Office of the Premier

Launch of three-year literacy and physical activity campaign (01/01/25)

NB 66

Jan. 25, 2001

FREDERICTON (CNB) - A unique program to enhance all New Brunswickers' literacy and physical activity levels in the lead-up to the 2003 Canada Winter Games was launched today by Premier Bernard Lord, Education Minister Elvy Robichaud and Health and Wellness Minister Dennis Furlong.

Succès NB Success, a three-year personal development initiative, is designed to encourage New Brunswickers to become more literate and physically active in time for the 2003 Canada Winter Games in Campbellton-Bathurst.

"This initiative will give our children and all New Brunswickers a motivational and educational tool to help them enhance the quality of their lives through reading, numeracy and physical activity," Lord said.

Premier Bernard Lord launched the Succès NB Success web site from a laptop computer at Garden Creek School. (150 dpi image / Audio/Video)

The goal of the program is to improve New Brunswick's physical activity, literacy and numeracy skills by 10 per cent.

"Through this interactive program, all New Brunswickers can set their own training schedule to become more literate and physically active," said Robichaud, the minister responsible for the Culture and Sport Secretariat. "Schools, families, and sport and literacy groups can lead the way to better health and greater literacy."

The first of its kind in Canada, Succès NB Success, will promote wellness and literacy through the use of cyber coaches, who will encourage and support individuals, families and various groups in New Brunswick to set personal reading and physical activity goals.

The Succès NB Success Web site will be equipped with up-to-date information to inform, motivate and support individuals and groups of all ages. Hard copy, web-free materials will also be available to help adults and children track their own success.

"Our Succès NB Success campaign encourages New Brunswickers not only to pick up our feet and enjoy better health through physical activity, but to pick up a good book and sharpen our reading and number skills as well," Furlong said.

"We know how important it is to begin practicing good education and active lifestyle habits in our youth, so we can be healthy, happy and productive throughout our lives, and enjoy life to the fullest degree," Furlong said. (150 dpi image)

Rewards will be offered to register participants after personal goals are met. With cyber coaches, provincial literacy and sport heroes, campaign stars, and personal journals, the incentive program will work to inspire success. Goals will be tracked as 'minutes of activity' and literacy completed in eight-to12-week blocks.

Registration kits are now available at Community Access Centres, provincial libraries and by phone, 506-674-4224; fax 506-658-4730 [English], 506-386-8156 [French]; e-mail, abovaird@aquatics.nb.ca [English], deschenc@nbnet.nb.ca [French]; or at: http://www.snbs.gnb.ca/.

The campaign is an initiative of the Department of Education and the Culture and Sport Secretariat in co-operation with Literacy New Brunswick Inc, the 2003 Canada Winter Games Host Society, and community partners. Educational and motivational tools designed for the project were produced by the Saint John Canada Games Centre, in consultation with stakeholders.

For more information about Succès NB Success, visit http://www.snbs.gnb.ca/.

01/01/25

MEDIA CONTACTS: Amanda Harpelle, communications, Office of the Premier, 506-453-2144; Steve Gilliland, communications, Department of Education, 506-444-4714.

01/01/25