CALUMET — Calumet-Laurium-Keweenaw elementary students have been invited to participate in Kraft/NHL Hockeyville activities during the upcoming week of Sept. 23. According to an email from Calumet Schools, the activities will include the Stanley Cup, welcoming the players into the ice rink, and attending a practice for the St. Louis Blues and the Detroit Red Wings.

On Monday, students will recognize Blue-Gray Day, to represent the school with pride. All students will wear blue and gray or Copper Kings apparel. There will also be class pictures with the Stanley Cup. Order forms will be available at a later date.

On Thursday, students will get to wear red or blue to represent the Detroit Red Wings and the St. Louis Blues.

The Junior Kings through fourth grade students are invited to a Red Carpet event in front of the Colosseum to welcome the NHL players into the rink from 10-10:45 a.m.

Fifth grade students have been invited to attend the practices on Thursday from 11 a.m. -1:45 p.m. Students may purchase a school lunch to take with them to the practices, or they may also bring their own lunch, but the lunch must be in a clear bag, such as a clear gallon ziplock bag. Students are permitted to eat their lunches at any time during the practices.

While this is a lifetime opportunity for the students, one parent explained that she is hopeful that her daughter will find the experience rewarding. Magena Lyke, of Mohawk, said her daughter, Jocelyn Erickson, who is a fourth grader in Mrs. Schneiderhan’s class, will participate in the events.

“I’m so excited for Jocelyn and her classmates,” she said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. They’re going to get a lot out of it. I believe that after seeing these ‘local heroes’ come to their town and be a part of something so special, it might give the kids more appreciation of where they come from.”

Lyke, a native of Marquette, said hockey is not as popular there as it is in the Copper Country. She has relatives in Canada, however, who are involved with the sport, and her cousins often came to Marquette for games. On those occasions, she said, she would attend games to watch her cousin, Darrell, play.

One of the great benefits of Calumet having been selected for Hockeyville will be the residents getting to have a good time, while getting to experience it together as a community.

A larger outcome, Lyke said will be for the students.

“They can see how people from around here, who are just like us, can follow their dreams, and go far,” she said, “then, maybe do the same. They can do something special and spectacular with their lives, as well. The can feel proud of where they come from, and just dream big.”