Miami-Dade County Youth Fair Sponsors 2014 Cross-Country Race

MIAMI - Aug. 19, 2014 - PRLog -- MIAMI, Fla. – Aug. 19, 2014 – The Miami-Dade County Youth Fair's Cross-Country Race open to middle school and high school athletes will take place Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014, at Larry and Penny Thompson Park, 12451 SW 194^th St., Miami.

Junior varsity races begin promptly at 3 p.m. followed by varsity races at 4:45 p.m. The final race of the day starts at 5:20 p.m. Winners will receive their awards, including the new Miami-Dade Mayor's Cup, at an awards ceremony following the races.

The Youth Fair's annual Cross-Country Race draws more than 1,500 high school and middle school students from Miami-Dade County public and private schools to compete at the park's cross-country track. The race has become part of the Youth Sports Championship Series, which is the premier sponsor of the event.

The Youth Sports Championship Series aims to build and support a strong foundation of organized sports through a series of sport championships coordinated by the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department and the local governing body of the individual youth sport. Champions will be crowned in 10 sports at 15 events, predominantly at Miami-Dade County-owned parks and facilities. Winners of championships in tennis, track and field, basketball, baseball, flag football, golf, swimming, wrestling, cross country, cheer and dance, and soccer will be crowned with the Mayor's Cup.

The Youth Fair and the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department work together to promote a year round athletic program. Annually, there are more than 6,000 public and private school students who participate in the various sporting events: swimming and diving, cross country, tennis, track, golf, bowling, wrestling and badminton. These events are open to middle and high school students.

All athletic events are held in accordance with the official rules of the National Federation of State High School Association, Florida High School Activities Association and the Greater Miami Athletic Conference (GMAC).

The Youth Fair is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization that awards more than $300,000 annually in college scholarships, cash premiums and awards to local public, private, charter and home school students. To date, The Youth Fair has awarded well over $10 million to Miami-Dade students to help them achieve higher education. In 2014, it awarded $90,000 in college scholarships, including $7,000 to winners of Miami-Dade County Public School's inaugural Elie Wiesel Foundation Prize in Ethics Essay Contest.

The Youth Fair is the only venue where students can showcase their educational, art and science achievements all in one place and be rewarded for their efforts. More than 40,000 student projects are exhibited annually to more than half a million families, friends and fairgoers. Please visit http://www.thefair.me/