October 14, 2003
BLOOMINGTON - The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) embarks on a new "Challenge Yourself" values education program beginning Sunday (Oct. 19) in conjunction with National High School Activities Week.
National High School Activities week runs Sunday-Saturday (Oct. 19-25). Each day is earmarked to emphasize a specific aspect of the total interscholastic experience. This year's days are:
Sunday (Oct. 19) - National Be A Sport Day
Monday (Oct. 20) - National Fine Arts Activities Day
Tuesday (Oct. 21) - National Officials Day
Wednesday (Oct. 22) - National Youth Health Awareness Day
Thursday (Oct. 23) - National Coaches Day
Friday (Oct. 24) - National Fan Appreciation Day
Saturday (Oct. 25) - National Community Service/Participation Day
"The interscholastic athletics and activities experience is something we cannot take for granted," said IHSA Executive Director Dr. Martin L. Hickman. "For more than 100 years now the IHSA has provided the vehicle for recognition of students, their schools and their communities through competition in IHSA state series in sports and non-athletic activities. But participation in sports and activities is a lot more than just winning and losing. Students who participate in programs offered by their schools are taught life values that will make them a success as an adult in whatever endeavors they choose. We must teach our students, their coaches, their families and their supporters that it is very important to participate and to take advantages of learning opportunities that are uniquely made available to them through IHSA programs. That is why we are embarking on our 'Challenge Yourself' values education program."
Hickman said the goals of the campaign are: 1) to better communicate IHSA's position on interscholastic matters; 2) to change the public's perception of the IHSA and 3) increase participation.
Hickman said there are several messages that will be delivered during the campaign.
One is that the IHSA is about life values and that those involved in IHSA sports and activities need to challenge themselves to embody those life values every day.
A second is that parents, friends and fans have an obligation to reinforce the fact that students are challenged through participating and that parents, friends and fans must challenge themselves, too, by supporting, expressing and displaying those very same values.
A third is that all students in IHSA member schools, and there are more than 250,000 already involved each year, should challenge themselves by participating. In fact, even those already participating should challenge themselves with an additional opportunity to participate in athletics or activities.
"High school days should be golden days in everyone's life," Hickman said. "They are a time of passage from school to life, the rest of your life. Values learned through participation on the playing field, in the theater or the elsewhere in one's high school become forever etched within us.
"During our campaign we will challenge our students, their coaches and faculty and their supporters to focus on the life skills developed through of their participation," Hickman said. "While we want kids to be better softball players, better football players, and better orators through their participation in interscholastic programs, our primary goal is to help them become better citizens of this great country."
The values education program launches with a series of posters that will be distributed to all IHSA member schools for display and discussion beginning with National High School Activities Week.