March 29, 2024, 01:31:51 AM

Author Topic: Stern John reads to children  (Read 2947 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Tallman

  • Administrator
  • Hero Warrior
  • *****
  • Posts: 25253
    • View Profile
Stern John reads to children
« on: October 03, 2012, 09:30:36 PM »
Stern John reads to children
ctntworld.com


John spent just over an hour with students from standards one to three, reading to them and engaging in a question and answer segment.

He answered several questions from  curious students about his football career and life in general and he also stressed the need for the little ones to see reading as more than a hobby.

John handed out some three hundred autographed bookmarks which carried a profile and further information on his recently set up Legacy Foundation.

He also presented a Legacy of the Soca Warriors Book to the School’s library technician Lesley Ann Seegobin as well as several other books to the school’s main library.

“This was an ideal opportunity for me to spend some valuable time with the kids and share some of my stories with them and it was really heartwarming to see their reactions to what took place this morning,” John said.

“Even though I played football all my life, being able to read and understand has helped me a lot along the way and I wanted to get this over to the kids – the importance of reading to allow yourselves to learn more and also have a good sporting background,” John added.

Shalini Beharry, a member of the Stern John Legacy Foundation mentioned that John would also be getting involved in different aspects of development in the coming months.

“The foundation consists of four pillars which includes Read, which we covered today, Grow – which is to encourage the growing of crops in homes and schools especially by the younger ones, Play – which will be done through football coaching and other exercises and Serve which is something a bit more personal to Stern because he wants to contribute to cancer and epilepsy awareness. Stern’s mom died of cancer last year and he has a family member who is epileptic,” Beharry stated.

“The foundation is just a way of me trying to keep active by contributing back to the national society because while I might have played in England, the chance to represent my country is what created opportunities for me to establish myself at a higher level on the international front.  Hopefully I can have some partners come on board and join this cause because I think there’s a lot we can offer back to society,” the 35-year-old John added.

The Conquering Lion of Judah shall break every chain.

Offline Football supporter

  • Hero Warrior
  • *****
  • Posts: 5209
    • View Profile
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2012, 11:33:57 PM »
 :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:  Good to see this kind of story. Well done, Stern

Offline Raul

  • Full Warrior
  • ***
  • Posts: 142
  • ˇHala Madrid!
    • View Profile
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2012, 04:29:16 AM »
"and I was playing tata in the previous games, scoring yes, but missing a lot of sitters, and some were even booing me....but then the Guatemala home game rolled around and..."

Offline Dutty

  • Hero Warrior
  • *****
  • Posts: 9578
    • View Profile
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2012, 06:17:38 AM »
"and I was playing tata in the previous games, scoring yes, but missing a lot of sitters, and some were even booing me....but then the Guatemala home game rolled around and..."

 :rotfl: :rotfl:
Little known fact: The online transportation medium called Uber was pioneered in Trinidad & Tobago in the 1960's. It was originally called pullin bull.

Offline vb

  • Board Moderator
  • Hero Warrior
  • *
  • Posts: 8281
    • View Profile
    • http://www.caribsport01.homestead.com/caribsport.html
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2012, 01:53:35 PM »
 :beermug: :beermug: :beermug:
VITAMIN V...KEEPS THE LADIES HEALTHY...:-)

Offline Mad Scorpion a/k/a Big Bo$$

  • Hero Warrior
  • *****
  • Posts: 2720
  • a/k/a Optimus Prime
    • View Profile
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2012, 02:02:07 PM »
so it safe to say he fitball career in Hinglan dun?!!

Offline pardners

  • Hero Warrior
  • *****
  • Posts: 1583
    • View Profile
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2012, 02:11:23 PM »
so it safe to say he fitball career in Hinglan dun?!!

Well I see him running out for the newest Pro League club.  :-\
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better."        Every once in while a good post does come along.

Offline Pointman

  • Hero Warrior
  • *****
  • Posts: 4700
  • T&T football: win or lose, we still fetein'
    • View Profile
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2012, 04:35:51 PM »
WELL DONE STERN!!  WELL DONE :beermug:
Trini to de bone; Pointman to de bone.

Offline ZANDOLIE

  • Hero Warrior
  • *****
  • Posts: 4334
    • View Profile
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2012, 06:22:16 PM »
"and I was playing tata in the previous games, scoring yes, but missing a lot of sitters, and some were even booing me....but then the Guatemala home game rolled around and..."

 :devil: :devil: :devil:

One thing with stern, he always pays it back to the local children.  :beermug: :beermug: :beermug:
Sacred cows make the best hamburger

Offline Big Magician

  • Hero Warrior
  • *****
  • Posts: 6725
    • View Profile
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #9 on: October 06, 2012, 08:40:42 AM »
Legend 14... had a small chat with him last week...looking fit
Little Magician is King.......ask Jorge Campos


Offline Raul

  • Full Warrior
  • ***
  • Posts: 142
  • ˇHala Madrid!
    • View Profile
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #10 on: October 06, 2012, 09:15:38 AM »
Anyone can guess what the little girl was going to ask?

"Sir! Sir! I am six years old... Can you tell me who you are? And also what is a Soca Warrior?"

Offline mukumsplau

  • Hero Warrior
  • *****
  • Posts: 2035
    • View Profile
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #11 on: October 06, 2012, 09:19:58 AM »
yute in d third row givin his best " stern trow way agaiiin" impression

Offline Tallman

  • Administrator
  • Hero Warrior
  • *****
  • Posts: 25253
    • View Profile
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #12 on: October 10, 2012, 05:13:03 AM »
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/bFoKDN5w9co" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/bFoKDN5w9co</a>
The Conquering Lion of Judah shall break every chain.

Offline fishs

  • I believe in the stars in the dark night.
  • Hero Warrior
  • *****
  • Posts: 3856
    • View Profile
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #13 on: October 15, 2012, 06:51:45 AM »

 That is my daughter with her hand up in the air.
Ah want de woman on de bass

Offline Tallman

  • Administrator
  • Hero Warrior
  • *****
  • Posts: 25253
    • View Profile
The real value of our role models
« Reply #14 on: October 18, 2012, 02:16:25 PM »
The real value of our role models
By Shaun Fuentes (TTFF)


A couple weeks ago I had the privilege of experiencing first-hand the impact a sporting hero can have on our young ones as I accompanied footballer Stern John to the St Monica’s Preparatory School on Dundonald Street, Port of Spain.
 
This was all part of an initiative of the Stern John Legacy Foundation which John had the desire to set up for over a year, and finally came to fruit after tedious planning and setting up by co-founder Shalini Beharry and myself.
 
With it being literacy week, we thought it would be the ideal opportunity for John to pay the school a visit and share some of his experiences with the kids.
 
We seldom recognise the influence sporting personalities and heroes can have on our kids and it was obvious based on what we subsequently encountered at the school.
 
Close to 200 students turned up at the drama hall in very orderly manner to meet the former Birmingham City forward. Now while John has had his fair share of success, we have to be honest that he is not actually the most successful current day athlete when compared to some of our recent Olympic athletes and regional cricketers. But I was shocked by the response of the kids, most or all who would have been between ages one and three in 2006 when the footballer appeared at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
 
Still, there were loud cheers and lots of oohs and ahhs when John was introduced as the country’s top goalscorer and member of the 2006 World Cup team. Several of the young ones seemed aware of the 2006 experience and were thrilled to receive among other books, the Legacy of the Soca Warriors biography and bookmarks bearing John’s profile and information on the foundation. I think even John himself was taken aback by the response. This was more than just showing up for an autograph session, giving away sporting gear, or posing for photographs.
 
This more meaningful approach produced a positive result as a role model initiative. So it is difficult to understand how these types of opportunities are easily overlooked. In my experience, many athletes or other type role models have been pigeonholed into celebrity type appearances or award presentations.
 
We must realise that sporting role models have so much more to offer. They have a very unique position to educate and influence. Through our scheme, we want to put across the many depths and attributes of what it takes to be a world class athlete and break these down into a variety of settings. Each athlete has an individual story to tell and these often relate to experiences that young people are facing every day. Key themes that our athletes explore are things like maximising potential, following your own aspirations (not just in sport), the importance of diet and physical activity, behaviour, lifestyle, self-discipline...the themes go on and on.
 
On the heels of our 2012 Olympic success, that of our Twenty20 cricketers and even our 2006 World Cup team (though it now seems so long ago), we must see that the importance of sporting role models has never been more relevant and it is such a fantastic way to bring the two together to really make a difference.
 
John responded to questions from a couple of nine-year-olds about his upbringing.
 
“I was just like you at one stage in my life. I never liked reading too much, but my mom always tried to ensure that I at least read the newspaper every day. That helped me a lot because not only was I playing football everyday, but I was able to read and understand things that were happening out there. I was able to read about people who I wanted to grow up and be like.”
 
He urged them to keep reading and try to learn a little bit more every day.
 
“As a young kid, I wasn’t the best footballer but I had a bit of talent and I think I worked really hard. I had to do more than some of the other players but it paid off because I was able to make a career out of it and now I can hopefully make a contribution towards kids like you who want to be successful in life.”
 
In closing, I’d like to share something which made me appreciate the value of following the exploits of role models. In 1989, at the tender age of eight, I followed every match of the 1990 Road to Italy World Cup qualifying campaign. To this day, I still have autographed team posters and player photos. I was amazed at the joy those times brought to all those around me.
 
I kept in touch and I kept following. Seventeen years later, I accompanied the same Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy to one of the World’s greatest sporting stages in Germany as their Media Officer.
 
Keep following and keep believing!

The Conquering Lion of Judah shall break every chain.

Offline asylumseeker

  • Moderator
  • Hero Warrior
  • *****
  • Posts: 18073
    • View Profile
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #15 on: October 18, 2012, 06:17:29 PM »
Shaun, I believe in giving kudos where due. The piece above is one of your best products.  :beermug:

Offline fishs

  • I believe in the stars in the dark night.
  • Hero Warrior
  • *****
  • Posts: 3856
    • View Profile
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #16 on: October 19, 2012, 03:54:24 AM »

 I was fortunate to be on R&R at that time.
 When my daughter got home that day she was still excited that she had met Stern.

She was 1 in 2006 and would not have known that I am an avid supporter of Stern and had done work with his charity. So I was shocked as well.

Kids really look up to our athletes as role models and they in turn should take that responsibility seriously as Stern does.
Ah want de woman on de bass

AirMan

  • Guest
Re: Stern John reads to children
« Reply #17 on: October 21, 2012, 05:07:14 AM »
Good for him

 

1]; } ?>