In Oil Country, dreams of skating in the footsteps of hockey heroes are not uncommon, and for over 400 lucky students from across Edmonton and surrounding areas, that dream came true this morning.

  VIDEO: Ice School Skate
Ice School Photo Gallery
 
Classrooms that will be participating in Edmonton Oilers Ice School this season were given a unique opportunity to kick their sessions of right with the chance to hit the ice of Rexall Place for a free skate.

“One of the big things we focus on in Ice School is studying the ice surface and this is a great opportunity for the kids to enjoy it first-hand and create excitement about their week ahead,” said Sandy VanRiper, Ice School Program Coordinator.

The morning was split up into four different sessions with four classes attending each skate. From first time skate-bearers to pros in the making, excitement filled the arena as hundreds of students and their teachers enjoyed the world class ice of Rexall Place.

“For these kids to get a chance to skate on such high-calibre ice, ice they’re going to study and ice they’ve seen on TV, they come away with a real appreciation for it,” said VanRiper.

For Ice School student Sam Rishaug, the opportunity didn’t go unnoticed.

“It’s really cool to skate where the Oilers do, and it’s supposed to be some of the best ice in the world,” said Rishaug.

Moving from the ice to the Rexall Place classroom, the first Ice School session begins next week. Each set of students will spend the week learning, interviewing, reading, writing and recording their observations in regards to the arena. Once the week is up, classrooms will take their collected data back to school and apply it to their everyday subjects.

For those students who didn’t attend today’s skate, the next fun-filled morning of skating is slated for February.