Telford students honoured as sporting role models
Two Shropshire teenagers have been named “Gold Ambassadors” in a London 2012 Olympic scheme to inspire young people to pursue a healthy lifestyle.
The London Games are being used as a catalyst to encourage youngsters to motivate each other, with Emma Plumb and Michael Woolley picked as role models supporting the ideals of the Olympic movement.
The teenagers, both pupils at the Lord Silkin School, are now officially part of London's promise to use the power of the 2012 Olympics to inspire millions of young people to take an active interest in all kinds of sport.
Emma and Michael are representing the Madeley School Sport Partnership and recently attended a regional conference for Young Ambassadors from across the country at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
The event, organised by the Youth Sports Trust, was held to prepare the youngsters for the role they are to take on for the rest of the academic year.
Trevor Goddard, headteacher at the Lord Silkin School, said: “We are extremely proud of Emma and Michael and the part they will play not only in motivating other young people but also in how schools will benefit from the 2012 Olympic Games.
“Emma and Michael were chosen to be sports ambassadors because they are fabulous sporting role models, leading sessions for local primary school children. Emma also volunteers regularly at her gym club where she teaches the younger gymnasts and Michael has refereed football matches for children ages five through to 13.
“Being a Gold Ambassador means using the Olympics and its ideals to influence and inspire young people to participate in sport. Having attended the conference they will be instrumental in planning how the partnership can increase participation in school sport and how schools celebrate the year of the London Games.”
The Youth Sport Trust has been set up by the Government to work across local regions. It aims to use the inspiration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to increase participation in sport, and encouraging schools to join the 'Get Set' network made up of learning providers committed to bringing Olympic values to school sports planning.
