It’s in you to give In the gift of blood you give a person in need one of the most important things – a fighting chance. You may not be a trained nurse, doctor, EMT, or any form of a health care provider but you do have the power to save someone’s life. There are…
Spoken word is a hybrid between poetry and speech, emphasizing certain words and rhymes to create a sort of music. ‘Undefined’ was written to highlight the empowerment we as youth have to break beyond expectations set by others or even ourselves and our peers. This piece was written for me, and you, and for anyone…
“We find volunteering very fulfilling. Helping others and seeing the impact we’ve made in their lives is its own reward.” Steven, 14 & Nikoo, 14 & Daria, 15 Seen at the Salvation Army Centre of Hope
Every Tuesday, from April 21st to May 26th, I was lucky enough to have had a volunteer position as a Big Buddy for Calgary Public Library’s Reading Buddies program! This experience taught me a lot about patience and being a role model for my Little Buddy. I was able to use my love for reading to…
On a gloomy Thursday evening, at the Starbucks located in Chinook’s Chapters, I sat down with one of the brightest and effervescent young people I have met. This is not an understatement. Serena is one of the most intrinsic people you will ever have the good fortune to know. With her writing, she has tackled…
“This internship is taking us places. Not a penthouse, but places.” Elvin, 16 & Ryan, 16 Seen at the EarlyBird Youth Services shortlisted candidates meeting
“I’ve volunteered halfway across the world and in my community with multiple organizations. I’ve worked with people aged 3-90, from the handicapped to the homeless. But despite all the differences, volunteering is always the same: the coming together of individuals from all walks of life to improve the world around them.” Lindsay, 16
“One time I was volunteering as a host for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing dinner and I was learning a few basic handshapes from the coordinator. At one point I didn’t do one of the shapes properly and so instead of welcoming my family I technically told them I was pregnant.” Alyssa, 16
The Calgary Food Bank is a non-profit organization that collects food donations and distributes them to those in need. Supported by sponsors and help from the community, the food bank offers relief for people across Canada. I started volunteering at the food bank in January 2014 on Wednesday nights. Although all new volunteers must go…
Do you know someone musically talented around you? If so, chances are they attended the Calgary’s Got Classical Talent concert in celebration of the winners of the Calgary Concerto Competition (C3) on the 12th of April. Four incredible young musicians, Yan Li; violin, Peter Wang; piano, Yunzhi Han; piano, and Nicholas Kwan; piano, were given…
“Jet fuel can’t melt steel memes, and I can’t sleep because there’s too many pretty girls.” – Dan, 18
Mental health shouldn’t be a topic only talked about in the safety of the shadows in a dark alley. It’s a big topic and sadly enough it is also a big taboo in our society. Suicide is whispered about, depression is often thrown under the rug, panic and anxiety attacks are becoming increasingly normal for students.…
Earlier this month, Arts & Culture editor Hui Wen and I had the incredible opportunity to spend 10 days living in Denmark as part of a student exchange program. It was a transformative experience that I can’t recommend highly enough. Especially as a youth, travel can be such an eye-opening experience. There are so many reasons…
“Fitness, in my eyes, is a way of release; an outlet. There’s no better feeling than the sense of accomplishment after finishing up a workout routine. That moment when you’re catching your breath and you can feel your heart pounding inside of your chest, along with the fresh ache in your bones. It’s the sort…
Last Sunday I had the pleasure to meet May’s blogger of the month, Kandance Peroramas, to discuss topics ranging from writing to music. Though having only been writing at YAA for over a month now, Kandance has already established herself as someone who posts quality material about many different topics. What struck me from our…