Recognized as one of the Best in Family-Friendly Online Resources
USADA announced today that the USADA True Sport Awards program, created in partnership with Discovery Education, was recognized as a Gold winner in the 2010 Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA), and was named among the best in family-friendly media, products and services. The agency is honored to receive this prestigious award, and to be recognized for outstanding educational excellence with such a distinguished designation.
The USADA True Sport Awards, which earned gold in the MCA online resources category, aims to impart the good values that sport can instill – honesty, respect, and sportsmanship – as well as sound healthy nutrition and body image, through the use of school-age curricula.
Utilizing a fully interactive web interface at http://USADATrueSport.DiscoveryEducation.com, the program offers free downloads of USADA’s curriculums, aimed at middle school and high school aged audiences, and supporting resources for healthy lifestyle instruction. Surveys gauge 21st-century educators’ beliefs and concerns about issues facing young people today. The awards component encourages educators and community leaders to integrate either the 100% Me (middle school) or That’s Dope (high school) curriculum into enriched classroom and/or other instructional activities, and outstanding individuals are recognized with program funding and other valuable support.
USADA’s curricula carry strong anti-doping, ethical decision-making and goal-setting messages, as well as covering critical topics such as healthy eating, positive body image, navigating the marketplace of dangerous “energy” drinks and nutritional supplements, and maximizing energy and athletic activity through healthy and natural means. Curricula are also tied to national education standards, implemented easily into classroom or other youth group educational settings, and offer self-assessment tools, teacher’s guides and student activity workbooks.
USADA partnered with Discovery Education to develop and promote the program and enhance its distribution channels for the curricula. To date, thousands of copies have been distributed into the hands of students across the country.
The MCA awards (www.momschoiceawards.com) are continuously recognized for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family-friendly media, products, and services. Parents, educators, librarians, and retailers rely on MCA evaluations when selecting quality materials for children and families. The MCA Awards’ seal helps families and educators navigate the vast array of products and services so that they may make informed decisions.
An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media, and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists, and others. A sampling of MCA panel members includes: Dr. Twila, C. Liggett, ten-time Emmy-Winner, professor, and founder of PBS’ reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times bestselling author, Priscilla Dunstan, creator of the Dunstan Baby Language; Patricia Rossi, host of the NBC’s Manners Minute; Dr. Letitia S. Wright, D.C., host of the Wright Place TV Show; and Catherine Witcher, M.Ed., special needs expert and founder of Precision Education, Inc.
MCA Judges are bound by a strict code of ethics which ensures expert and objective analysis free from any manufacturer association. The evaluations process uses a propriety methodology in which entries are scored on a number of elements including production quality, design, educational value, entertainment value, originality, appeal and cost.
“We are proud to be recognized by the Mom’s Choice Awards, and believe this recognition demonstrates growing awareness that the values and habits of ethical decision-making, fair play, healthy activity, and sound nutrition, are all important aspects of a child’s overall education,” said Travis T. Tygart, USADA CEO. “We are very happy to be a resource in teaching these themes.”
“Discovery Education is proud to have partnered with USADA to create a robust program that helps educators and community leaders impart the critical life lessons that contribute to the development of healthy individuals,” commented Mary Rollins, Discovery Education Vice President. “We thank the Mom’s Choice Awards program for this recognition.”
About USADA
USADA is the non-profit, independent and non-governmental entity responsible for the testing and results management process in the U.S. for athletes in the Olympic and Paralympic Movement, upholding the Olympic ideal of fair play, and representing the interests of athletes. USADA is dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs. The agency manages a drug reference phone hotline as well as the Global Drug Reference Online at www.GlobalDRO.org, conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and proactively distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as curriculums, themed brochures and nutrition and dietary guides, easy-reference wallet cards for the prohibited substance list, periodic newsletters, and protocol and policy reference publications, all of which can be found at www.USADA.org.