Press Releases
02/05/2021
CSDE and the LEGO Group Partner to Get LEGO Bricks to Thousands of Connecticut Students
More Than 3,075 1st Graders in Danbury, Hartford, and New Britain Receive Boxes of LEGO® Bricks Through Second Round of LEGO Replay Program
(Hartford) – The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) and the LEGO Group today announced that to date more than 6,500 students across the state have received boxes of LEGO brick to encourage them to continue to learn through play while at home and in the classroom. Part of the LEGO Group’s Replay Program, 3,075 first graders in Danbury, Hartford, and New Britain received boxes of bricks from teachers before the holidays, building on the previous 3,450 Connecticut students who received boxes last spring.
“LEGO Replay is a fantastic yet simple way for anyone with boxes of LEGO brick in their attic or basement to donate to children in need of play,” said Skip Kodak, head of the LEGO Group in the Americas. “And as a Connecticut resident with five daughters who attended Connecticut schools, local donations have special meaning, especially given the extremely difficult circumstances for children, families, and teachers across our state.”
LEGO Replay is a donation process that allows anyone in the U.S. to ship their pre-loved LEGO brick, for free, to a Give Back Box facility where it will be inspected, sanitized and repackaged for kids across the country. Each box has an instruction booklet with ideas for dozens of builds, as well as play prompts like: “build a fantastical creature.” The idea is that kids will continue to learn through play while studying at home.
“This is the second LEGO Replay donation to Connecticut Schools at a time when students need it most. We immediately heard and witnessed the immense value that LEGO bricks brought to students in the spring. Having this valuable resource available will enhance the work teachers are doing to keep students engaged,” said Chris Soto, Director of Innovation and Partnerships, Connecticut State Department of Education.
“At Hartford Public Schools, we are proud to partner with LEGO Group and the Connecticut State Department of Education to provide tools that will enhance teaching and learning for our first graders,” said Superintendent Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez. “This generous donation of the LEGO Replay Boxes will help our teachers spark creativity in our young learners while showing them how to use model-building activities to problem solve.”
“Keeping students engaged, especially during this time of the pandemic, is incredibly important,” said Nancy Sarra, Superintendent of the Consolidated School District of New Britain. “We are thankful for the generosity of those who have donated LEGO bricks for students across the country. We know that young children learn best through play, and more than 750 first graders in our district will benefit from this opportunity.”
People in every U.S. state have shipped a box to LEGO Replay, with more than 55,000 labels printed. Thanks to this generosity, 59,000 + children across the U.S. have received a Replay box and the gift of learning through play.
About the LEGO Group:
The LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words LEg GOdt, which mean “Play Well”. Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. However, its products are now sold in more than 140 countries worldwide. For more information: www.LEGO.com
###
- Twitter: CT State Department of Education Twitter
- Facebook: CT State Department of Education Facebook