For the fifth year in a row, some very fortunate students in southeast Saskatchewan will once again have the opportunity to be mentored by some of Canada’s best athletes as they reach for their own dreams at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, Korea this February.
Classroom Champions, an education and mentorship charity that pairs athletes as mentors with students across Canada and the U.S., has continued its partnership with Crescent Point Energy to position students for success.
Crescent Point Energy’s continued support of the Classroom Champions will provide 16 schools in Saskatchewan and Alberta, as well as three schools in Colorado, with valuable mentorship opportunities from world class athletes. Nine-time World Cup para-snowboarding medalist Michelle Salt will work with students in Estevan, Regina and Weyburn, ranging from Grade 1 to Grade 7. Canadian Skeleton Champion Barrett Martineau will work with students in Carlyle and Radville, ranging from kindergarten to Grade 6.
Each athlete will work alongside teachers in their respective communities to help students build skills such as perseverance, effective goal setting, positive leadership and embracing diversity.
Kendra Gonczy, who teaches Grades 1 and 2 at Assiniboia Park Elementary School in Weyburn, worked with Michelle Salt during her first year with Classroom Champions, and this is her third year with the organization.
“Students at our school often use the lessons they learned from Classroom Champions,” she said. “I see them lifting each other up in positive ways on the playground and supporting each other in any way they can. They leave my class believing they can do anything they want, and I know they will always remember the words ‘dream big’ in whatever they do.”
“Crescent Point’s community investment strategy focuses on three pillars, two of which are education and sports. The way in which Classroom Champions combines these two pillars has made them a natural fit for us from the start,” said Scott Saxberg, President and CEO, Crescent Point Energy. “We’ve seen the positive effect that Classroom Champions has had on the communities where we operate, as well as on the athletes that we sponsor. Like Crescent Point, Classroom Champions believes in enriching communities, and we are truly proud to have had a long-standing partnership with such an impactful organization.”
Classroom Champions connects world-class athletes volunteering as mentors with students through monthly video lessons, live video chats and in-class visits that build healthy relationships, encourage school engagement, foster strong classroom culture, boost self-esteem and show students that anything is possible. Since launching in 2009, Classroom Champions has established itself in more than 1,000 classrooms ranging from kindergarten to Grade 8 and has mentored more than 25,000 students across Canada and the U.S. “It’s truly inspiring to witness the impact our athletes continue to have on students and to see the strong relationships they develop with their athlete mentors,” said Steve Mesler, Olympic and World Champion as well as Co-Founder and CEO of Classroom Champions. “We are grateful for the support of Crescent Point and the company’s commitment to building mentorship opportunities for students in the coming years.”
