and early childhood education. “The Golden Hammer game is an opportunity to show our appreciation to the remarkable Indiana educators who make a lasting difference in our communities.”

As part of the celebration, community nominees for Teacher of the Year and the Golden Apple Award, along with nominated outstanding educators from early learning centers, will receive special on-field recognition during the game.

Local educators stand on a football field while being honored by the crowd.
Purdue First Lady Kei Hui celebrated with community educators on Aug. 31, 2024, at Ross-Ade Stadium. The educators were honored by the university for their dedication to service. (Purdue University photo/Kelsey Lefever)

Eligible early childhood through high school educators in Tippecanoe County and eight surrounding counties also received information on how to purchase discounted tickets to the game. The event is a great opportunity for educators to be recognized for their hard work by the community.

Game day offers free family fun for everyone! Purdue fans can head to Boilermaker Crossing at Weist Plaza, north of Mackey Arena, for a chance to win prizes and learn more about Purdue’s education programs and certificates. Boilermaker Crossing opens three hours prior to kickoff and is free to attend.

Visit the Purdue Athletics website for information about game day ticket promotions and on-sale dates.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 107,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 58,000 at our main campus in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its comprehensive urban expansion, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.

Media contact: Trevor Peters, peter237@purdue.edu

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