Teaching Students To Score On And Off The Field (NAPSA)—Whenschool bells ring, the soundof a referee’s whistle is usually not far behind. Throughout each school year, sports seasonsstart for millions of schoolchildren nationwide—and so do the lessons sports can teach. Experts and educators agree that physical fitness is an important part of a child’s development and studies have shown a direct link between physical activity and improved academic achievement. The benefits of sports extend beyond the classroom, inspiring self-confidence, a sense of team- work and camaraderiethat lasts a lifetime. And perhaps the most important lesson: the cultural lessons sports can teach about breaking barriers, dreamingbig, setting goals and achieving them. “Far more than numbers on a scoreboard, sports provides us with the inspiration and the tools to succeed on andoff the field and plays an important role in American culture,” says Philip Schwalb, who fulfilled his own dream by creating the Sports Museum of America, a celebration of all sports that recently opened in New York City. In fact, an entire exhibit is dedicated to legendary athletes when they were children. “Dreaming Big” features video footage of a 10year-old Venus Williams winning a tennis tournament and 8-year- old NBA star Chris Paul driving to the basket. New York Yankee seum showcases the childhood sports achievements of worldclass athletes. Derek Jeter’s Little League jersey is showcased alongside tennis great Billie Jean King’s gradeschool report card. “If you think about it, this is a destination of dreams,” says Olympic Gold Medalist Jim Craig, who has loaned the museum the American flag he draped around himself following the U.S. Hockey team’s “Miracle on Ice” victory in the 1980 Olympic Games. “To be a place where a little kid can walk in and learn about the legacies of these athletes, the stories of people coming from impossible backgrounds and overcoming the odds, how great is that?” “Each school year, there are lessons to be found everywhere, both inside and outside theclassroom. In this way, everybody wins,” says Schwalb. For information on school trips to the Sports Museum of America, visit www.sportsmuseum.com.