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Character: The Ultimate Survival Tool 2005
"Rookie of the Year" Before he became an instant celebrity for winning Survivor Africa, Ethan Zohn played soccer professionally for teams in both the United States and Zimbabwe. He thought his previous experience in Africa would help him on the reality show, but it didn't really give him an edge he said. It did remind him of the tremendous problems facing most African countries in terms of poverty, corrupt governments and most devastatingly, the AIDS crisis. After this reminder, when it came time to decide what to do with his newly acquired million and his fifteen minutes of fame, Ethan's decision was easy. In Africa, the most popular sport by far is soccer. Since Ethan has experience in that arena, he decided to use his money and notoriety to help provide AIDS education, using African role models — soccer players — to teach children about HIV and AIDS. "I applaud your efforts to help the world better understand that talking about AIDS is a significant part of the battle against this deadly disease. Colin Powell "On a continent with so many misconceptions about AIDS, good education is so important," Zohn said. "Soccer players are the perfect choice because they are the role models for children and adults in that part of the world." Ethan played soccer in Zimbabwe for a year and decided to base Grassroot Soccer there because there was such a high need. The average life expectancy in Zimbabwe was 63 years old in 1990 and only 39 years in 2000. By 2010, more than 35 percent of all kids in the country are expected to be AIDS orphans. I truly believe that If there were more people like Ethan Zohn in the world today, we would not have AIDS, because we would not have the denial, ignorance, and fear that goes with it. Instead, we would have the compassion, decency, and sense of community that Ethan represents through his character, words, and deeds. Any time Ethan can tell his story, say what he feels, and show who he is, a new opportunity is created to change the way people think about AIDS and their responsibilities to one another as members of the human family. Ethan continues to make an invaluable contribution to AIDS awareness wherever he goes, and I praise and thank him for it. Robert Bilheimer In his program, Character: The Ultimate Survival Tool, Ethan delves deeply into the issue of character with his audience: where it comes from, why it matters, and how it can help them make important decisions in their lives. Ethan relates the character-building moments in his own life from his father's death when he was 14, to experiences he had on the soccer field and in college, to illustrate how character is built and why it is important to develop, nurture and refine our character. "You never know when you will need the reserves of your character, but when you do, you better be sure you are up to the challenge," he said. Character is difficult to define, but Ethan puts it into terms that students can relate to, and he sprinkles in personal stories, fromSurvivor as well as other times in his life. Many of us assume these days that in order to win — atSurvivor or at life — we have to compromise our values, dominate our rivals, control every situation, and be willing to do whatever it takes to succeed no matter the cost to other people. But the truth is that strong character — the values of honesty, integrity, friendship and honor — are as important in today's society as ever. "Most people believe that to win Survivor you have to check your integrity at the door," Zohn said. "But I disagree." Ethan says that as in life,Survivor is really all about community. "When you make yourself a valuable and contributing member of the community, and allow people to depend on you, they are always interested in keeping you around and in helping you in return." More than just another of today's instant celebrities, Ethan Zohn is truly a man of character, interested in helping those in need and speaking to students about their unique opportunities to use their talents for others. About Ethan Zohn Before he became an instant celebrity for winning Survivor Africa, Ethan Zohn was a professional soccer player for teams in the United States and Zimbabwe. He grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts, and graduated in 1996 from Vassar College with a degree in Biology. After college, Ethan spent four seasons playing professional soccer for the Hawaii Tsunami and the Cape Cod Crusaders. Today, he works extensively with various children's soccer programs and with Grassroot Soccer — based in Zimbabwe — which puts professional soccer players in front of African children for the purpose of HIV and AIDS education. In his free time, Ethan loves hanging out with friends, traveling, and of course, playing soccer. He currently lives in New York. |
