Today B*tween Productions, home of the Beacon Street Girls, and Nastia Liukin, Olympic gold medal gymnast, jointly announced that Liukin will serve as a role model on the company's new safe social networking site.
The Beacon Street Girls launched a beta version of its website modeled on a junior high earlier this summer. Tweens personalize a virtual locker, safely "friend" the Beacon Street Girls characters and other Club BSG members from around the world. One of the unique aspects of the site is the ability to friend celebrities and real-life role models like Nastia.
Liukin has a locker too, where Club BSG friends leave messages on her whiteboard. Fans also catch up with the gymnast in the Club BSG Gymnastics Team. There they read exclusive interviews with the champion and experienced for themselves the excitement, energy and suspense of Olympic competition. Girls connect with Liukin on a personal level, not just as an Olympian.
"Club BSG is important to how I connect with my fans," said Nastia. "I appreciate all the encouragement and love reading the notes girls leave on my Club BSG whiteboard. Plus, through the Gymnastics Team on the site, I have the ability to reach even more girls than ever before! On the site, we will be talking about self-esteem and staying fit through positive life choices."
"It's exciting to have Nastia take an active role in our community," said Addie Swartz, CEO of B*tween Productions. "A role model for young women everywhere, Nastia demonstrates that it is important to always try your best, and maintain your composure under pressure. Her accomplishments are extraordinary, and we hope that girls will emulate her positive attitude. She is the embodiment of good sportsmanship."
Besides her Olympic successes, winning gold in the women's all-round as well as four other medals, the 18-year-old gymnast has accomplished much. She holds three World Championships, nine World medals, four U.S. National Championships, and both a Pacific Alliance and an American Cup title. She was also named Gymnast of the Year by the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame and was a nominee in both the World Top 10 Athletes Award and the U.S. Sport's Academy Athlete of the Year Award in 2005.
The Beacon Street Girls can be found online at http://www.beaconstreetgirls.com
Artwork available upon request