More than six million high school student-athletes in the United States will all face the same question at the end of their high school careers: What now? For a very few, the answer will be obvious. They are the elite 1% who are heavily recruited by colleges and universities. The other 99% reach the end of their high school careers without a clear path to the future.

A college education is expensive. The average student-athlete will require about five years to complete undergraduate degree requirements, at a cost of up to $100,000. That's a staggering financial burden for most families.

Recruiting student-athletes for college programs is expensive, too. Most coaches have limited resources for recruiting. As a result, coaches have only a limited knowledge of the talent pool available to them.

Oi works to bring these two groups together. We also reach out to introduce a third element into this mix: America's corporations. Many companies offer tuition reimbursement programs for their employees. A growing number are taking the next step. They are providing sponsorships for deserving high school students to pursue their college education.

Oi works with companies to develop and expand corporate sponsorships for qualified student-athletes. Corporate sponsorships allow deserving student-athletes to pursue their goals of attaining a college degree while continuing their athletic careers at the college level.

The sponsoring company makes it possible for Oi to provide maximum exposure for the student-athlete to hundreds of colleges and coaches, opening up increased opportunities for the student's family to meet the financial obligations of higher education.

The Oi sponsorship program is unique in that it allows traditional one-time corporate support to have a residual effect. By sponsoring deserving student-athletes a company's investment has the potential to multiply into additional athletic and academic scholarships and other forms of financial aid for that same academic year. With the opportunity for annual renewals, the benefit could grow exponentially and greatly ease the financial burdens of the student-athletes family.

Oi works in conjunction with The Phoenix Organization, a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization. The Phoenix Organization was established to educate, motivate, empower, and inspire America's youth. Oi, through the non-profit organizations, is able to provide a 100% tax deduction to sponsoring corporations. Oi also provides the sponsoring corporation nationwide exposure that can enhance the company's own marketing efforts. It can generate media interest that highlights the sponsor's role of investing in a community's future.

Sponsorship also allows the company to establish positive relationships with student-athletes that could last a lifetime. It's an opportunity for the sponsoring corporation to play an active and vital role in the lives of young adults.

At Oi, we believe today's student-athletes are tomorrow's leaders. Former student-athletes like Bill Bradley, Steve Largent and J.C. Watts are highly visible examples of the kind of leadership that grows out of the commitment, determination and discipline athletic programs nurture.

There are thousands more former student-athletes all over the country making important contributions to their communities by providing leadership in business, education, civic affairs and government. They may not be as well known to the general public, but their contributions are every bit as valuable.

Corporate sponsorship of qualified and deserving student-athletes allows companies to help insure that the future leaders of America are equipped to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

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