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LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- Thousands of students will experience the sport of luge without ever leaving the classroom this spring, when USA Luge
Olympic and National Team athletes visit 25 middle schools from Maine to California.
The tour, which is part of the Verizon Win-At-School program, will bring students face-to-face with elite athletes and the thrilling sport of luge for an
unforgettable experience.
"Over the past nine years, the Win-At-School program has helped educators teach tens of thousands of students some of life's significant lessons,"
said Pat Hennebry, Verizon director of corporate sponsorships. "USA Luge athletes personify the values that Win-At-School stands for and we applaud
their efforts in making this program a wonderful success."
The participating schools and dates for the 2001 Verizon Win-At-School program are:
| April 23 | Scarborough Middle School | Scarborough, Maine |
| Mahoney Middle School | S. Portland, Maine | |
| School 74 | Buffalo, N.Y. | |
| School 27 | Buffalo, N.Y. | |
| April 24 | Oliver W. Winch Middle School | Albany, N.Y. |
| Cohoes Middle School | Cohoes, N.Y. | |
| Oblock Junior High School | Plum, Pa. | |
| Middle School East | Huntington, Pa. | |
| April 25 | Dearborn Middle School | Roxbury, Mass. |
| Myler Sulzberger Middle School | Philadelphia, Pa. | |
| GW Pepper Middle School | Philadelphia, Pa | |
| April 26 | Gorton Junior High School | Warwick, R.I. |
| Lombard Middle School | Baltimore, Md. | |
| April 27 | Richard R. Green Middle School | Bronx, N.Y |
| Manhattan Academy of Technology | New York, NY. | |
| McFarland Middle School | Washington, D.C. | |
| Hart Middle School | Washington, D.C. | |
| May 1 | Venice Area Middle School | Venice, Fla. |
| Madeira Beacon Middle School | Madeira Beach, Fla. | |
| May 2 | Hillwood Middle School | Fort Worth, Texas |
| Houston Middle School | Garland, Texas | |
| May 3 | St. John the Baptist Middle School | Draper, Utah |
| Eastmont Middle School | Sandy, Utah | |
| May 4 | Tracy High School | Cerritos, Calif. |
| Carmenti Middle School | Cerritos, Calif. |
The goal of the Win-At-School program is to encourage middle school students to work hard for their dreams and to recognize the value of dedication,
goal-setting and perseverance. USA Olympic Luge and National team athletes serve as role models for the students when they talk about their own dedication
and hard work.
In addition to hearing an inspirational speech from an athlete, the students view an exciting big-screen video about luge, Verizon's involvement and what it takes
to succeed. A curriculum guide also is provided for use in the classroom.
In keeping with the spirit of the Olympics, students at the participating schools will be invited to write short essays on the importance of cultural diversity in their
lives. Personal computers will be awarded to 17 essay contest winners nationwide, while 13 runners-up will receive $200 U.S. Savings Bonds from Verizon.
The partnership between Verizon and USA Luge has helped transform the team from a group of "field-fillers" in competition in the 1980s to a
unified and determined international powerhouse. American junior and senior athletes have won more than 220 international medals since 1990, including silver
and bronze medals in the 1998 Olympic Winter Games; a gold medal in the 2000 Inaugural Winter Goodwill Games and a team-record six medals at the 2001
Junior World Championships.
For more information, log on to www.usaluge.org.
Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of
wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with nearly 109 million access line equivalents and more than 27.5 million wireless customers. Verizon
is also the largest directory publisher in the world. A Fortune 10 company with approximately 260,000 employees and approximately $63 billion in annual
revenues, Verizon's global presence extends to 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.
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