Together at School with CN and the Alouettes kicks off for 2014
Published on January 29, 2014 under Canadian Football League (CFL)
Montreal Alouettes News Release
Montreal, January 29, 2014 - A number of Montreal Alouettes players met with students at Ecole Jeanne-Mance in Montreal on Wednesday for the official launch of the Together at School with CN and the Alouettes program for 2014 which will run through the end of April.
During this morning's visit, the players on-hand reached out to over 500 students from Grades 7 to 11 in the school's auditorium about the importance of making the right choices and academic perseverance. This was immediately followed by a friendly game of basketball between the school's Juvenile team and Alouettes players in the school's gym. The Alouettes players also took time from their busy schedules to sign autographs and take photos with the students.
Together at School with CN and the Alouettes is a community outreach program that will see the Alouettes visit over 60,000 students in 120 schools in 2014.
"We are extremely proud of our players' commitment to this program, as each of the participants had to undergo four days of intensive training sessions at CN Headquarters earlier this month," said Montreal Alouettes President and C.E.O., Mark Weightman. "This training also included French lessons as our French-speaking players teamed up with instructors to help their Anglophone teammates better interact with the children they meet and to encourage the students to perform at school."
The program's main goal is to encourage kids to stay in school while focusing on the wide array of challenges that students face today, ranging from bullying and academic performance to peer pressure and the importance of staying active. Through these visits the Alouettes look to inspire and motivate the students they meet to make the right choices and to reach their full potential through hard work and dedication.
This marks the 17th winter during which Alouettes players visit schools across the province, as the team have been active in Montreal schools since 1998, with CN having teamed up in 2001 to support youth education in Quebec and encourage kids to stay in school. The Together at School with CN and the Alouettes program also incorporates a tutoring component, which spans the entire school year.
"By having my teammates and I physically present in schools and interacting directly with the students across Quebec, we are able to bring smiles to children in addition to conveying words of encouragement," revealed Alouettes centre Luc Brodeur-Jourdain. "Our goal is to inspire them and to positively impact their lives."
The players in this year's program include: Luc Brodeur-Jourdain, John Bowman, Eric Deslauriers, Martin Bedard, Josh Bourke, Kyries Hebert, Kristian Matte, Ameet Pall as well as program newcomers Jeff Perrett and Nicolas Boulay. All players participating in this year's program have completed a week-long training session at CN Headquarters led by experts in both mentoring and counseling. For the second consecutive year, the participating players also received French lessons in order to better interact with the students, and will continue learning French throughout the duration of this year's school visits.
This year, the launch will commence a few days before the official start of the province-wide Hooked on School Days week, a mobilization event with the purpose of getting the community active and involved to speak to youth about effort, perseverance, the risks of dropping out of school and the advantages of obtaining a diploma.
Tailored initiatives
To offer visits tailored to students, Together at School with CN and the Alouettes initiatives are divided into three categories. During elementary school visits, four to six players are divided into groups and visit different classrooms to meet with the children. All students then congregate in the gym where activities and games are played by the students, the teachers and the players. During the high school visits, one player leads a motivational conference attended by the student body on different topics such as perseverance, bullying and the importance of having a passion. The floor is then open for an interactive Q+A session with the player.
Tutors from local Universities
Since 2012, participating schools have been receiving tutoring twice a week. The tutors are volunteer students from local universities and are joined by Alouettes players who provide mentoring, support and leadership to those receiving tutorial aid. This third initiative that starts in September fulfills the main goal of the program over a longer period.
For a list of participating schools and more information including how to apply for a program visit, go to = CN.school.MontrealAlouettes.com .
Canadian Football League Stories from January 29, 2014
- Tiger-Cats Add Four Canadians - Hamilton Tiger-Cats
- Dimitri Tsoumpas Announces Retirement - Calgary Stampeders
- Blue Bombers Acquire Non-Import Defensive Back Matt Bucknor in Trade with Hamilton - Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Tiger-Cats Complete Trade with Winnipeg - Hamilton Tiger-Cats
- Together at School with CN and the Alouettes kicks off for 2014 - Montreal Alouettes
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