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Ato
Boldon and Michael Phillips sign autographs for students
during yesterday’s second leg of the Guardian in Education
Making a Difference schools tour at Princes Town Senior
Comprehensive.
Phillips
takes full command of the stage during his contribution.
Boldon
stoops to make a point during his contribution.
Photos: TONY HOWELL
By
Lisa Allen-Agostini
Southern students got a treat yesterday, when sports celebrities
Ato Boldon and Michael Phillips went to Princes Town Senior
Comprehensive, as part of the Guardian in Education Making
a Difference schools tour.
The tour will take the sprinter and cyclist-cum-artist,
along with 1998 Miss Universe Wendy Fitzwilliam, WI cricket
captain Brian Lara and Olympic swimming champ George Bovell
III, to schools all over the country.
As motivational speakers, the national icons will share
their experiences and what has made them who they are.
The series is a partnership between the celebrities, the
Trinidad Publishing Co, the Ministry of Education, and sponsors
National Gas Co, RBTT Bank, Guardian Holdings, BG T&T
and Yara Trinidad Ltd.
Boldon, who holds four Olympic medals and the Commonwealth
Games 100 metres record, retired from the athletic limelight
last year.
He is now working on a career in broadcasting.
In his remarks, he emphasised the value of a good reputation.
Boldon said in light of doping scandals plaguing many of
the athletes of his generation, he had avoided taking drugs
because of the damage it would have done to his reputation.
“I
would not have wanted people thinking T&T is a place
where people like to cut corners,” he said to his young
fans.
They cheered his declaration, later on, that he was glad
he had decided to run for this country and not the US.
He urged the students of the host school, and visiting students
from St Stephen’s College, to dream and work towards
their dreams.
“The
most important thing you have going is your drive and your
confidence,” Boldon said.
Phillips, who rode for T&T numerous times at the World
Championships and CAC Games, said building his character,
as if it were a brand, was one of the secrets of his success.
He told the students a good name was among their most important
assets.
Using bottled water as an illustration, he likened appearance
to packaging, action to marketing and character to content.
“I
had to work on me the person and what I was going to be
as the product,” he said.
The pair went into the rows of seated students during question
time and were mobbed after the presentation.
Boldon noted with appreciation that students took notes
during each speech.
The Making a Difference tour is part of the 2005 Guardian
in Education programme.
The four-year-old programme is an essay-writing competition
with valuable cash and other prizes on offer to participants
and their schools.
This year, students are asked to write on the speeches of
the celebrities, focusing especially on how those speeches
have inspired them to change their value systems.
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