Wednesday, February 1, 2006
MONTREAL, QUE -- The Montreal Impact, the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) and the Commission scolaire de Montréal (CDSM) have announced the creation of a new stay-in-school program called All the way with the Impact (Jusqu’au bout avec l’Impact), designed to promote the importance of persevering in school.
The official English launch took place Wednesday morning at Edward Murphy Elementary School in Hochelaga Maisonneuve.
“We are pleased to launch this new program because, as a non-profit organization, our mission has always been to help the community,” said Impact President Joey Saputo. “We have several players on the team who have reached a high level of athletic excellence, while continuing their studies. Because of their perseverance and success, they are great role models that kids can identify with.”
EMSB Chairman Dominic Spiridigliozzi applauded the initiative. “Players from the Impact serve as role models for our students,” he remarked. “This is a terrific initiative which we back enthusiastically.”
Over the next few weeks, Impact players will visit EMSB and CSDM elementary schools and discuss with the kids the importance of staying in school and striving for excellence.
As part of the partnership, the Impact’s June 14 game against the Atlanta Silverbacks will be dedicated to the school boards. The Impact will hold a special ceremony before the game highlighting some of the most outstanding students, and bursaries will be awarded to the top students. These bursaries will be named in honour of the late Tony Licursi, the longtime Impact statistician who died recently. Mr. Licursi was a member of the EMSB’s James Lyng High School Alumni Association.
Impact players are also involved in other programs with the school boards, including an after school program, a back-to-school program with Regroupement Magasins-Partage and the CSDM, as well as Heart Week, in partnership with the EMSB.
The Impact will kick off the 2006 First Division United Soccer Leagues season on Sunday, April 23 in Florida, against the expansion-team Miami F.C. The Impact will play the 13th home opener of its history at Claude-Robillard Sports Complex on Sunday, May 21, against the Minnesota Thunder.
