The Educational Partnership Foundation (TEPF) and the Calgary Flames Foundation are thrilled to announce their flagship literacy initiative, the Calgary Flames Reading… Give it a Shot! program has reached an incredible milestone. With a recent visit to Patrick Airlie School, the program has now impacted over 1 million students since inception.

“We’re incredibly proud of our partnership with the Calgary Flames Foundation in growing this program over the years,” said Barb Simic, TEPF’s President and CEO. “Literacy is a fundamental human right, and the Calgary Flames Reading… Give it a Shot! program has become a cornerstone of literacy education in Alberta.”

“The Flames Reading… Give it a Shot! program has been helping students read for almost 30 years,” says Candice Goudie, Executive Director of the Calgary Flames Foundation. “The number of families that have reached out over the years to express the positive impact the program had on their school life is significant. This is an important and meaningful milestone for us, and for the people that support the community work of the Calgary Flames and Calgary Flames Foundation.”

A Simple Idea, Big Impact

The Calgary Flames Reading… Give it a Shot! program began in Calgary in 1995 with the support of the Calgary Flames Foundation, using collectible cards to reward students for reading. The cards featured Calgary Flames players, with the late Ken King being one of the program’s biggest advocates.

In 2018, the program expanded across Alberta, adding new sets of cards of Canadian wildlife, endangered species, and dinosaurs to engage diverse student interests. By 2022, cross-curricular lesson plans integrated literacy with numeracy, social studies, and science, making literacy accessible to all, including ESL learners. This year, new cards featuring the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Elks were introduced, continuing to make learning fun and meaningful for every student.

About The Educational Partnership Foundation (TEPF):

The Educational Partnership Foundation (TEPF) is an Alberta-based charity focused on supporting students through literacy and skilled trades programs that inspire learning and foster brighter futures. TEPF’s Reading…Give it a Shot! program encourages students to read through an interactive system of tracking reading minutes and earning collector cards, while Books for Kids addresses the lack of access to books in many Canadian households. The Trades Careers program provides high school and Indigenous students hands-on training and essential credentials for careers in the skilled trades. TEPF’s programs equip students to succeed in school and beyond, helping them bridge the gap between educators and industry.

About The Calgary Flames Foundation:

The mandate of the Calgary Flames Foundation is to improve the lives of southern Albertans through support of health and wellness, education, and grassroots sports programs. Since the ownership group brought the team to Calgary in 1980, the Calgary Flames Foundation has invested over $65 million into the community.