September 9, 2021 / Murray Clark and Claire Fiddian-Green

Playoff Pulse with Murray Clark and Claire Fiddian-Green

By Murray Clark and Claire Fiddian-Green, Legacy Co-Chairs

We all have that one teacher (or several) who made an incredible impact in our life. That teacher who went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure comfort or success. There’s always a good excuse to celebrate these teachers and now more than ever, we’d like to make sure all Indiana teachers are honored. 

The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to showcase the critical role that Indiana teachers play in their students’ lives, which is why last year all teachers were named Indiana’s 2021 Teachers of the Year. 

In recognition of this, the Indiana Department of Education, the 2022 College Football Playoff Indianapolis Host Committee, and the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation partnered together to celebrate teachers’ immense contributions and elevate them as heroes during Extra Yard for Teachers Week. Throughout this week-long celebration – from Sept. 10-18 – the Indiana college football community will let teachers know they are valued, respected and needed through teacher appreciation events, experiences and giveaways, including:

• Extra Yard for Teachers State Park Day: On Sunday, Sept. 12, all Indiana teachers and their families will have free access to all state parks in Indiana by showing their teacher ID. Five parks – Indiana Dunes State Park, Salamonie Lake, Patoka Lake, Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park, and Brown County State Park – will feature giveaways, live music and food. Visit the Indiana Department of Natural Resources website for a full list of state parks.
• Who Is Your Indiana Teacher of the Year? Recognize teachers you admire by nominating them with the #INTOY2021 social media hashtag, as well as by submitting an online form. Nominated teachers will receive prizes and recognition.
• Tailgate Tour: This fall, the Indianapolis Host Committee is traveling to high school football games statewide to cheer on teachers and coaches through the inaugural Indiana Tailgate Tour. The Tailgate Tour kicked off on Fri., Aug. 20 and will continue through the middle of October. The tour will include prizes, games and opportunities for communities to recognize and reward teachers.

We encourage you to take a few minutes to watch this video featuring Gov. Eric Holcomb, Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner and officials from the Indianapolis Host Committee to learn more about how we’re celebrating teachers over the next week.

If you’re a teacher, we’d like to offer a sincere thank you! Please join us in these celebrations of your hard work and dedication. If you’re not a teacher, join us in thanking the teachers in your life. 

We hope you’ll get involved in some way this fall as we continue our efforts to give back to the community in advance of January’s festivities. For more information about the 2022 CFP Indianapolis Host Committee and how to get involved, follow along on our social channels @2022Indy and be sure to subscribe to our newsletter below.