Kids
Apolo Anton Ohno rocks Chicago!
Apolo Anton Ohno is nearing the final leg of his Ask Listen Learn tour – today, he visited Chicago’s Smyth Elementary School. Despite a very early start and a couple media interviews, Apolo brought his energy and enthusiasm to a group of young kids eager to interact with the eight-time Olympic champion.
Watch video of the event below – the cacophony of excited screams at Apolo’s appearance is priceless.
The next and final step for Apolo is Seattle, this Friday. We’re excited about this event, and so is Apolo. We look forward to seeing a great hometown welcome for Apolo!
Apolo Anton Ohno reaches Los Angeles!
Apolo Anton Ohno visited El Rodeo Middle School yesterday to spread the message of Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix.
The kids of El Rodeo Middle School loved seeing Apolo, and enthusiastically played the Ask Listen Learn interactive activities, learning about the dangers of underage drinking as they did so. They also heard an inspiring message from Apolo Anton Ohno, who urged them to stay focused in order to succeed, and to always feel comfortable with themselves.
Los Angeles is the third stop in Apolo’s tour. So far, he has visited Denver and New York. Today, Apolo Anton Ohno will be bringing our message to students in Chicago, at Smyth Elementary School. From there, Apolo will be wrapping up his tour in his native Seattle on Friday!
Apolo Anton Ohno Continues to Spread the Ask, Listen, Learn Message Across the US
Apolo Anton Ohno and The Century Council have been getting the word out about Ask, Listen, Learn all over the country!
Apolo encourages kids to say "YES" to a healthy lifestyle and "NO" to underage drinking at both a grassroots level by going into middle schools and speaking directly to kids, as well as in the mainstream media. In the past couple of days he has brought the Ask, Listen, Learn message to features on Fox News’ America’s News Room, Access Hollywood, and most recently this morning on Live with Regis and Kelly. View the Access Hollywood interview below!
The fun has only just begun. Apolo is set to visit more middle schools across the US all next week! Keep watching our blog and following our Tweets and Facebook posts for more updates and photos as he travels to Colorado, California, Illinois, and his home-state Washington.
Winter Games 2010 Wrap-Up
We've had a fantastic time watching the 2010 Winter Games the past two weeks! Did you watch our SuperStar Apolo Anton Ohno as he skated his way into history? Now the holder of eight medals, he is the most decorated Winter Olympian in history.
It was an honor to be a part of the action. We brought our Ask, Listen, Learn interactive activity to Canada to encourage kids to stay active. Kids and parents were welcomed into the Spyder-US Ski Team House in Whistler to play the game and meet two members of the U.S. Winter Ski Team, Kikkan Randall and Andy Newell. Check out some of the footage from the event below.
Did you catch the closing ceremony yesterday? The games may be over, but kids can still be a Winter Games Hero by playing Ask, Listen, Learn's newest game which can be found on SIKids.com. Play it now!
ESPN Covers Century Council: Olympic athletes take time to teach kids
By Alyssa Roenigk
WHISTLER, British Columbia -- When University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was in seventh grade, a speaker came to his middle school to talk about living a healthy lifestyle.
At the time, McCoy was drinking a six-pack of Dr. Pepper a day. "Athletes do not drink soda," the speaker said to a room full of student athletes between the ages of 10 and 13. "Soda slows you down." The comment fell on mostly deaf ears. But McCoy felt like it was aimed directly at him. He wanted to be a great quarterback. And quarterbacks are athletes. So the next day, McCoy swore off the stuff. "I was 12, but I knew I wanted to play at the highest level," McCoy told me last fall. To this day, he has never taken a sip of soda.
What does that story have to do with the Winter Olympics? A lot, actually. For the athletes here in Vancouver, the Olympics is more than just the fulfillment of a lifelong dream and the biggest competition stage of their lives. It is also a platform from which to influence young fans, to talk about the organizations they work with and to sell the messages they hope will be attached to their stories. Examples like McCoy's are proof that when the messages are packaged well, kids are willing to buy them.
And that's why, Monday afternoon, U.S. cross-country skiers Kikkan Randall and Andy Newell were spending their rest day between competition hanging with kids at an event held at the Spyder U.S. Ski team house in Whistler Village. Sponsored by the Century Council, a not-for-profit organization funded by distillers and aimed at eliminating drunk driving and underage drinking, Kid's Day was well worth the time away from training and race prep, Randall said.
"The Olympics is such a great platform for athletes to talk about the causes we care about, so I try to fit in any appearances I can," said Randall, who competes again Thursday in the 4x5km relay. "I love the message we're sending to these kids. Living healthy lifestyles is the key to doing what we do." Randall, who is from Anchorage, also works with a similar organization in her hometown called Healthy Futures, as well as Fast and Female, a group dedicated to helping teach young girls to feel empowered through playing sports.
"My aunt and uncle were Olympic cross-country skiers, and I latched on to them," Randall said. "When I was 5, I decided I wanted to go to the Olympics, and I had their example to follow. It's great to be that person for other kids."
Between stints spent signing autographs and talking with fans, Randall and Newell cheered on the kids while they played an interactive videogame as part of the Council's AskListenLearn campaign, which teaches kids the dangers of alcohol abuse and encourages parents to talk to their children about drinking. USA Softball team captain Jessica Mendoza stopped by to play a few rounds of the game as well.
"All these kids want to be Olympians," Mendoza said. "And the question they ask most is, 'How do I do it?' I can tell them it's by staying away from alcohol and drugs and being healthy and active. This is the perfect time for them to absorb it all in."
And who better to tell them than an Olympian.
"When I was a kid, I met Bill Koch and he signed my skis," Newell says. "He was the only American to win an Olympic medal in cross-country skiing and meeting him made an impression on me. It gave me the motivation to keep skiing, because I could get there one day, too."
Even if it meant making great sacrifices. Like ditching the Dr. Pepper.
Source: ESPN.com
Let's Move!
National rates of obesity have tripled in the past three decades to the point where one in three kids in the country are overweight. First Lady Michelle Obama just kicked off a new nationwide campaign called "Let's Move" to fight obesity in kids.
Some of the ways that "Let's Move" will help fight obesity will start right in your kid's schools. Healthier lunches, nutrition education, and physical activity are all part of the plan. We're big fans of adding physical activity and education to schools.
One of our partners, PE4Life, is all about providing quality physical education and doing it in a fun and interactive way! Professional sports are also helping to make "Let's Move" a success – the NFL, NLB, WNBA, and MLS will all be promoting "60 Minutes of Play a Day". We're especially glad that the MLS is helping out because we are proud sponsors of our local team in Washington D.C., D.C. United! Check out D.C. United Midfielder Devon's McTavish's Super Star profile and his PSA below.
We are big fans of Mrs. Obama's new campaign. The Century Council's Ask Listen Learn program encourages kids to say "YES" to a healthy lifestyle and "NO" to underage drinking. Promoting a healthy and active lifestyle is what being an A.L.L. Star is all about. Fighting obesity will allow kids to live to healthier and longer lives. This is a very important cause! Parents, please visit www.asklistenlearn.com with your son or daughter today.