USA: Actor Denzel Washington visits the White House to promote the Boys and Girls Club's new project aimed at preventing high school dropouts

Record ID: 572301

  • Title: USA: Actor Denzel Washington visits the White House to promote the Boys and Girls Club's new project aimed at preventing high school dropouts
  • Date: 16th September 2010
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 15, 2010) (REUTERS) ACTOR DENZEL WASHINGTON WALKING TO THE PODIUM (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) SINGER ASHANTI SITTING IN AUDIENCE LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR DENZEL WASHINGTON SAYING: "On the West coast we have a small award show called the Academy Awards and I have been nominated five times. I have lost quote on quote more than I won but one thing life has taught me about championship games is that you can't lose one unless you are in one. So you all have been in the championship game this is the beginning of many opportunities for you." PEOPLE IN THE CROWD LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR DENZEL WASHINGTON SAYING: "In my eighteen years, I can't believe it is eighteen years. In my eighteen years of being National spokesperson for the Boys and Girls Club I've been asked why I accepted this role. This is really simple. It's something that I can talk about honestly, passionately because I lived it. The club has had an enormous impact on my life." PEOPLE IN THE CROWD LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR DENZEL WASHINGTON SAYING: "But I remember Charles White, who was one of the volunteers. No he actually worked at the club, was employed by the club and he said to me on my way out the door you know young man with the smarts you have you can do anything you wan't to do and it was maybe a small thing to say but i never forgot that and I'm fifty-five years old but I never forgot. I was like wow I never even thought of that I can do anything I want to do. So the things that we say the encouragement that we give, the positive experiences that we share with these young people I am here to tell you they last a lifetime." DENZEL WASHINGTON, ASHANTI POSING FOR PICTURES
  • Embargoed: 1st October 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Education
  • Reuters ID: LVA6IKA83DTDM8B4DMDSTNWHU7JQ
  • Story Text: Denzel Washington visited U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House on Wednesday (September 15) to promote a project aimed at curbing the high school dropout rate.
    The Oscar award winning actor took the stage earlier in the day at the National Press Club in Washington to tout the Boys and Girls Club's new project, "Be Great: Graduate," which aids youths who are at risk of dropping out of school.
    Persistance was a key element of Washington's message -- addressing children in the audience who were not selected for the National Youth of the Year Award by the Boys and Girls Club.
    "On the West coast we have a small award show called the Academy Awards and I have been nominated five times. I have lost quote on quote more than I won but one thing life has taught me about championship games is that you can't lose one unless you are in one. So you all have been in the championship game this is the beginning of many opportunities for you," Washington said.
    Washington, who has been a spokesperson for the club for 18 years, attended the program when he was a child living in Mt. Vernon, N.Y., and said it had a tremendous impact on his life.
    "The things that we say the encouragement that we give, the positive experiences that we share with these young people I am here to tell you they last a lifetime," Washington said.
    Singer and songwriter Ashanti, who also attended the Boys and Girls Club when she was a child, took part in the event.
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