Youth Are Awesome, commonly referred to as YAA, is a blog written by youth for youth.
YAA provides the youth of Calgary a place to amplify their voices and perspectives on what is happening around them.
Youth Are Awesome is a program of Youth Central.
Any views or opinions expressed on this blog belong solely to the author and do not represent those of people or organizations that the blog may be associated with, unless explicitly stated. All content is for informational purposes only.
I love OK Go. They prove that music videos can be original, imaginative works of art, rather than just closeup shots of good-looking people dancing suggestively. (Besides, they sound pretty awesome, too!)
One of my favourites is “All Is Not Lost.”
If you use Google Chrome (high five!), go here to see the video with my special message and make your own đ
For everyone else, you won’t be able to see my super-secretive-top-secret-specially-classified message… (you can watch the video here)
It’s unbelievable how technologically advanced – and dependent – we’ve become compared to a mere decade or so ago. The following is a video on the statistical side of things, but only limited to the Facebook world. Imagine how big the numbers would become if we included the whole World Wide Web, or even just other social media websites!
So what does this all mean? Are we, as a human population, becoming what’s so-called “technologically advanced” (go flying cars!) or are we just becoming more lazy and more prone to be defeated in nature, as a race?
2012: we're bound to have some flying cars by now?Just chillin'...
That’s right, here is YOUR chance to hang out with Mr. Naheed Nenshi for the day! Spend a day in the mayor’s shoes and make your mark in our city!
This new project is brought to you by Youth Central‘s Mayorâs Youth Council of Calgary and is related to Mr. Nenshi’s 3 Things for Calgary Initiative. Not too familiar with 3 Things for Calgary?
It’s super simple to hand in your application! The Mayor for a Day essay contest is about you and your 3 ideas that you would implement to make Calgary an even better place to live. Think about what matters to you. What kind of changes do you think need to happen in the city? More volunteer opportunities for youth? Better transit services? Whatever it may be, we’d like to hear about your concerns.
Once you have decided on your three initiatives for Calgary that would make it an even more awesome place to live, all you have to do is write an essay of a maximum of 1,00o words.
Make it interesting, tell us why you feel implementing YOUR three things will truly benefit our city. All essay submissions must be completed in the Mayor for a Day Submission Form, which can be accessed on http://youthcentral.com/mayorforaday/. We’ve also got tons of information on our Facebook Page. (Link Below)
When you’re finished your essay, submit it to myc@youthcentral.comor Youth Central, Mayorâs Youth Council Program Coordinator, #820, 105 12 Ave. SE, T2G 1A1. The Mayor’s Youth Council will be reading through these very carefully and send their top picks to the mayor himself for his final approval! How exciting is that?! Don’t wait, start writing your essays right now!
The selected essay writer will receive a chance to spend time with Mayor Nenshi and City of Calgary administration, along with the opportunity to discuss further one of their 3 ideas with appropriate City of Calgary staff. For example, if you wanted to improve aspects of C-Train service in Calgary, let’s just say we’d connect you to the right people. đ
Remember, this contest is open to youth in Grades 6 through 12, SPREAD THE WORD! Good luck and happy writing!
Don’t forget, the deadline for submissions is March 20, 2012. Â
The ever famous photo of the planet Earth taken by the crew members of Apollo 17 on Dec 7, 1972. The photo depicts the sensations of vulnerability, fraility and isolation associated with our planet in the vastness of the cosmos.
Now that we are a couple of weeks into the new year, I think itâs time to make some predictions into what the new year will hold, and see what we have left behind in 2011. The video shown below is a Google Production which they usually do to recap what the year has been like. This one has lots of emphasis on the natural disasters as well as the civil revolt and protest of the people worldwide. The year 2011 is what many are calling the year of the protester; now letâs see what the future may hold for us in 2012.
According to Fareed Zakaria, the decade of 2010 is one of a post-American world. He predicts that emerging powers didnât lead in 2011 and wonât again in this coming year. Due to the fragile state of the current economic condition and because of political, environmental, and cultural change that many countries are going through this coming year will be one of interdependence among all countries of the world.
On another note here are some interesting predictions for the year 2012:
⢠7 million babies will be born in North America
⢠Sophia will be the most popular baby name
⢠The end of cash, as mobile wallets are making physical money less useful
⢠An Athenian citizen will have to pay 91% more for their coffee
⢠Media studios will aim to crackdown on piracy
⢠Yohan Blake breaking Usain Boltâs record in the 100m. at the 2012 summer Olympics
⢠Social Networks will surmount 1 billion people in users
⢠The end of the Mayan calendars ď Worldly Catastrophe
So with 2011 behind us, and the predictions being made for 2012, it can be safe to say that 2012 will be a very interesting year.
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” This Chinese proverb accentuates the importance of what I consider to be the greatest tool a person can be given: education. I believe that education is paramount to having a successful socioeconomic environment. In my opinion, education is a basic need, and should be a pillar for the development of society. I would like to think that there are people of similar mind, Pencils of Promise being one example.
Pencils of Promise is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing education to underdeveloped nations through the power of a pencil. The founder, Adam Braun, “backpacked through more than 50 countries, handing out thousands of pens and pencils across six continents.” Thus, Pencils of Promise was born. Based on what I wrote above, I’m sure you can guess that I am a huge fan of what PoP is doing. Through various fundraisers, along with donations and other means of income, Pencils of Promise has built over 40 schools in Laos, Nicaragua, and Ghana.
The thing I find most compelling about Pencils of Promise is their modus operandi – PoP does not just go into villages and throw money at the problem and walk out after building a school. Instead, they actually scope out communities in need of a school, learn the culture, and ensure that the community provides 20% of the materials and/or funding, along with training for teachers. By doing so, volunteers ensure that the impact of their actions lasts much longer than just the duration of their visit. With such a unique model of charity, alongside the support of international superstars such as Justin Bieber and Sophia Bush, Pencils of Promise is making a change in the world, and this is just the beginning. If you are interested in learning more or supporting these guys, please visit their website at pencilsofpromise.org.
Youth flocked to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and took over this performance. Why? Because it was Tchaikovsky on the program!
Tchaikovsky combined the wonderful music of the West with the familiar folk music of Russia to create his own world. Tchaikovsky was “a melodic genius,” Alastair Willis, guest conductor, excitedly tells the audience. His enthusiastic interactions with the crowds, taking brief moments between pieces to explore Russia and what surrounded Tchaikovsky through diary entries and interesting music history, giving the audience a personal feel of “Tchaikovsky’s World.” A great admirer of Mozart, Tchaivoksy dedicated his beginning compositions to his idol. In 2011, the most played classical composer was Tchaikovsky- but that’s only including his three greatest ballets, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty that are now staples of ballets all around the world. Take away his ballets, and he drops to seventh most-played.
Courtesy of the Davideggert.com
From a youth perspective, this concert was one of the best of the season! A beautiful and masterful selection of Tchaikovsky’s and his fellow contemporaries scores made for great comparison of how the trend of Russian music was developing during Tchaikovsky’s time, and of course, Tchiavoksy’s grand and energetic finales always wows the crowd. The audience were fortunate to observe a fresh and intriguing score of Tchaikovsky’s that wrote the original himself, but the variation is the piece everyone hears. The original version of Variations On A Rococo Theme, untouched by his soloist Wilhem Fitzenhagen, rearranged the order and took it upon himself to “improve the piece!” (How anyone could do that to Tchaikovsky is unbelievable!) The audience certainly received a lovely and rare opportunity to listen to this piece, especially with celebrated cellist, David Eggert.
Eggert’s performance was absolutely magnificent and spontaneously bursting of virtuosity and warmth. Eggert brings a special touch of exquisite technicality and captured the Russian spirit of the piece. Filling the concert with heart melting warmth and an air of refined transparency, Eggert showcases the world of elegant ballroom and a militaristic style, folk music weaved with the new phenomenon of Western music Tchaikovsky sought to translate with song.
Courtesy of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
I dared to stop my complete hypnotism and embrace of the wildly energetic music to observe the reactions of the audience members to the concert music, and of course, faces were in deep rapture, astonishment and pure delight- notably during the performance of cellist David Eggert and the Nikolay Rimsky Korsakov’s Russian Easter Overture. A friendly youth beside me commented on how she had rarely witnessed cellist so “into” their music before, and that bringing a little extra spice complemented the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra!
One of my favourite memories from the concert was Willis’ guiding baton and influence of the audience, bring to attention Tchaikovsky’s natural feel of how each instrument of an Orchestra sounds like and feels. Most are familiar with the oboe solo in the Scene from Swan Lake from Act 2, the beautiful and graceful rhythm and melody– but as Willis’ demonstrates with the Orchestra- it has to be the oboe that plays the solo. Why? Because, as Willis’ notes, “it just doesn’t feel right and is missing something,” as renditions of the piece are played with a flute and a clarinet acts as soloists. And he’s right, Tchaikovsky knew what sounded good, and the Orchestra knows how to perform Tchaikovsky’s pieces better than good.
Courtesy of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra brilliantly brought a spontaneous energy and majesty to the pieces of Tchaikovsky, “going all out” with a loud crash of cymbals and percussion, the lovely uplifting sounds of the harp and the wind instruments, strength of the horns and warmth from the strings, that was all combined to create an interactive and most engaging concert! Classical music is slowly starting to be taken over youth, join the revolution and inspiration, and experience the high calibre sounds of 65 world class musicians under one roof, the Jack Singer Concert Hall and one home- Calgary. Thanks goes to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra for giving me this opportunity to personally experience a world far from Calgary right at home with some of greatest musicians in the world!
Julian Beever, better known as The Sidewalk Picasso, is the producer of anamorphic drawings – optical illusions created with chalk. This English artist brings pavements to life across England, France, Germany, USA, Australia and Belgium.
Although the following pieces of artwork do look as though they have depth and dimension, they are completely flat.
How it works: the murals are actually drawn much larger and stretched out than they appear. They are skewed in order to sustain corect proportions and can only be seen correctly – in 3D form – from a certain viewing point.
A huge part of Chinese New Year, for me, are the lights. The crackle and boom of fireworks were ubiquitous during the 15 days of celebration â even before that. Lanterns and dazzling lights take over the streets. Every year, when the huge countdown clock on the CCTV Spring Festival Gala reaches 00:00, Iâd run down the four flights of stairs into the shared community garden. There, the real show begins, as we send rockets of colour and glitter into the night sky, along with our hopes and dreams for the new year. It is truly a magical moment, shared with friends, neighbours, even strangers.
wondrouspics.comsacbee.com
Even more importantly, Chinese New Year is a time to celebrate family. Back when China was mostly rural, winter was a break from farming, an opportunity to spend time with loved ones.
Those are the two things I miss most about Lunar New Year in China.
However â Calgary being the multicultural capital it is, with a Chinese population of 75,410 (according to Calgary Economic Development) â there are plenty of ways to celebrate. (Besides, being in the 21st Century, we have the privilege of using the Internet to watch programs, video call family and friends halfway across the globe, or learn to make legit dumplings – skip to 1:30)
visitcalgary.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14980862@N03/
Chinatown, of course, hosts a variety of cultural performances, exhibitions and events during this time of the (lunar) year. Thereâs dance, song, martial arts, calligraphy, and classical instruments. There were even ice sculptures on display.
Many churches and Chinese associations also host Lunar New Year galas or potlucks. It’s like… âfamily away from familyâ?
The sense of joy is definitely present â though I canât say the same for those beautiful, explosive fire-hazards. I guess there’s always sparklers.
I know I’m just a first year student, but I’ve proved all the teachers wrong! They scare us and tell us that our marks will drop significantly lower, but I’ve found I’ve maintained my marks, and even improved them from high school. Maybe it’s because I like university more, but it’s probably because I’ve found a lot of help at my school.
At the University of Calgary, there are a bunch of clubs to help people get cheap tutor sessions or tutors. Easy Ace is a great club where you can request as many tutoring sessions per year; I usually try to book one every week. I only have to pay $5 for the entire year, as the Student’s Union mandates that all U of C clubs have a membership fee. Students Offering Support is also another great resource, and all proceeds go towards helping communities around the world! They are 3-4 hour long cram sessions that prepare you for your midterms and finals. And to those students who might not be afraid of them now… don’t be. Just study hard and get help! Price ranges from $15-$20 (depending if you have a membership, which is $5) and they also give you an exam package with extra practice questions and tips.
There are also Undergraduate Society clubs (I’m in the Computer Science Undergraduate Society) and they usually should have an office. The Departments should sponsor these clubs, as well as give midterm and final packages where they can sell them for approximately less than $10 each. Membership at the U of C only costs $5, but if your Undergraduate Society has a strong team, then they should plan events and offer free food; making your membership purchase totally worth it. You can also find Teaching Assistants or generally just smart people who would definitely help you if you needed it.
Another resource you should use (which I don’t because I forget) are your professors and TAs! Remember when their office hours are and pop by; they’re a very useful resource, especially if it comes to writing essays and whatnot. If you’re afraid of finding them, then I guess you just have to find students. And try not to rely on your friends–they might get annoyed at you if you keep bothering them with questions. So get someone who volunteers or is trained to do that stuff! Students don’t make a lot of money, so if you don’t want to spend at least $15 per hour on a tutor, try your school’s resources first.
Lastly, check out if your campus has any resource centers. The University of Calgary has the Student Success Center, offering writing tips and even editing them! There’s also workshops going on throughout the year which can be surprisingly helpful.
What do you do when you first get home from school? Research has shown that most kids come home from school and go on a social media website. This results in homework being done late at night. They end up losing track of time and spend hours and hours on the computer.
Time management is important because it helps you prioritize your work. Once you have a list of things to tackle, you need to see what you should do first. What are the things that are most important and time-intensive? That way you set out to do those things first. This allows time for social media, homework, and family time. Whether it is a daily work list or a long-term career plan time management will keep you on track. Time management will keep you on track with your stated goals, career plan and your time.
A personal experience: Every day I would come home and go straight to the computer or text. I realized that my grades were dropping. My homework was done in a rushed manner. I didn’t take the time to study or understand the material learned that day. I was so worried about my social life and not my school life. I soon realized that social media was taking up to much of my time. I set a plan for myself, keeping in mind time management and prioritizing my work. In the long run this helped a lot. It taught me that my school life was more important than my social life. Having good grades in the long run helped me make the honor roll. As a result of making the honor roll. Through this process I learned how to time manage and prioritize.
