Olympic Games Vancouver 2010 – Sochi 2014

McDonald’s® USA Selects 10 Students to Experience Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games as McDonald’s Champion Kids®

Olympian and Program Ambassador Shawn Johnson Helps Judge Nationwide Contest and Surprises Winners with Once-in-a-Lifetime News

OAK BROOK, Ill.–(EON: Enhanced Online News)–McDonald’s USA announced today the winners of the McDonald’s Champion Kids® (MCK) contest, providing 11-14 year-olds with the unique opportunity to experience the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games in February as hometown correspondents. Olympian and MCK program Ambassador, Shawn Johnson, served as a contest judge and was on-hand to surprise some of the winners in their hometowns with the exciting news they were selected. All of the MCKs will meet Johnson in Vancouver during the Games.

“Reviewing all the students’ essays was a great honor and an enjoyable experience. It was a tough decision to narrow down the many qualified entries, but each of these ten students stood out in an extraordinary way”

The McDonald’s Champion Kid winners for the U.S. are: Amanda Fahey (13) of Cincinnati, Ohio; Cindy Lim (12) of Grand Forks, N.D.; Chisu Edwards (13) of Morristown, N.J.; Erin Young (12) of Huntsville, Ala.; Jalena Keane-Lee (14) of Berkeley, Calif.; Jordan Crouch (11) of Brighton, Colo.; Maggie Rosén (12) of Glenwood Springs, Colo.; Raven Morris (14) of Keene, Va.; Sam Boling (14) of St. Simons Island, Ga.; and Serena George (13) of Oregon City, Ore.

“We congratulate all of the Champion Kids contest winners and wish them an exciting and rewarding trip to Vancouver,” said Neil Golden, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, McDonald’s USA. “Not only will each Champion Kid experience the Olympic Winter Games firsthand, but they will be able to share their unique perspective with local communities across the country.”

The McDonald’s Champion Kids contest was open to kids in the U.S. between the ages of 11-14 (with parental/guardian approval) from September 30 through October 30, 2009. An esteemed panel of judges selected the top applicants from hundreds of contest entries who submitted an essay online about the meaning of the Olympic Values of friendship, excellence and respect, along with a video or photo.

In addition to Johnson, judges included Alpine snowboarder Graham Watanabe, freestyle mogul skier Patrick Deneen, and speed skaters Jennifer Rodriguez and J.R. Celski. Lynn Barry, named the National Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year, by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) also helped select the final winners.

“Reviewing all the students’ essays was a great honor and an enjoyable experience. It was a tough decision to narrow down the many qualified entries, but each of these ten students stood out in an extraordinary way,” said Lynn Barry, MCK contest judge and National Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. “I was impressed to read how the students’ personal interests and passions helped shape their thoughts about the Olympic Values. I know their trip to Vancouver will be a part of their lives for a lifetime.”

As an MCK, each winner will have the opportunity to attend Olympic Winter Games sporting events, meet athletes and other McDonald’s Champion Kids from around the world, explore Vancouver and the city’s cultural sites, and report their personal experiences to their hometown community, school and media.

For more information about the 2009 McDonald’s Champion Kids contest and to follow them in Vancouver, please visit www.mcdonalds.com/championkids.

McDonald’s Olympic Games History

McDonald’s became an Official Sponsor of the Olympic Games in 1976 and has a long-standing commitment to the Olympic Movement, which first began more than 40 years ago. At the 1968 Olympic Winter Games, McDonald’s airlifted hamburgers to U.S. athletes competing in Grenoble, France, after they reported being homesick for McDonald’s food. Since then, the company has served its menu of choice and variety to millions of athletes, coaches, their families and fans. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games mark McDonald’s seventh Olympic Games as a Worldwide Partner and eighth as the Official Restaurant of the Olympic Games. McDonald’s current sponsorship will continue through the 2012 Games in London.

About McDonald’s

McDonald’s USA, LLC, is the leading foodservice provider in the United States serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients to more than 26 million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local business men and women. Customers can now log online at any of the 11,000 participating Wi-Fi enabled McDonald’s U.S. restaurants. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter (@McDonalds) and Facebook (Facebook.com/McDonalds) for updates on our business, promotions and products.

Source: eon.businesswire.com