{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-c03aa079.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-517835be.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='Denzel Washington, Ashanti and Michael Phelps discuss their work with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54c0c9d8eafeecae14d5f6' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54c0c9d8eafeecae14d5f6' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nDenzel Washington, Ashanti and Michael Phelps discuss their work with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eWhat do Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington and Grammy award-winning singer Ashanti have in common? They both got their start at the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.\"My whole family was actually a part of the Boys and Girls...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eWhat do Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington and Grammy award-winning singer Ashanti have in common? They both got their start at the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.\u003cbr/\u003e\"My whole family was actually a part of the Boys and Girls club of America in Glen Cove, Long Island, Strong Island that is,\" Ashanti told the crowd at a press conference Tuesday (19 Sept.). \"And it definitely changed my life. Like my mom, she taught dance there, my dad kind of did security, he played basketball, my little sister just kind of followed me around, but nonetheless the whole family was there. And it's so weird how things are full circle because I actually did my very first performance and talent show at the Boys and Girls Club.\"\u003cbr/\u003eOlympic gold medalist Michael Phelps joined Washington and Ashanti at the event which unveiled the organization's plan to attack poverty, graduation rates and unhealthy lifestyles. \u003cbr/\u003e\"You know I've been a part of, I guess I've been working with the Boys and Girls club for the last eight years and to be able to sort of go in and see how much energy and how much passion everybody has in there is absolutely incredible for me. It's an honor for me to be a part of it,\" said Phelps. \u003cbr/\u003eWashington was also honored for serving as BGCA's national spokesperson for 20 years. \u003cbr/\u003e\"I joined the club as a six year old twenty years ago when they asked me to be the spokesperson. It was an easy thing to say 'yes' to because it was something I knew something about, I could talk honestly about and share my experiences,\" said Washington in an interview. \u003cbr/\u003ePhelps has teamed with the BGCA on a water safety campaign, especially aimed in urban communities where the CDC reports drowning is a leading cause of death among young people.  Phelps' \"im\" swim program focuses on safe practices and teaching young people how to set goals and live a healthy lifestyle.\u003cbr/\u003eAfter the event the swimmer discussed how his naysayers have actually helped him achieve his goals: \u003cbr/\u003e\"When somebody says I can't do something, that's more motivating than anything else,\" explained Phelps. \"I've has teachers, I've has coaches - not coaches who have coached me, but people throughout the swimming world have said I couldn't do something or I won't do something. You know for me, if somebody says that I'm going to go out and prove you wrong. That's just how I am and that's how I've always worked and I use that more as motivation than anything else.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"So I better not say you can't be an actor,\" teased Washington.\u003cbr/\u003eAP Entertainment\u003cbr/\u003eWashington D.C., 19 Sept. 2012\u003cbr/\u003e1. Wide of Denzel Washington, Ashanti and Michael Phelps sitting at press conference \u003cbr/\u003e2. Medium of Denzel Washington, Ashanti and Michael Phelps \u003cbr/\u003e3. Close of Michael Phelps \u003cbr/\u003e4. SOUNDBITE (English) Denzel Washington, actor: \u003cbr/\u003e\"Yeah, I joined the club as a six year old twenty years ago when they asked me to be the spokesperson. It was an easy thing to say 'yes' to because it was something I knew something about, I could talk honestly about and share my experiences.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE (English) Michael Phelps, Olympic swimmer: \u003cbr/\u003e\"You know my mother has been in education for almost forty years and sort of you know watching her and the love she has for kids  was something that I was always seeing growing up and I know a lot more now and have learned a lot more in the past that these are the  next people who are going to take over on our front steps and you know I think it's important that we help people along the way and do whatever we can to make sure everybody has the opportunity that they deserve to go out there and be able to accomplish whatever it is they want to accomplish.\" \u003cbr/\u003e5. SOUND UP (English) Denzel Washington, actor: \u003cbr/\u003e\"That's right. You will never see a U-Haul behind a hearse. What that means is whatever you have in life or whatever you think you've acquired, you can't take it with you. On your last day you will not be charged with how many cars you have or how much money you have, but hopefully by how many people you've helped.\"  \u003cbr/\u003e6. Reporter: \"Some people get motivation when people say 'hey you can do it' and some people get when someone tells you you can't. Which motivates you more?\"\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE (English) Michael Phelps, Olympic swimmer: \u003cbr/\u003e\"When somebody says I can't do something, that's more motivating than anything else. I've has teachers, I've has coaches - not coaches who have coached me, but people throughout the swimming world have said I couldn't do something or I won't do something. You know for me, if somebody says that I'm going to go out and prove you wrong. That's just how I am and that's how I've always worked and I use that more as motivation than anything else.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE (English) Denzel Washington, actor: \u003cbr/\u003e\"So I better not say you can't be an actor.\"\u003cbr/\u003eMichael Phelps: \u003cbr/\u003e\"Just don't say I won't come back. That I will say - I won't be back in 2016. That's about the one thing. I will not be back in four years.\"\u003cbr/\u003e7. SOUND UP (English) Michael Phelps, Olympic swimmer: \u003cbr/\u003e\"You know I've been a part of, I guess I've been working with the Boys and Girls club for the last eight years and to be able to sort of go in and see how much energy and how much passion everybody has in there is absolutely incredible for me. It's an honor for me to be a part of it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e8. Audience cutaway\u003cbr/\u003e9. Audience cutaway\u003cbr/\u003e10. SOUNDBITE (English) Ashanti, recording artist: \u003cbr/\u003e\"Absolutely. I'm definitely a success story. Walking into the Boys and Girls club of America and coming out and being able to follow my dreams and choose a career path that I'm really passionate about and be successful with. And I think it's great that I'm in a position where I'm able to give back and create awareness at the same time.\"\u003cbr/\u003e11. SOUNDUP (English) Ashanti, recording artist: \u003cbr/\u003e\"My whole family was actually a part of the Boys and Girls club of America in Glen Cove, Long Island, Strong Island that is. And it definitely changed my life. Like my mom, she taught dance there, my dad kind of did security, he played basketball, my little sister just kind of followed me around, but nonetheless the whole family was there. And it's so weird how things are full circle because I actually did my very first performance and talent show at the Boys and Girls Club. And the staff had made my own homemade stage down in the gym and I just remember family and friends and the whole community being there and I won. I came in first place. And I was just like 'wow.' It kind of inspired me and it gave me the courage to pursue my dreams and go after a record deal.\"    \u003cbr/\u003e12. SOUNDBITE (English) Ashanti, recording artist: \u003cbr/\u003e\"Yeah I'm pretty good with Tweeting, I let them know what's going on. I think it's a positive thing you know for them to feel like they have a direct connection to you. And again, you can show your appreciation. You can tell them what's going on you can tell them 'Hey, here's what I'm doing.' You can tell them 'hey, come to this event.' You know and I think it just makes them feel a part of the process and it makes them feel like they're a part of what you're doing.\"\u003cbr/\u003e13. Wide shot of press conference\u003cbr/\u003e14. 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