Olympic Values Inspire UK Students
The opening of the London 2012 Olympics is only weeks away, and preparations in the city and many other parts of the United Kingdom are nearing completion. The buzz of anticipation is palpable.
Among the many anticipatory activities is an innovative effort to promote character development among young people in the UK by inviting them to reflect on the values at the core of the Games—the Olympic values of excellence, respect, and friendship, and the four Paralympic values of courage, determination, equality, and inspiration.
Supported by a three-year $485,000 grant from the John Templeton Foundation, the Inspire>Aspire Project uses a unique electronic poster template, coupled with resources online, which guide students through a structured exercise of self-reflection. Participants assess their own strengths and goals with respect to six clusters of values and qualities. Along the way, they gather stirring quotations and choose role models who embody what they most admire.
The exercise culminates in the completion of a poster, a colorful statement of the participants’ personal values, vision and goals, incorporating artwork and testimonials. Participants can then send their posters to the project’s “Podium,” giving them the chance to be selected as “best entries” in their school or organization. The top posters go on to national competitions which will make national awards in June and July.
Over 24,000 young people from across the UK have participated in Inspire>Aspire since the beginning of the current academic year. The project has been awarded the prestigious Inspire Mark by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and is part of the Get Set London 2012 education program.
“I have been incredibly inspired by what we hear from these young people,” says David Lorimer, Chief Executive of Character Scotland, the parent organization of Inspire>Aspire. Lorimer was the 1972 Scottish and British Universities 3,000- meter steeplechase champion. “They clearly better understand themselves and the world, and are empowered to realize their own vision and dream.”
Sir John Templeton noted how Olympic sport demonstrates the courage and strength everyone needs in life. “An Olympic swimmer strains every muscle to push himself over the finish line a fraction of an inch in front of his competitors,” he observed in Worldwide Laws of Life, reflecting on the idea that you never really lose until you stop trying. Sir John recalled the 1992 Olympics, and the heartrending sight of runner Derek Redmond in the 400-meter semi-final. Redmond tore a hamstring and fell to the track. His father ran to him from the stands and “the two limped to the finish line together, to thunderous applause.”
The Olympic project arose out of an earlier, and ongoing project called Learning for Life (see TR) inspired by Sir John’s book, Worldwide Laws of Life. It enabled students to explore the virtues Sir John wrote about for themselves.
Endorsements for the project have been received from a number of well-known figures. Archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote, “I am thrilled to see the creativity of young people. Learning for Life is an outstanding project that will inspire our youth to reach for the stars.” Jonathan Edwards, the 2000 Sydney Olympics triple jump champion, reflected, “I found the Learning for Life material fascinating, and think that the project is an excellent and highly innovative way to engage young people in thinking about who they are and how they want to live their lives.”
New Frontiers in Astronomy and Cosmology
Applications are sought for a substantial new grants and awards program New Frontiers in Astronomy and Cosmology, established to mark the centenary of the birth of Sir John Templeton. Directed by Donald York at The University of Chicago, New Frontiers will advance insights into the Big Questions: What was the earliest state of the universe? Is our universe unique or is it part of a much larger multiverse? What is the origin of the complexity in the universe? Are we alone in the universe; or, are there other life and intelligence beyond the solar system?
The initiative offers two opportunities. First, financial support for innovative research proposals in astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology, particularly in areas not already well-supported by mainstream funding sources. The deadline for submitting proposals is June 1, 2012, with an online pre-application due April 16, 2012. Grants worth up to half a million dollars will be awarded for experimental research, and for up to $300,000 for theoretical work.
The second is the New Cosmic Frontiers International Essay Competition, open to high school and college students. Inspiring essays, with original takes on the Big Questions, must be submitted by June 15, 2012, to be eligible for prizes worth up to $50,000.
Winners of the essay competition as well as grant beneficiaries will be invited to present their ideas at a conference and ceremony in October, to be held in Philadelphia. Templeton Prize winners will be amongst others discussing the future of the Big Questions.
