Montrealalouettes.com
Montreal – A group of Montreal Alouettes players visited students at Poly-Jeunesse secondary school in Laval on Tuesday morning. Their visit helped launch the community out-reach partnership uniting the Alouettes and the Laval School Commission.
While speaking to hundreds of students, members of the school board, and the media, the Alouettes took the opportunity to highlight eighteen years of the team’s school visit program. Originally known as “Adopt an Alouette,” the initiative begins by addressing students from Secondary 1 to Secondary 5 about the importance of persevering in school, as well as making the right choices regarding a wide range of challenges that young people face. The speeches also address subjects like academic performance, consistency, peer pressure and self-esteem. “It’s always nice to speak to the students. It wasn’t too long ago that I was sitting on school benches just like the kids here, and it is very important for them to understand that I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t remain in school,” explained Martin Bédard, a Laval native.
Alouettes president and CEO Mark Weightman was also present and he took the opportunity to thank the members of the Laval School Board as well as wishing the students a successful academic year. “Today’s unveiling of this partnership at the Poly-Jeunesse school is a great way to show students that the Alouettes are here with them when it comes to their academic success. More than ever, our program is oriented so that our youth can reach their full potential through hard work and dedication. This new community partnership will allow many Laval-area schools the opportunity to interact with members of the Montreal Alouettes,” Mr. Weightman said.
A fundraiser is currently underway to help finance activities held by the Laval School Board. For this year’s Thanksgiving Day game (Monday, October 12 against the Toronto Argonauts), the Montreal Alouettes have allocated various seats to CSDL members, partners and students for the benefit of Laval-based students.
The Alouettes have also partnered with the following school boards for the upcoming year: the English Montreal School Board, the New Frontiers School Board, the Lester B. Pearson School Board, the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, la commission scolaire Marie-Victorin et la Commission scolaire de la Pointe de l’île. Activities are planned for the launch of this year’s “Together at School with the Alouettes” program as well as the School Perseverance week in Quebec and will be unveiled in the upcoming weeks.
