Olympian not too busy for DeKalb kids

By Larry Hartstein

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

For an Olympian, it's kind of a hectic time.

But one U.S. athlete with legitimate gold medal hopes has carved out time to talk to DeKalb County youngsters Monday.

Bobsledder Steve Mesler, part of the USA-1 four-man team that will compete Friday and Saturday, will do a live 1 p.m. video chat with third graders at Cary Reynolds Elementary in Doraville.

The class was among 10 chosen to correspond with Mesler as he prepared for the Olympics. The kids received a crash course in bobsledding when Mesler sent a video message answering their questions, and Monday they'll talk to him from the Olympic Village in Vancouver.

"Not only is this project a great opportunity for students to learn more about the Olympic Games, but it also provides them with a personal lesson about working to achieve your goals, no matter how high," said teacher Jessica Boedeker, who nominated her class for the project through Mesler's website.

A former decathlete at the University of Florida, Mesler fills the third spot in the "Night Train" sled driven by Steve Holcomb. Mesler helped push the Night Train to the 2009 world title, the first for the U.S. men in half a century. The 31-year-old Buffalo native now lives in Calgary.

"Even since I was young, I've been consumed by the idea of the Olympic Games," Mesler said. "Meeting an Olympian when I was young was so inspirational that it's still etched in my memory today.

"I started the Back to School Project to provide that feeling to as many kids as possible," he added. "I want all of the students involved in this project to be motivated by the Olympic movement and I hope this is something they will remember for the rest of their lives."