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Usher Joins Denzel Washington and Other Prominent Alumni in Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Advocacy Campaign

Posted on: Wednesday, 29 April 2009, 14:14 CDT

Superstar Unveils New 'BE ICONIC' Billboard; Encourages Youth to 'BE GREAT'

Clear Channel Outdoor Donates Space in Atlanta and Nationwide

ATLANTA, April 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As part of Boys & Girls Clubs of America's (BGCA) new advocacy campaign -- BE GREAT -- five-time Grammy award winner, philanthropist and Boys & Girls Club alumnus Usher today unveiled a new billboard featuring his childhood picture and a call-to-action -- BE ICONIC. Usher joins some 25 prominent alumni in the new advocacy campaign to help increase public awareness and understanding about the positive impact of Clubs.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050921/CLW030LOGO)

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090429/DC07598)

From academic failure and gang violence to poverty, drugs and obesity, America's youth face a daunting array of problems -- with serious consequences and fewer safety nets at home and in the community. According to a 2007 BGCA alumni survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 57 percent of alumni reported, "The Club saved my life," while another 28 percent credited Boys & Girls Clubs with keeping them in school.

"Growing up in the Club, I had the chance to experience a lot of positive things; it helped reinforce the values I learned at home including good character, leadership and giving back to my community, my country and my world," said Usher. "It's where I developed my love of singing and performing, received help with my homework, and it's where I found a safe place to go after school."

Usher's theme -- BE ICONIC -- ties to the singer's profile as an award-winning, multi-platinum musical icon and a positive role model, and will serve as a source of inspiration for all young people to BE GREAT. This year celebrates the fifth anniversary of the 2004 top-selling album Confessions, which went on to sell more than 10 million copies in the United States, and has been certified diamond in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

In addition to unveiling the billboard, Usher recently visited the Brookhaven Boys & Girls Club in Atlanta where he was greeted by screams from more than 200 young members. He addressed the crowd with a simple message: "work hard to achieve your goals and you can accomplish anything you set your mind to." During his visit he taped a short film about the positive impact the Club played in his life, which will be the first of several films of prominent alumni for BGCA. The film will debut on BGCA's Web site www.BeGreatAmerica.org in May, and will also appear on BGCA's social networking pages including Facebook and YouTube.

Other Club alumni joining Usher in the BE GREAT advocacy campaign include: Academy award-winning actor and national spokesperson for BGCA -- Denzel Washington, Muhammad Ali, Ashanti, Swin Cash, Gen. Wesley Clark, Bill Clinton, Bill Cosby, Cuba Gooding Jr., Michael Jordan, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Queen Latifah, Mario Lopez, John Mellencamp, Edward James Olmos, Shaquille O'Neal, Smokey Robinson, Martin Sheen, John Singleton, Ruben Studdard, Courtney B. Vance, Mark Wahlberg and Kerry Washington.

On May 14, Usher will be inducted into BGCA's prestigious Alumni Hall of Fame (AHOF) at the organization's 103rd National Conference in Atlanta.

"We are very excited about Usher joining our BE GREAT campaign and the awareness he will bring to the effectiveness of our generation-changing programs," said BGCA President and CEO Roxanne Spillett. "He is a shining example of the impact of Clubs, and we are so proud of the great things he has gone on to accomplish."

Usher will collaborate with BGCA and other alumni to urge the country's political and business leaders to make the young people of America a priority and encourage every citizen to make a difference by supporting organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs -- ensuring that every child has a safe, supervised and structured environment during the critical after-school hours.

About Be Great

BE GREAT is a nationwide initiative by Boys & Girls Clubs of America to highlight the major issues affecting today's young people, and the key role community-based organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs play in helping kids graduate from high school, achieve a healthy lifestyle and develop good character traits. The integrated campaign, created pro bono by McCann Worldgroup in San Francisco, focuses on successful alumni who serve as living proof that Club programs work. It includes a new web site (www.BeGreatAmerica.org) where the general public can find useful resources and compelling stories about the diverse lives touched by Boys & Girls Clubs. The site also includes a Club locator to help visitors find a nearby Boys & Girls Club where every child is welcome and volunteer support is appreciated.

The billboard featuring Usher is the latest in a series of ads depicting the childhood photos of Club alumni, the BE GREAT message and Web address. Thanks to a partnership with the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), the lead trade association representing the outdoor advertising industry, thousands of billboard ads will be donated by local companies across the country. In Atlanta, Clear Channel Outdoor has committed to posting boards, free of charge, for Boys & Girls Clubs throughout 2009, and debuted the Usher BE ICONIC board on a mobile unit in front of BGCA national headquarters on Peachtree Street.

Additional campaign components include: TV/radio PSAs, print/outdoor ads, outreach to teens via BGCA's My Club My Life web site (www.myclubmylife.com) and a YouTube channel, an op-ed series addressing key issues facing young people, and issue-based forums and media templates to help local Clubs advocate on behalf of youth.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has helped kids "Be Great," providing hope and opportunity for those who need it most. Today, more than 4,300 Clubs serve some 4.5 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Known as The Positive Place for Kids, Boys & Girls Clubs can be found throughout the country and on U.S. military bases worldwide, providing young people 6-18 years old with guidance-oriented character development programs conducted by trained, professional staff. Clubs positively impact lives and help young people reach their full potential as productive, caring citizens. Key programs emphasize leadership development; education and career exploration; community service; technology training; financial literacy; health and life skills; the arts; sports, fitness and recreation; and family outreach. In a recent Harris Survey of Club alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.

About OAAA

The Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) is the lead trade association representing the outdoor advertising industry. Founded in 1891, the OAAA is dedicated to promoting, protecting and advancing outdoor advertising interests in the US. With nearly 1,100 member companies, the OAAA represents more than 90 percent of industry revenues. The OAAA's strategic focus is on government relations, marketing, communications, membership, and operations. For more information, please visit www.oaaa.org.

The BE GREAT outdoor ads are part of a nationwide partnership between BGCA and OAAA, resulting in the posting of out-of-home messaging across the country in a variety of venues, including billboards, bus shelters, shopping malls, taxi tops and airports. BGCA was named an OAAA national public service partner in 2008.

SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Source: PR Newswire

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