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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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