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New programme offers Kiwi kids Olympic medal glory

Tuesday 19 October 2010, 1:10PM

By New Zealand Olympic Committee

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Children from around the country will have the opportunity to stand tall on the podium to receive their own gold, silver and bronze medals as part of the ASB Olympic Schools programme launched today at Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate in Auckland.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) is teaming up with ASB to launch this new national programme. Capturing the magic of the Olympic Games and values of the Olympic Movement, ASB Olympic Schools aims to engage students in a variety of activities both inside and outside the classroom.

At the heart of the ASB Olympic Schools programme is an array of Olympic related material including access to Olympians to speak at school events, fun activities, Olympic medals, certificates and classroom resources. The programme will inspire students to learn, take part in sport and strive to achieve their personal goals.

“We believe that participating in sport and striving to achieve their very best in all aspects of life will benefit all New Zealanders,” says Olympic Committee president Mike Stanley.

“ASB Olympic Schools provides a useful tool box to make this happen through helping schools promote the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect. This programme will both educate and inspire kids as they strive to do their best – on the sporting field, in the classroom or out in their community. We are delighted to be partnering with ASB in this broad, nationwide venture,” Mr Stanley says.

Double Olympic gold medallist and swimming great Danyon Loader is the Olympic Ambassador for the ASB Olympic Schools Programme. Schools will have the opportunity to invite him to school events to share his experiences.

Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Junior and Middle School (Year 0 - 8) is the first to embrace the programme, as part of their relationship with both NZOC and ASB.

“We’re very pleased to be the first school to sign up for this exciting initiative,” says Junior School Principal, John Shearer. “At Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate, our goal is to help our children grow, develop and become the best they can be. The ASB Olympic Schools programme is another way we can reward excellence and encourage our students to achieve their dreams,” he says.

“The ASB Olympic Schools initiative is a wonderful initiative to assist in supporting students to do the best that they can in all things. We celebrate our students’ achievements and promote Olympic values along the way,” says Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Middle School Principal Kallie Ngakuru-Syder.

NZOC’s education dept has a range of innovative resources with a strong focus on literacy as well as experiential health and physical education learning components. The programme relates to curricular activities such as health, science and physical education and makes full use of the basic teaching skills of reading, writing, maths and science.

ASB Olympic Schools is scheduled to be rolled out countrywide over the next 18 months, culminating in a Primary School Olympic Games in 2012, the year of the London Olympics.