Alabama Statewide Initiative Delivers STAR Sportsmanship to All K-12 Schools.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- STAR Sportsmanship(TM) -- a new computer game from Learning Through Sports, Inc.(R) -- was so successful at teaching Alabama's fourth grade students how to be good sports that the state-funded program is being expanded to every K-12 student and coach in the state's public schools for 2006/07.

STAR Sportsmanship and STAR Coaching(TM) were found to be such successful programs and yielded such positive results in the 2005/06 school year that education and coaching leaders have secured additional funds to expand their use. Both programs meet the requirements of the state's mandated character education law, which requires every child to receive ten minutes per day of character education instruction, especially relevant to today's education given the last year of national sports headlines.

Alabama became the first state to launch such a program in October 2005, when every fourth grader received access to STAR Sportsmanship -- a web-based role-playing program from Learning Through Sports that teaches good sportsmanship and character education. Two months later, the state launched a similar program for coaches -- STAR Coaching -- that helps prevent steroid abuse while building school-wide sportsmanship initiatives.

"The first investment in STAR Sportsmanship included a validation study to determine if students were learning and retaining the positive lessons in STAR," said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Joseph B. Morton. "Research and pilot studies clearly show that STAR did have the intended results, so we have decided to expand the program to all K-12 schools and coaches."

A coalition of legislative, education and athletic leaders led by the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) and CLAS (Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools) managed distribution of the STAR programs and currently leads this expansion effort. "Principals are dealing with more and more unsportsmanlike behavior from players and fans -- this program is sorely needed statewide," said Dr. John Draper, executive director of CLAS.

Dan Washburn, executive director of the AHSAA and immediate past president of the National Federation of High Schools Board of Directors said, "In my role as president of the NFHS this year, I've had the opportunity to travel around the country and discuss major issues facing my counterparts in other states and our high school student-athletes. Clearly poor sportsmanship is the number one issue, with substance abuse a close second. Poor role modeling by pro athletes is a contributing factor. To counteract this, educators and legislators must take a proactive leadership role in teaching proper behavioral skills."

Legislative support has been a key factor in moving the program forward. "Representative Terry Spicer and I are proud of the role we have played in helping introduce this most needed and highly effective character building program to our fourth graders last year and now to all K-12 students, coaches, and parents throughout the state," said House Education Budget Chairman Richard Lindsey.

STAR Sportsmanship is an interactive web-based program designed to change behaviors through modeling and role-playing exercises. Alabama students will have access to one of three versions created for their age group: elementary, middle or high school. High School STAR -- The Secret of Baldwin High -- addresses the temptations of performance-enhancing drugs and the dangers of using such drugs. Each version of STAR includes motivational messages about good behavior from sports celebrities and peers.

STAR Coaching, a special module designed for coaches, helps teach student athletes and parents how to think like good sports using tactics that are easily retained and transferred into real-life situations.

About Learning Through Sports

Learning Through Sports (LTS) is an educational publisher of interactive sports games that teach core subject areas and behavioral skills to students in grades K-12. LTS flagship products are Kid's College, a web-based reading/language arts and math skills intervention program and STAR Sportsmanship. Learning Through Sports was founded in 2001 by Auburn University graduate and football captain, Brian Shulman who is a Birmingham, Ala. native. Grant Teaff, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association serves on the LTS Advisory Board. Today, LTS programs have been used by over 5 million students in over 2,500 schools across the nation.

For more information, call: 866-552-9192 or visit www.learningthroughsports.com.