Youth of YYC: Rebecca, 15
“You’re taking only cores the entire year? How in the world do you manage?” “Well, dancing really helps me get through the day. It helps me live in the moment and forget about the stresses of school.” Rebecca, 15
Youth of YYC: Josh, 17
“What are your thoughts on post secondary?” Instead of answering, he just made this face. Josh, 17
An interview with Calgary’s Natálie Slabá, artist
When I first met Natálie, I was taken by how passionate she is about her art and how much love she puts into the work she does. With recent exhibitions at Planet Art Gallery and Lux Laundromat among other accomplishments, Natálie has already achieved an incredible amount by anyone’s standards at the young age of…
Youth of YYC: Mayor’s Youth Council, Public Relations Committee, 15-17
“It’s cold, can we go back inside now?” Mayor’s Youth Council, Public Relations Committee, 15-17
Youth of YYC: Andrew, 15
“One of the greatest things about a leader is not the idea of recognition, nor the high prestige, but the fundamental principle and notion that the person in charge is always the first person to stand up and make a difference on the team. Throughout my life, that’s the type of person I’ve always tried…
Youth of YYC: Mira, 15
“This spring, I went to Peru to volunteer at a boy’s home for troubled youth. It was amazing, but it was tough at times to see people my age or younger experiencing things that kids should never have to go through.” Mira, 15
Youth of YYC: Mitchell, 17
“I was just doing my thing and it just happened randomly. I was getting into the car and I had a spontaneous lung collapse. So that’s kind of affecting my music in a huge way, I’ve had some really cool opportunities because of it but I haven’t been able to play my trumpet, something that…
Artist in profile: Jan Lisiecki
A few weeks back I had the absolute privilege of seeing classical pianist Jan Lisiecki perform alongside the Calgary Philharmonic in a dazzling display of ability and virtuosity. If you’re a classical pianist residing in Calgary, then you’ve probably heard a thing or two about Jan Lisiecki, the local Polish-Canadian pianist who captured the attention of the…
Awesome youth in profile: Nicole M’Carthy
Nicole M’Carthy is a Grade 11 student at Western Canada High School who was nominated in the Leadership category for the 2014 ConocoPhillips Youth of Distinction Awards (a program of Youth Central). Nicole pulled through as one of three finalists, and ultimately received the award. I had the pleasure to sit down and chat with Nicole…
Something for ALL of you to SEE: Operation Eyesight first youth club meeting
How much do you know about avoidable blindness? Did you know that 285 million people in the world suffer from blindness and low vision, while 80 per cent of these cases can be prevented? In developing countries, being visually impaired is not just a disability but is a DEATH SENTENCE. You may be wondering why…
Being a bouncer at a bouncy castle
The cynical tone of the essay is intended for a humorous effect; in no way does it reflect the author’s true interpretation on the topic. If you are 80 pounds and under or here to have fun, you are the wrong kind of bouncer. Manning the giant inflatable catastrophe-makers is a taxing task and…
Are you affecting the lives of others positively?
Have you recently looked through your life, asking yourself this question, “Am I affecting the lives of others positively?” Have you ever taken time just to reflect and see those around you? Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be…
My experience volunteering at Beakerhead 2014
Last weekend saw the conclusion of the second year of Beakerhead, an often explosive festival that celebrates art, engineering, and science. I was lucky enough to have had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer through Youth Central at Little Big Street, just one of the several venues that Beakerhead employs to hold its wide array of…
What does it mean to do something ‘like a girl’?
*NOTE* This is NOT a post directed towards the male population, or to insult the male population. This is just to stop individuals from using “Like A Girl” as an insult! “What does it mean to do something ‘like a girl’?” Always #LikeAGirl This was something that started as an ad as I was trying…
Anthony Khem: The power of dance
17-year-old Anthony Khem found his passion for dance and he’s been pursuing it ever since. This led to the creation of his own YouTube channels where he does dance covers of some of his favorite artists and also some original work. Hailing from Calgary, he moved to Burnaby to train for dance in order to…