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Olympic Legend Comes To Olney Elementary Bearing Gifts From Comcast

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It was quite the surprise for a back-to-school Monday: Students at Olney Elementary not only heard from an Olympic legend but also were stunned by the gifts she had for them.

The press event for Comcast played more like a pep rally:

"We! Succeed!"

That's what happens when track-and-field superstar Jackie Joyner-Kersee is in the house.

"I made it to the very top, but I wasn't the very best when I first started," she told the students. "You all have to be willing to work hard in anything and everything you're trying to accomplish."

Joyner-Kersee is working with the Philly cable giant as spokeswoman for their Internet Essentials program. More than 85,000 people who live in the city have signed up over the past five years, but many more low-income residents are eligible for the $10/month high-speed service. Comcast also offers reduced-cost computers, and is putting up $100,000 in grants for digital literacy training. (Sign up at 855-8-INTERNET or InternetEssentials.com.)

"Access is everything," she said.

For the kids, it was well worth sitting through speeches from politicians and corporate types, as Comcast's David Cohen announced.

"We are going to give every one of you a free laptop to take home with you today," Cohen said.

And 13-year-old Felicia even got Joyner-Kersee to autograph her computer:

"I think she's a good athlete," Felicia said, "and she inspires me."

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