International Motivational Speaker to Teach Three Pennsylvania School Districts' Students To Think Like Champions

JOHNSTOWN, PA. International chess champion, best-selling author, and motivational speaker Orrin Hudson is bringing his 50-state motivational chess and life lesson tour to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in order to teach 5,100 at-risk students about chess, critical thinking skills, and self-confidence. His goal: to help them realize—before it's too late—that in chess as in life, every move counts.

Hudson, who won top honors at the 2009 37th Annual World Open 10 minute blitz chess championship under 1700, is a nationally recognized advocate for helping at-risk youth. He travels the country teaching children to value KASH - Knowledge, Attitude, Skills and Habits - over cash. Since founding his non-profit organization Be Someone (www.besomeone.org), Hudson has touched the lives of over 20,000 students across the country. His goal: to positively impact the lives of one million young people. Must See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLFENGymr34

Thanks to the efforts of Stephen Purich and Mike Kane of the Community Foundation of the Alleghenies, Hudson's Johnstown tour, scheduled for November 17-20, will include an unprecedented three school district collaboration. Purich and Kane have created this three district seamless venture as a rescue mission for thousands of at-risk students in the Greater Johnstown area, which includes Conemaugh Valley, Ferndale Area and Greater Johnstown. Hudson's tour has been dubbed The Great Conemaugh Valley Intervention Plan.

"We're looking forward to creating a brighter future for these children," Purich said. "They face many challenges given the level of poverty, despair and lack of support that affects their personal lives, education and hope for the future. We are a small community, but we are united in our resolve to provide hope and positive educational tools to these children."

Purich added that although Hudson's tour is spearheaded by the Community Foundation of the Alleghenies, it is a community-wide campaign that will include a substantial number of adult participants from the various nonprofit groups and neighborhoods.

"During this event, we are planning to have various chess clubs in all the schools, various churches and neighborhoods across the city," Purich explained. "Included in the group are local firefighters and police officers, as well as many civic, community and business leaders of the Greater Johnstown community."

"I am thrilled to be a part of this forward thinking and momentous project," Hudson said. "I am so impressed with the level of organization and cooperation between these three school districts. Stephen Purich and his team have done a tremendous job. Never before have I been involved in such an ambitious project to intervene and improve the lives of this many children at one time. These children need to know they have the ability to rise above negative influences and learn how to use their education to provide the skills and mental faculties to create a worthwhile life. They are our future, and we can offer them hope and positive outlets to help them grow into winners for life."



Purich enlisted Hudson's aid after reading an article published in USA Today about Hudson's award-winning education and crime prevention program. Two screenwriters, Kate Danaher and Bob Rivenbark, were also inspired by that same article. They have written a screenplay, Every Move Counts, about Orrin's mission and are seeking funding for production.

For more information on the Atlanta-based award winning program Be Someone, visit www.besomeone.org, or contact Chula Schlesinger at 678-526-0292.