Lance Armstrong Foundation Salutes Oak Hill Elementary, Winner of Nationwide LIVESTRONG at School Contest to Get Students Involved in Fight against Cancer

Winning classroom welcomes Lance Armstrong this Friday

AUSTIN, Texas – May 30, 2008 – The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) today celebrated the grand prize winner of its LIVESTRONG at School contest, created to encourage educators to get their students involved in the fight against cancer. Oak Hill Elementary School in Austin, Texas, created the entry that took first place among more than 200 entries from all over the nation. This morning, Oak Hill Elementary School 4th graders and their teacher, Cynthia Thomas, welcomed Lance Armstrong to show him their winning entry. In turn, the LAF presented the class with LIVESTRONG wristbands and a LIVESTRONG Survivorship Notebook for use as a reference material in their school library.

“Cancer claims more than 560,000 American lives every year,” said Lance Armstrong, founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. “It’s up to us to arm our children with the information they need to prevent cancer and support loved ones fighting the disease. That’s why we created the LIVESTRONG at School Contest. And with teacher Cynthia Thomas’ guidance, Oak Hill Elementary students exceeded contest expectations and showed that you’re never too young to join the fight against cancer. They’re a great example to kids everywhere and I congratulate them on all their great work.”

To enter the contest, teachers taught a lesson from the LIVESTRONG at School curriculum and classrooms created entries based on what “LIVESTRONG” means to them. The LAF received nearly 200 entries, varying from videos to drawings to songs.

Thomas’ students participated in a variety of LIVESTRONG-related events that involved the entire school. They held a week-long, school-wide penny drive that raised more than $600 for the LAF and did a math lesson focused on counting the pennies. Andres Lopez, a student in the class who is a cancer survivor, shared his cancer story and showed pictures of his treatment. For the two-year anniversary of Andres’ bone marrow transplant, all the students wore yellow and celebrated at a survivorship party with yellow desserts. Students also wrote poems and letters describing what LIVESTRONG means to them.

The LAF also awarded second and third place prizes to the following classrooms:

2nd Place Winner: Tammy LaRene’s 7th and 8th grade classes, Franklin Middle School, Green Bay, Wisc.

LaRene’s students identified the unmet need for greeting cards designed especially for cancer survivors and created cards for people affected by cancer. Through their participation in the LIVESTRONG at School contest, the students learned vocabulary and empathy for people going through a difficult time and participated creatively in community service. LaRene’s students will receive LIVESTRONG gear for all the students in the class.

3rd Place Winner (tie): Sally Ball’s 2nd grade class, Colonial Elementary School, Fort Myers, Fla.

Ball’s students drew pictures illustrating how they would help someone affected by cancer with the overall message that “the only muscle you need is your heart.” The entry also showed how the school honored those in their school who have faced cancer.

3rd Place Winner (tie): Patricia Byrne’s 6th, 7th and 8th grade class, Linden Avenue Middle School, Red Hook, N.Y.

Byrne’s students took time after school to participate in many LIVESTRONG-themed activities, such as depicting thoughtful messages on yellow jerseys, presenting cancer prevention tips on the morning announcements and supporting many cancer-related organizations.

Both third place winners will receive LIVESTRONG wristbands for the entire school and a LIVESTRONG at School poster signed by Lance Armstrong.

LIVESTRONG at School offers free online lessons to teach K - 12 students about cancer in a way that is age-appropriate, hopeful, inspiring and empowering. Lessons include: national standards, clear learning objectives, engaging videos, extension activities, a check for understanding and ways that students can get involved in the fight against cancer.

For more information about LIVESTRONG at School, visit www.livestrong.org/school.