IMA SENDS STUDENTS TO SALT LAKE CITY GAMES

 

 
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In what was a unique and memorable experience, the International Medalist Association took a group of students, three from Baltimore and one from Prince George’s County, to the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.  This trip, representing a joint effort on the part of the International Medalist Association, the France Merrick Foundation – Chesapeake Center for Human Development, and the Abell Foundation – Best Friends Program, commenced  with the children’s departure via America West Airlines from BWI airport at 10:00am on Friday, February 22 and their return at 10:12pm on Wednesday, February 27.

Three of the four young people chosen for this experience are Baltimore residents Tiara Early – St. Frances High School, and Atiyah Robinson and Tammy Norris, both of Ben Franklin Middle School.  The fourth student, Recardio Williams, attends the Flowers High School in Lanham, Maryland.

It was the intent of the International Medalist Association to provide these young people with an opportunity to take part in the 2002 Olympic Games, the most celebrated sporting event in the world.  The students experienced first hand “Olympism” and the Spirit of the Games.  In addition to attending the sporting events and participating in the ritual of pin trading, they attended the theater for a dance recital and meet and talk to Olympians from around the world.  For most of these students this was their first plane trip.

 Beatrice Rice, Vice President of the IMA, saw this as a wonderful opportunity to “take inner city kids to the Olympic Games”.  “We don’t know yet when the Olympics will return to the United States”, says Ms. Rice “so we had to take advantage of this opportunity.  The cooperation and assistance of the Abell Foundation and the France Merrick Foundation was crucial as is the support of the Washington 2012 Coalition, a U.S. Bid City for the 2012 Olympic Games.  Meredith Valmon a 1992 and 1996 Olympian (track & field) and Nathaniel Mills, Olympian and former U.S. Olympic speed skating coach,  hosted the students while in Salt Lake City.”

 In addition to this special experience for these four students, the International Medalisst Association has provided athletic training scholarships to America’s elementary and middle school youth who desire to participate in a sport, but due to a lack of financial resources they are unable to be competitive on a national level.  IMA also supports community outreach programs instituted by Olympians whose post-Olympic endeavors have been dedicated to serving their communities.

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