BOSTON, April 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Marathon
principal sponsor John Hancock, in partnership with the Boston
Scholar Athletes (BSA) program and the Boston Public Schools, today hosted
Scholars & Stars in Boston at the Reggie Lewis Track and
Athletic Center. More than 300 students from Boston Public
High School track teams participated in the event.
After dynamic stretching and core strengthening instruction led
by Bill Rodgers, four-time winner of
the Boston Marathon, and Greg Meyer,
the last American to win the Boston Marathon, the second annual
Friendship Sprint Medley Relay was run.
Seventy two student athletes, representing nine Boston public high schools, competed in the
second Friendship Sprint Medley Relay. There were separate races
for boys and girls, and the winning teams received trophies
presented by Boston Marathon Women's defending champion Rita
Jeptoo.
"The Boston Marathon connects everyone it touches in the spirit
of competition, camaraderie and community," said James D. Gallagher, executive vice president,
John Hancock. "We are proud to partner once again with the Boston
Scholar Athletes program and the Boston Public Schools to introduce Boston
Marathon elites and legends to this talented group of
students."
"Our Boston students are the future of our City, and we have to
instill a message that success also depends on hard work, ambition,
and wellness," said Mayor Walsh. "The Boston Scholar Athletes
program is a fantastic opportunity for our kids, and I know this
day is one they will remember."
"The Boston Scholar Athletes helps drive student academic
achievement through participation in athletics," said John Fish, founder, Boston Scholar Athletes, and
chairman and CEO of Suffolk Construction. "Exposing our
scholar-athletes to these world-class athletes makes a huge
impression on these young people because it shows them they can
achieve greatness with focus, hard work and ambitious dreams."
Friendship Sprint Medley Relay participants received free
running spikes and all participants received a program-themed bag
of running-related items.
In addition to Scholars & Stars in Boston, John Hancock conducts many
community initiatives in conjunction with the Marathon, including
the Scholars & Stars in Hopkinton at Elmwood Elementary School
in Hopkinton, and the John Hancock
Boston Marathon Non-Profit Program, which in 2013 raised more than
$7.9 million for local community
organizations.
About Boston Scholar Athletes (BSA)
The BSA was
launched in the summer of 2009 in collaboration with the
City of Boston and Chairman and
CEO John Fish of Suffolk
Construction with the goal of increasing opportunities for Boston
Public School scholar-athletes to achieve academic success through
athletics. BSA Zones are staffed by trained facilitators and
offer students in grades 9-12 a place to study, access resources,
and receive tutoring for free. For more information, visit
www.bostonscholarathletes.org.
About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial
Corporation
John Hancock Financial is a division of
Manulife Financial, a leading Canada-based financial services group with
principal operations in Asia,
Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife
Financial in Canada and
Asia, and primarily as John
Hancock in the United States, the
Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection
products and wealth management services through its extensive
network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under
management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were
C$599 billion (US$563 billion) as at December 31, 2013. Manulife Financial Corporation
trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the
SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at
manulife.com.
The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies,
comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers and administers a broad range
of financial products, including life insurance, annuities,
investments, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college
savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional
information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.
SOURCE John Hancock Financial