Know Greater Heroes Program New to SLCC
Kathy Rekoutis
Issue date: 2/8/05 Section: Campus
The "Know Greater Heroes" program is new to SLCC. It is a program in which student athletes learn how to present an anti alcohol, drug and tobacco program to elementary students in a school assembly they will perform in.
The shows are described as playful, energetic and unforgettable. The heroes care about the kids and that comes through in the program. The message is timely and the values taught by the heroes help kids believe in themselves and walk through their fears. "Children are taught through example how to be their own greatest hero."
Over the next few years, athletes, or rather, heroes, from the volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball teams and cheerleaders, will perform this program to over 83,000 kids. The school districts targeted are, Granite, Jordan, Murray and Salt Lake.
Mark Middlebrook, the interim Executive Director of the Development Office, Andrew Wallace, Vise President of Marketing in the Athletic Department, and Shay Clemensen, the women's volleyball coach are the development team behind this program.
Middlebrook has been a driving force in bringing this program to SLCC, procuring sponsors and marketing the project to the school districts.
The current sponsors for Know Greater Heroes include the Utah Jazz and Jazz Bear, Larry H. Miller Charities, Performance Audio and the Air Force Reserve. The program needs about 10 sponsors, which will underwrite the cost of the entire program.
"This program won't cost the elementary schools anything. We will give away T-Shirts, a course outline and lesson plan and booklets that address each core value, as well as posters for each classroom," said Middlebrook. The teachers can use these as supplemental teaching aids with their own lesson plans.
"Know Greater Heroes," first started by a student at UVSC about 3 years ago. It has become so popular with elementary students that there is currently a yearlong waiting list for the performance.
The program's core values that are taught through an assembly, speak of being a leader, believing in oneself and being a force for good. Part of the focus is to help kids stand up to peer pressure and understand they have a support system to help them do that.
Each year the performances and message will be a little bit different specific to current issues addressing kids.
"I'm thrilled about it," said Middlebrook. "If I were to die tomorrow, I'd want to make sure this legacy continued. This program is somewhat of a replacement for the D.A.R.E. program that was in Utah but lost it's funding."
In addition to the "Know Greater Heroes" program, Middlebrook's responsibilities as interim President of Development include, scholarships, fund raising for the athletic department, and helping clubs and organizations develop fund raising opportunities. He is also in charge of raising the remaining 5.6 million dollars for the Health Science Center by May.
"The Health Science Center will house most of the medical programs. The number of graduated nursing students will go from 175 to 375 once that building is built. There is an important need for the Health Science Center." Said Middlebrook.
The shows are described as playful, energetic and unforgettable. The heroes care about the kids and that comes through in the program. The message is timely and the values taught by the heroes help kids believe in themselves and walk through their fears. "Children are taught through example how to be their own greatest hero."
Over the next few years, athletes, or rather, heroes, from the volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball teams and cheerleaders, will perform this program to over 83,000 kids. The school districts targeted are, Granite, Jordan, Murray and Salt Lake.
Mark Middlebrook, the interim Executive Director of the Development Office, Andrew Wallace, Vise President of Marketing in the Athletic Department, and Shay Clemensen, the women's volleyball coach are the development team behind this program.
Middlebrook has been a driving force in bringing this program to SLCC, procuring sponsors and marketing the project to the school districts.
The current sponsors for Know Greater Heroes include the Utah Jazz and Jazz Bear, Larry H. Miller Charities, Performance Audio and the Air Force Reserve. The program needs about 10 sponsors, which will underwrite the cost of the entire program.
"This program won't cost the elementary schools anything. We will give away T-Shirts, a course outline and lesson plan and booklets that address each core value, as well as posters for each classroom," said Middlebrook. The teachers can use these as supplemental teaching aids with their own lesson plans.
"Know Greater Heroes," first started by a student at UVSC about 3 years ago. It has become so popular with elementary students that there is currently a yearlong waiting list for the performance.
The program's core values that are taught through an assembly, speak of being a leader, believing in oneself and being a force for good. Part of the focus is to help kids stand up to peer pressure and understand they have a support system to help them do that.
Each year the performances and message will be a little bit different specific to current issues addressing kids.
"I'm thrilled about it," said Middlebrook. "If I were to die tomorrow, I'd want to make sure this legacy continued. This program is somewhat of a replacement for the D.A.R.E. program that was in Utah but lost it's funding."
In addition to the "Know Greater Heroes" program, Middlebrook's responsibilities as interim President of Development include, scholarships, fund raising for the athletic department, and helping clubs and organizations develop fund raising opportunities. He is also in charge of raising the remaining 5.6 million dollars for the Health Science Center by May.
"The Health Science Center will house most of the medical programs. The number of graduated nursing students will go from 175 to 375 once that building is built. There is an important need for the Health Science Center." Said Middlebrook.
