Picture: Donna Oates
By Lia Bichel
Grade 3 and 4 students are excited about speaking to ski crosser Katya Crema today (Thursday). 42677
DANDENONG Primary School students are in for a special treat today (Thursday) as a Winter Olympian speaks with them on the internet.
Grade 3 and 4 students have been busy preparing questions and decorating their classrooms for the special visit from ski crosser Katya Crema, due to take place this morning.
Ms Crema, a 20-year-old from Mt Buller, made a ski cross comeback in 2008/09 after returning from a knee reconstruction following an injury she received during training in Switzerland in March 2008.
Prior to taking up ski cross, Ms Crema was an alpine skier and won the national junior GS title in 2006, the national junior and open slalom titles in 2007 and won silver in slalom in the ANZ Cup the same year.
She is one of many members of the Australian Olympic Winter Team to volunteer in taking part in the Chat to Champ program, during their time in Vancouver.
Ten athletes will conduct 30 sessions aimed to teach children about fair play, honesty and striving to do their best.
Other Olympians to participate in the program include Torah Bright, Jenny Owens, Emma Lincoln-Smith, Sophie Muir, Alex Pullen and Damon Hayler.
Chat to Champ is part of the Australian Olympic Committee’s (AOC) Education Program which was launched by Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard in 2008.
AOC President John Coates said he was extremely proud of the results achieved from the Chat to Champ program since it began.
“The IOC has urged all National Olympic Committees to engage with the youth of the world and we have certainly embraced the concept through our Boxing Kangaroo Education Program,” he said.
“Via the internet we are able to share the Olympic ideals with young Australians anywhere in the country, it doesn’t matter how remote the location might be.”
“The Boxing Kangaroo is the flagship of the program which also provides teachers with lessons they can download free of charge.”
