Montreal – The Montreal Alouettes organization, in partnership with the Alouettes Foundation, proudly launched on Wednesday morning at Calixa-Lavallée High School in Montreal-North the 19th edition of their Together at School with the Alouettes program. Once again this year, Alouettes players will visit more than 45 000 high school level students in over 100 teaching establishments throughout Quebec.
The Alouettes took advantage of the “Hooked on School” days in Quebec to take part in this celebration of education, reiterating their commitment in the battle to counter school dropout rates and the importance of their implication in local provincial schools.
“It is with great pride that the Alouettes Foundation presents the 19th edition of the Together at School program. Academic perseverance is deeply integrated in the DNA of our Foundation. I am not surprised to see that again this year our players are driven by a profound desire to contribute to the success of our youth”, stated Alouettes Foundation Director, Annie Larouche.
During the course of this morning’s visit, the players addressed over 300 students about the importance of academic perseverance and making good choices, while touching on other topics such as performance in school, consistency, peer pressure and self-esteem. The Alouettes players also took the time to sign autographs, take pictures and further engage with students. The youths also received a visit from Mrs. Chantal Rossi, the mayor of Montreal-North and were surprised with a video on academic perseverance and encouragement from some of Quebec showbusiness personnalities.
“Meeting young students in schools is very rewarding and this is something that my teammates and I take very seriously. We all have the desire to positively impact the journey of these young people,” said Alouettes safety Marc-Olivier Brouillette. “The Together at School with the Alouettes program is a worthwhile experience because we get to meet these students at a moment in their lives where having good role models and making good choices are a crucial elements in their development to becoming adults.”
New key partnerships
Continuously dedicated to supporting youth-related causes in Quebec, the Montreal organization also took advantage of the occasion to proudly unveil the arrival of Familiprix as the new sponsor for their program Together at School with the Alouettes. This new collaboration will enrich the activities of the program and will ensure continued success for the future of the program. Familiprix generously offered a package to all of the young students present. This bundle, specifically designed for teenagers, addresses a number of subjects, including puberty, sexuality, contraception, drugs and alcohol.
“We are aware that sports are an excellent medium with which to encourage healthy living. Sports also help to further promote the idea that maintaining a healthy mind and body benefits the process of making good decisions, like that of staying in school! We are very proud to be associated with the Together at School with the Alouettes program” stated M. André Rhéaume, Vice-President of Marketing for Familiprix.
To take their community involvement to the next level, the team has also partnered with the recognized youth support organization Kids Help Phone to give the Alouettes players guidance on how to deal with issues pertaining to dropouts, bullying, peer pressure and academic perseverance when visiting local schools as part of the Together at School program. With these initiatives, kids learn who they can turn to for help and advice, whether it be friends, family, teachers or counsellors. Programs like Together at School are ways in which to reach out to the community and to show kids that they are not alone in their struggles. The goal is to use the Alouettes players as role models to give local youth tools and motivation for personal and academic success.
“The Alouettes take to heart the development and growth of tomorrow’s citizens. By visiting thousands of Quebec students, we hope that these encounters with our players gives a sense of meaning to their studies and an extra motivation to keep working hard. The battle against dropout rates is a priority for our organization and we are proud to contribute” declared the President and CEO of the Montreal Alouettes, Mark Weightman.
Prior to visiting high school level kids across the province, the players underwent 24 hours of training with education, mentoring and counselling specialists in order to be better equipped to help and guide the students. For the fourth straight year, the players involved are taking French lessons in order to better interact with the students during their school visits. These courses are being continued on a weekly basis until the end of April.
The players in this year’s program include: Luc Brodeur-Jourdain, Kyries Hebert, Martin Bédard, Kristian Matte, Nicolas Boulay, Tyrell Sutton, Jean-Christophe Beaulieu, as well as 2016 program newcomers Marc-Olivier Brouillette, Billy Parker, Daryl Townsend et Jesse Joseph.
For additional information on the Together at School program and how to apply for a visit, you can visit our website:http://en.montrealalouettes.com/page/together-at-school.
MUST SEEN: Alouettes kick off Together at School program
