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Show Feature 17 Kanah youth experience Olympic excitement SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS WEDNESDAY APRIL 1, 1998 ByBarbara Pyles young ambassadors attended an Olympic party at the Delta ter on Sunday night, and piece of fabric, circled the Salt watched the closing ceremonies Lake City International Airport, on TV. They cheered as the Mayor Deedee Corradini, vari- - Mayor of Salt Lake took custody ous Olympians, a number of of-- of the Olympic flag, flcials of the Suit Lake Organiz- On Monday morning the four ing Committee (SLOC) and 44 Kanab Middle School students Junior Olympic Ambassadors and about 200 other Utahns were also on board. boarded a new MD-1- 1 jet and the ambassaflew to Los Angeles to be part of Among junior dors who accompanied the Olym- - the welcoming committee for pic flag from Los Angeles to Salt Mayor Corradini and the flag Lake, were four seventh-grad- that has flown over every Winers from Kanab Middle School: ' ter Game since 1952. Sarah Carter, Stephen Shortly after arriving in Los Studebaker, Danny Crosby and Angeles, we met several y Drake. The young people pians and got their autographs, won the trip by writing an essay says Ashley. She showed off au-o- n the topic, How Can I Apply tographs of Shelley Looney, a the Spirit of Olympism in My member of the first-eve- r y Life to Improve the World g womens hockey in Which I Live? team and Eric Bergoust, a gold Over 5,000 students in Utah medal winner in freestyle aerial entered tlie contest, but only 118 skiing. from around the state were se- Its a solemn responsibility, lected as Junior Olympic Am- - said Corradini of Salt Lake Citys bassadors. A panel ofjudges from duty of safeguarding the for the 2002 Winter pic banner. Then the mayor and Games selected 28 students from other VIPs boarded the char-th- e 118 to travel to Japan to tered MD-1- 1 airplane for the take part in a cultural exchange trip to Utah. According to the program during the 1998 Olym- - young Utahns there was a win- pic Winter Games. Morgan Win- - dow of opportunity on board the Chester, a seventh grader, from three engine aircraft to get an Kanab Middle School, was one look at the flag while it of the lucky 28 winners. Morgan was still folded in its carved and another student read their wooden box. The students saw essays on the steps of the state the 10 by 8 foot Olympic flag Capitol Building on January 24. again when it was fleetingly All five students admitted they shown to the public at the air- entered the contest because it port before being locked in a was an English assignment, bank vault for safekeeping. When I found out that I won, I When Delta Flight 2002 was pretty shocked, says touched down at Salt Lake City Stephen. I never won anything International Airport, the wel- like that before and never coming party cheered. For those thought that I would. Stephen on the airplane, it was an awe- says he plans on being in Salt some sight: Fire trucks spurted Lake in 2002. red, white and blue streams of While in Salt Lake City, the water over the runway. When On February 23, 1998, Delta 2002, carrying a valuable Cen-Flig- ht Olym-Ashle- gold-Dail- medal-winnin- Olym-SLO- up-clo- se C Kanab's Young Ambassadors Danny Crosby, Sarah Carter, Ashley Drake, Morgan Winchester and Stephen Studebaker. Winchester traveled to Japan for the Olympics, while the other four had the privilege of flying from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City with the Olympic flag. Photo by Barbara Pyles. (l-r- ): Flight 2002 taxied to a stop, the University of Utah Marching Band played a rousing tune, Onlookers applauded as the four junior ambassadors from Kanab twirled their mini flags and scrambled from the airplane. Of the experience Sarah said, It was such an exciting time. I was happy to be an ambassador. The young ambassadors re- ceived a limited edition Delta OlympicPin.Theyalsotookhome a limited edition Olympic Pin com- memorating the closing ceremo- nies. Other keepsakes: a flags and certificates of congratu- lations from the Utah House of Representatives and SLOC. T-shi- received d an Olympic coat, a gold medal for completing all of her objectives, and several other items. All five students realize that they were at a place in time when History was being made. It was fun, Ill never forget the experience, says Danny. Ashley summed the happen- ing for everyone. It was a once in the life time experience that most kids dont get. I am really rust-colore- excited that I got chosen to be an ambassador The students had a grand time indeed, but the 1998 games are over and the eyes of the world have turned to Salt Lake City and 2002. These Five Junior Olympic Ambassadors will spend the next four years pro- motingOlympic spirit wherever they go. Whenever people ask me about the upcoming Olym- pics in 2002, Ill be prepared to answer them, says Stephen, rt, Morgan also had a thrilling time. Although she missed the opening ceremonies in Nagano, she did attend the closing ceremonies. We felt that we were a part of it, she says. Morgan was also there when Eric Bergoust won the gold in the mens freestyle aerial skiing, and she was present when Bergoust and Nikki Stone stood on the awards podium. Morgan has a host of other memories: While attending a Japanese school, she made Japanese pottery, and learned how to write her name in Japanese. While staying with a host family, she ate Japanese food, but says that she didnt like the raw fish. She also visited a castle and toured temples. Morgan went shopping and like her friends, she tried to figure out the right amount of change in yen. When Morgan was asked about her most memorable ex- the $oung Ambassadors Ucetvedter their perienceho, said: All of it- -, This was on the back of Dtytyplc esaWPhotoSy Barbara so friendly. Morgan How can file .Olympics ; afi e'c& rite and others? By Morgan Winchester - " Bets soar through ourjmcgi nations. Lets change the world some- " Could we make it a fatter place ? ' Could we do it now ? If everyone were involved in the Olympics, we would be working together to achieve a goal that might change the world forever. If the whole world was involved in this goal we would work harder, get better and do our best. If this were accomplished, would we have safer streets, less violence, and less drug abuse? There would be fewer cases of Aids, cancer, and other serious dis- eases. Maybe none at all. 4 v 8 - goal, we would have to learn to acceptand support oue another.' We would have to have open minds and be willing to try all ideas. We would have to work as a team, but the greatest of all these would be no human barriers. We would come to see each other as equals, a society with no prejudice. What would we gain from the Olympics on a personal level? What about self esteem? Self worth, learning whom we are and what our goals and talents are? Having a sense of achievements? Leam-gradeing about winning and losing? s, Weve soared through ourimagi- nations. We've changed the world some- - how . We could make v 1 it abetter place. . Jl |