January 2, 2015

Toronto Argonauts Launch Another Year Of Award- Winning Community Programming In G.t.a. Schools

ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF

TORONTO – January marks the launch of another in-school season for two of the Toronto Argonauts’ award-winning community initiatives! The team’s long-standing and renowned Huddle Up Bullying Prevention Program, presented by Tim Hortons, has reached more than 500,000 G.T.A. students since its inception in 2001, and is again fully booked. Coinciding with a new Huddle Up season is the second year of in-school programming for Huddle Up and Make the Call: A Gender-Based Violence Prevention Project,presented by Tim Hortons. While the club has been on the forefront of bullying prevention for many years, it has also become a pioneer among professional sports teams through its partnerships with the White Ribbon Campaign and Status of Women Canada to introduce a United Nations-recognized project to help end men’s violence against women.

Through both initiatives, Argos players, staff and cheerleaders lead the way in educating youth on making positive choices through student empowerment and engagement. Argos players including Natey Adjei, Matt Black, Shea Emry, Tyler Holmes, Jonathan Hood, Jeff Keeping, Cory Greenwood, Chad Owens, Wayne Smith, Chris Van Zeyl,Matt Ware,and James Yurichukwill participate in programming this season, which lasts from January to April, 2015.

Commented Toronto Argonauts Director, Education & Community Programs, Jason Colero, “Our players and cheerleaders are anxious to start another year of in-school programming so that they can continue to positively impact the lives of students throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Bullying prevention has been a cornerstone of our community efforts for many years, and this year we are excited to enhance our efforts by officially providing a full term of in-school education on the dangers of gender-based violence through Make the Call. We would like to thank Tim Hortons for their continued commitment to improving the lives of our students. We would also like to thank the White Ribbon Campaign and Status of Women Canada for their continued partnership as we take the next step in ending men’s violence against women.”

The Huddle Up Bullying Prevention Program uses the personal stories of Toronto Argonauts football players, staff and cheerleaders to encourage friendship and inclusion, and reduce or eradicate bullying. It is customized for each school to address the specific issues faced by each student body, ranging from physical and verbal intimidation, to cyber-bullying and even targeted female bullying prevention strategies. The focus is guided by the Huddle Up Student Committee at each of the more than 30 participating schools, made up of influential student leaders and students that have experience with bullying. These students are empowered to positively impact their school environment by enhancing awareness on the issue of bullying in their school community before, during and after the Toronto Argonauts’ presentation. The program also includes specially designed Parent-Teacher Information Sessions so that parents can learn more about bullying tactics and support their students in overall prevention. Over more than a decade, Huddle Up has reached in excess of 500,000 students across the G.T.A. ranging in age from 8-18. In 2009, the Huddle Up program became recognized on the Ministry of Education’s Registry of Bullying Prevention Programs.  The Argonauts are the only Canadian sports team to have a program registered.

Huddle Up and Make the Call, which was inspired by team’s Huddle Up Bullying Prevention Program, sees White Ribbon Campaign representatives and Argonauts players and alumni deliver positive and inspiring anti-violence messages and calls to action to students. The focus is guided by the student committee at each of the participating G.T.A. secondary schools. Similar to Huddle Up, the student committees are made up of student leaders who are empowered to positively impact their school environment by enhancing awareness on the issue of gender-based violence. In 2014, the Argos, along with the White Ribbon Campaign and Status of Women Canada, became the first recipients of the Zonta Says No! Award – Area 2, as endorsed by the United Nations, for their work in helping to prevent men’s violence against women.