June 2, 2006 – The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Premier National Partner, RBC Financial Group, recently announced the eight schools selected as the grand prize winners of the Canadian Olympic School Program.

“We are very pleased to provide the Canadian Olympic School program to children across the country and to recognize these eight schools,” said Catherine Crozier, managing director, sponsorship marketing, RBC. “As a long-standing supporter of Canadian amateur sport, we hope that this program educates youth on the merits of sport in Canada, while also providing them with an opportunity to participate in and encourage healthy active lifestyles.”

Each grand prize winner received an Olympic-themed sports kit, courtesy of RBC. The sport kit includes an array of sports equipment such as basketballs, soccer and volleyballs, hockey sticks, pucks and much more. In addition, the kit provides the grand prize winners with 12 gold medals, 12 scrimmage vests and an Olympic Games banner.

“We’re very proud of the success and increasing reach of the Canadian Olympic School Program,” said COC Chief Executive Officer Chris Rudge. “In 2005-06, over 10,000 teachers from across Canada participated in the program. Together with RBC, we look forward to growing this program in the coming years and educating more students on the Olympic values and the benefits of physical fitness.”

Presented by RBC and available online at www.olympicschool.ca, the Canadian Olympic School program is a free online teacher resource that offers engaging information about the Olympic Games and Canadian athletes as a tool to educate, motivate and inspire students to become Smarter, Better and Stronger. Developed in cooperation with teachers from across Canada, the program is designed to promote Olympic values and the importance of health and physical activity.

Concluding its 19th year of operation, the Canadian Olympic School Program links stories about Canadian athletes from athletics, freestyle skiing, ice hockey and snowboarding into lesson plans and adaptable classroom-ready activities in the areas of language, mathematics, health and physical education for students in Grades 4 to 6. This year’s program encouraged children to embrace Olympic themes while generating excitement for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

To enter the contest, teachers were asked to submit a completed Canadian Olympic School Program student activity. The mailing deadline for contest entries was May 1, 2006. A random draw was held on May 8, 2006.

The Canadian Olympic Committee is a national, private, not-for-profit organization committed to sport excellence. It is responsible for all aspects of Canada’s involvement in the Olympic movement, including Canada’s participation in the Olympic and Pan American Games and a wide variety of programs that promote the Olympic Movement in Canada through cultural and educational means. For more information see the COC website: www.olympic.ca.

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2005-2006 Canadian Olympic School Program Grand Prize Winners

School Teacher Grade City
-Ranch Park Elementary School Dana Robb 5 Coquitlam, B.C.
-Bisset Elementary School Terri Elliott 5/6 Edmonton, Alta.
-Pinewood Public School Doris Boyd 5 Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
-Holy Family Catholic School Frank Greco 6 London, Ont.
-St. Monica Catholic School Samantha Macdonald 6 Toronto, Ont.
-Fern Hill School of Ottawa Richard Forsyth 6 Ottawa, Ont.
-École Sts-Martyrs Canadiens Caroline Cyr 3 Montreal, Que.
-New Germany Elementary School Dawn Henderson 6 New Germany, N.S.