Winning Attitude Pep Rally a Success - University of Colorado Athletics

BOULDER ? Qwest, FSN Rocky Mountain and the University of Colorado celebrated with Manhattan Middle School of Arts and Academics (Boulder, Colo.) students Monday to honor Olivia Barry and Sawyer Hammond, recipients of the 2007 "Winning Attitude" grand prize. Barry and Hammond were among six middle school students who were up for the grand prize.

The event was a huge success with the help of University of Colorado football coach Dan Hawkins, CU womenGÇÖs basketball player and 2007 All-Big 12 first team selection Jackie McFarland and Hugh Charles, recipient of the John Mack Award as CUGÇÖs outstanding offensive football player in 2007, who each spoke to the students in attendance. The CU cheer squad and the CU pep band also performed at the rally. The event was emceed by Drew Goodman of FSN Rocky Mountain.

The two students from Boulder were the first recipients of the Winning Attitude award for the 2007 season and earned tickets for themselves and their classmates to watch the Colorado vs. Florida State football game in September. They were honored at halftime with a $500 check from Qwest.

"This kind of selfless volunteerism is exactly the sort of leadership we seek to foster through this program," said Ric Padilla, Qwest vice president for corporate social responsibility. "We hope this winning attitude will be spread as more students get involved with the Winning Attitudes program."

Barry, a seventh-grade student, and Hammond, a sixth grader, showed their Winning Attitude by helping raise awareness in the Boulder area about children in Africa orphaned by HIV and AIDS. Barry has been helping children in Uganda since she was in third-grade. She started off by raising $1,000 during a bake sale and used the money to buy mosquito nets for children in an orphanage and continues to raise money through donations. Over this past summer, Hammond helped children orphaned by AIDS in Zimbabwe. He raised $2,350 by playing the African Marimba, a type of xylophone, on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. Hammond also raised the money by selling bracelets and necklaces made by the children in Africa.

This is the second year Qwest, FSN and CU have come together honor middle school students around Colorado for the differences they can make in their communities by providing outstanding efforts in sportsmanship, community involvement and teamwork. Over 700 entries were submitted from students around the state.

The other students who were in the running for the grand prize were:

Alex King ? Nederland Middle School (Nederland)

Rachel Trujillo ? Columbia Middle School (Aurora)

Jamie King ? Sierra Middle School (Parker)

Yassi Hosseini ? Jefferson Academy Secondary (Broomfield)