POSTED: Monday November 8th 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRINCE PIETER-CHRISTIAAN VAN ORANJE PRAISES LOCAL NYC NONPROFIT'I CHALLENGE MYSELF' PROJECT DURING LAUREUS VISIT
Prince Pieter-Christiaan van Oranje: ‘Laureus encourages young people to lead healthy lives and respect themselves and their peers’
• NYC students to showcase the impact of their participation in ICM programs
• Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA “Kids Total Fitness” through sport and nutrition
NEW YORK, November 8, 2010 - Laureus Foundation The Netherlands director and member of the Dutch royal family, Prince Pieter-Christiaan van Oranje, has praised the work of the Laureus-supported ‘I Challenge Myself’ organization in New York during his royal visit to the Big Apple.
The Laureus National Foundations from the USA and the Netherlands joined forces at the George Washington Educational Campus in Manhattan last Friday (November 5) to promote the fitness program championed by the non profit organization ‘I Challenge Myself’ (ICM). ICM uses non-competitive sport and fitness challenges to promote healthy living and nutrition awareness to keep high school students connected to school.
Prince Pieter-Christiaan took part in a panel discussion with approximately 150 high school students to discuss the youth sports programs supported by the Laureus Foundation in the Netherlands.
The presentation included 7 NYC public high school students who spoke about their participation in the ICM Cycling Smarts program. The students, who represent four NYC public high schools, explained how the program has significantly changed their lives, by relieving stress, boosting their confidence and opening their world to new and historic places in and outside the city. They also spoke of the impact the program has had on their fitness levels, social development and academic achievement and demonstrated cardio workouts that they do in the class with Prince Pieter-Christiaan.
“I Challenge Myself is another strong example of how sport can change the lives of young people. The kids are not only encouraged to lead a healthy life but also learn to respect their peers,” said Prince Pieter-Christiaan.
“Promoting healthy living is an integral part of the work Laureus does around the world, and with so many New York schools lacking sports facilities and facing cuts to after school programs, I’m proud of the work done by I Challenge Myself to fill in the gaps for young people.”
Prince Pieter-Christiaan van Oranje and fellow chairman Olav Bekker also ran the New York Marathon last weekend to raise money for good causes. The Laureus Foundation USA, Executive Director, Darlene Dwyer says this event is the first of a series of initiatives the USA Foundation has planned to bring awareness through the “kids total fitness’ campaign” which highlights the benefits of sport and nutrition.
ICM is a non-competitive sport based youth development organization that uses fitness based challenges and service learning to help students develop physically, academically and socially.
The statistics show how badly this is needed: 23% of New York City public high schools do not provide regular physical education; 94% of schools are without playing fields and 18% are without gymnasiums; the percentage of seriously overweight children, aged 12 to 19, has risen threefold from 5% to 15% since 1976; rates for juvenile crime peak in after-school hours; and there is limited funding available for sports programmes for young people.
Since February 2005, ICM has offered two types of health-based youth development programs: Cycling Smarts, which is focused on health and fitness through bicycling and the Urban Youth Health Ambassadors, which is focused on service learning. Through these two programs ICM has directly served more than 330 public high school students and indirectly over 600 first to 12th graders in the Bronx, Washington Heights and Harlem.
Cycling Smarts presents high school students with fitness challenges: a two-hour Duathlon and Cycling Smarts Challenge in January and a one-day 100-miles bike ride in June. In addition to outdoor bicycling students participate in a rigorous cross training program and attend educational workshops. Cycling Smarts is offered as an elective class both during and after school at Bronx Aerospace High School, Edward A. Reynolds West Side High School, George Washington Educational Campus and the New York Harbor School.
Additionally, this summer ICM will pilot a seven-day College Bike Tour that will provide 9th and 10th grade students who successfully complete the Cycling Smarts program the opportunity start working on their college plans while exploring the outdoors and improving their fitness levels.
NYC Contacts:
Darlene Dwyer, Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA; 917-853-5412
Ana Reyes, I Challenge Myself; 212-735-7849; anar@ichallengemyself.org
Laureus Global Communications
Tel: +44 (0)20 7514 2863
Fax: +44 (0)20 7514 2837
Email: publicrelations@laureus.com
Website: www.laureus.com
For photos of Laureus events please visit www.laureusarchive.com
NB: Information correct at time of going to press
NOTES TO EDITORS
The Patron of Laureus is Nelson Mandela. At the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards in 2000, President Mandela said: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.” This has become the philosophy of Laureus; the driving force behind its work.
Laureus is a universal movement that celebrates the power of sport to bring people together as a force for good. Laureus is composed of three core elements - the Laureus World Sports Academy, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the Laureus World Sports Awards - which collectively celebrate sporting excellence and use sport as the means to promote social change
The members of the Laureus World Sports Academy are: Giacomo Agostini, Marcus Allen, Severiano Ballesteros, Franz Beckenbauer, Boris Becker, Ian Botham, Sergey Bubka, Bobby Charlton, Sebastian Coe, Nadia Comaneci, Yaping Deng, Marcel Desailly, Kapil Dev, David Douillet, Emerson Fittipaldi, Sean Fitzpatrick, Dawn Fraser, Cathy Freeman, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Mika Häkkinen, Tony Hawk, Mike Horn, Miguel Indurain, Michael Johnson, Kip Keino, Franz Klammer, Dan Marino, John McEnroe, Edwin Moses (Chairman), Nawal El Moutawakel, Robby Naish, Ilie Nastase, Martina Navratilova, Alexey Nemov, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Morné du Plessis, Hugo Porta, Vivian Richards, Monica Seles, Mark Spitz, Daley Thompson, Alberto Tomba, Steve Waugh and Katarina Witt.
The Laureus Academy members volunteer their services as global ambassadors for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which was set up to promote the use of sport as a tool for social change. The Foundation addresses social challenges through a worldwide programme of sports related community development initiatives. Since its inception Laureus has raised more than €35 million for projects which have helped to improve the lives of over one million young people. The Foundation addresses issues in particular involving, but not limited to, young people impacted by social exclusion, gun and gang violence, discrimination, community integration, peace and reconciliation, and education. The Academy is supported in its work by the members of the Laureus Friends & Ambassadors programme, a select group of current and retired sportsmen and sportswomen who have achieved sporting greatness, plus non-sporting personalities who have made significant contributions to the sporting community during their careers.
The Laureus World Sports Awards is the premier global sports awards honouring the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports each year. The winners are selected by the ultimate sports jury - the 46 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the living legends of sport honouring the great athletes of today. The Awards are presented at an annual Awards Ceremony, attended by global figures from sport and entertainment, which is broadcast to 100 countries and territories.
Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation which supports more than 80 community sports projects around the world. The 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards were held in Abu Dhabi on March 10.
Laureus was founded by its Patrons Daimler and Richemont and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and Vodafone.
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz, the world’s oldest automaker, can look back on a unique tradition. It is the most valuable automotive premium brand which stands for quality, safety, comfort, fascinating design and sustainable mobility. Mercedes-Benz enjoys an excellent reputation, particularly in the area of safety technology. Many pioneering technical innovations that are standard automotive features today were first seen in a Mercedes-Benz car. The Mercedes-Benz engineers will in future consistently reinvent the automobile - with the same enthusiasm and innovation like Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz in 1886. Mercedes-Benz is a Global Partner of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Since the beginning of the Foundations’ operations in 2000, Mercedes-Benz has shared and supported the goals and values of this worldwide charity programme where sports play the core role in the fight against social issues - Laureus has become a vital element of the corporate social responsibility programme of Mercedes-Benz.
IWC Schaffhausen
For more than 140 years, IWC Schaffhausen has been producing precision products of complex functionality and outstanding user-friendliness for watch connoisseurs who expect more from their watch than an accurate display. Since its foundation in 1868, the International Watch Company has built up a reputation as a long-established Swiss watchmaking firm with a passion for inventions, innovative solutions and technical refinements. Today the brand is more successful than at any time in its history. IWC uses this strength in a programme of corporate social responsibility initiatives at home and abroad. In 2005, IWC entered into a long-term commitment to become a Global Partner of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.
Vodafone
Vodafone, the world's leading international mobile communications group, with approximately 333 million proportionate customers, as at 31 December 2009, and equity interests in 31 countries across five continents and a further 40 partner networks worldwide, is supporting Laureus as a new Global Partner, with a five year agreement which began in 2008 and concludes in 2012. Vodafone is a long-standing supporter of sport sponsorship and is pleased to be part of an organisation that celebrates sporting excellence both at a grass roots level through the humanitarian work worldwide of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and at elite level through the annual Laureus World Sports Awards, which honours the achievements of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen.
# # #
Keywords · Laureus Foundation · Prince Pieter-Christiaan van Oranje · Mercedes-Benz · IWC Schaffhausen · Vodafone
Name: Darlene Dwyer
Organization: Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA
Email:
Phone: 917-853-5412
URL: www.laureus.com
Please refer all questions to the company listed above issuing the press release. SFC will not be able to assist you with any inquiries and disclaims any content in these press releases.
