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YOUTH ARE AWESOME

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.

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Introducing the little band called The Beatles!

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“I declare that the Beatles are mutants. Prototypes of evolutionary agents sent by God, endowed with a mysterious power to create a new human species, a young race of laughing freemen.” – Timothy Leary

BeatlesRaging crowds, raving teens, and disapproving parents, what do all three of these things have in common?  You guessed it!  The Beatles, also known as the Fab Four.  To this day, they are one of the most famous and popular rock and roll groups of all time.

The Beatles consist of George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Richard Starkey also known as, Ringo Starr.  All of the Beatles where born and raised in Liverpool, England. John Lennon was considered the leader of the band.  He was a song writer, one of the two lead singers, and rhythm guitarist.  George Harrison was the lead guitarist.  Paul McCartney was a song writer, one of the two lead singers, and the bassist.  Ringo Starr played the drums.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote some of the most supreme music ever, whether together or on their own.  Some songs, such as “I Am the Walrus,” composed by John Lennon, bring listeners on a psychedelic trip.  Others, like Paul McCartney’s piece, “Hey Jude,” have captivated audiences around the world, uniting every person whilst they sing, “Na, na, na,  Hey Jude.”  Ringo Starr and George Harrison also wrote songs for The Beatles, but far less than Lennon and McCartney.

Below is just one of their masterworks, “Hey Jude”. Stay tuned until next week for more of The Beatles!

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Stamps!

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The Calgary Stamps are well on their way to defending that sought-after Grey Cup!  They played the Edmonton Eskimos this past Sunday November 15th in the West Semifinal, and won 24-21 to advance to the Western final.

Next in the way of the cup are the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who play Calgary in the West Final next Sunday at 2:30pm. If Calgary wins, they’ll advance to the Grey Cup Finals, being played in Calgary on November 29th!

Hopefully the Stamps can keep their momentum going and redeem themselves against the riders! For more information, go to www.cfl.ca!

GO STAMPS!

65_RedRoses

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65redroses2Eva was born with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) – a genetic disease that affects 1 in 3600 Canadians, and which 1 in 25 Canadians carry the gene for.

Tonight is the television premiere of 65_RedRoses, an award-winning documentary made about 23 year-old Eva’s battle with CF – a disease which affects several organs of the body, mostly the digestive system and the lungs, and causes a buildup of mucous which causes infections and makes it really hard to breathe (imagine breathing through a drinking straw 24/7).  The median age of survival for CF is 37 years.

The documentary follows Eva as she waits for a double lung transplant, and centres on Eva’s online relationships (the title of the film comes from her online profile name) with other CF patients around the world through her blog.  I encourage you to check out her online journal – it’s a fantastically honest portrayal of what it is like living with CF and the amazing strength that it takes to deal with all that comes along with this fatal disease.

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65_RedRoses airs tonight at 7pm on CBC’s The Passionate Eye, and I really encourage you to watch – I’m sure you’ll be inspired. 

If you would like more information on Cystic Fibrosis, you can check out the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s website.

Painting a Brighter Future for Sick Kids

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Many of us know about the Ronald McDonald House up by the Alberta Children’s Hospital. The charity was first established in 1973 by Philadelphia Eagles player Fred Hill and his wife Fran when their daughter, Kimberly Hill, was diagnosised with lymphatic leukemia. They hoped to purchase and renovate a house near the hospital for the family, and partenered with local McDonald Restaurants, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, and with the Eagles football team to accomplish their goal.

In Calgary, we have our own Ronald McDonald House that helps hundred of families every year.  We also have a wonderful company called ChromaColour Creative Art Center.

The two have partenered up for an artsy fundraiser. “Painting a Future for Sick Kids and their Families” fundraiser is taking place December 5th, 2009 from 10:00am – 5:00pm at ChromaColour – #5, 1410-28 Street N.E.

 The event will showcase 20+ local artists and artisans. Everything from paintings to ceramics to silk purses to photography to animation art will be on display and on sale! Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. This is a great oppertunity to do some feel-good Christmas shopping and connect with local talent.

Imagine what it would be like to have someone in your family with a severe illness – or maybe you don’t have to imagine too hard. Either way, little makes a day brighter than knowing you’re helping out a wonderful charity like this.

Add it to your Facebook events. I hope to see you there!

Read This: John Green Part 1

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Paper Towns is one of the best books I have every read.  Then one day, a thought hit me – if Paper Towns is my favorite novel, why haven’t I read more books from the same author?  It would make sense that if I’m look for a book similar to Paper Towns, I would read a book written by the author of Paper Towns.

So I went on the website of the Calgary Public Library and typed the name of the author (John Green) into there search engine.  As a result, I found four novels written by him – Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and Let it Snow (3 connected stories by 3 authors including John) – so I requested the three that I haven’t read and I plan to share them with you.

My knowledge of John Green (as an author) is based on reviews, and the novel Paper Towns.  From what I know, he writes love stories for teenage guys.  By that I mean, he writes meaningful, well-done stories filled with themes and hilarious “guy humor”, but girls may like them too.

The book Paper Towns contain material not suited for readers under the age of 14 and his other novels may be the same.

Tune in next week for part 2 (Let it Snow).

What is Because I am a Girl?

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In October, something really cool happened. The Because I am a Girl caravan visited Calgary and stopped at our school.  They interviewed girls and listened to our thoughts on what it means to be a girl here in Canada, and around the world.  Learning more about their campaign and speaking to them, I wanted to spread the message and let you all know what this is about.

Right now in the world, we’re failing girls. Some facts from the website include:

– One billion people live in extreme poverty – 70 per cent of which are women and girls
– It’s estimated 20 million girls never go to school
– Girls face more violence than boys do
– World leaders set targets to support girls and women. The Because I am a Girl reports show that these      goals aren’t being met

But they say there is hope, and investing in girls is the key to wiping out the cycle of poverty.  So what is this movement?  The Because I am a Girl movement is a global campaign to claim a brighter, safer future for girls. Their goal is to engage one million girls to raise money for projects such as providing clean water and food security, health care and education, and livelihood initiatives, like micro finance.

To learn more about Because I am a Girl, click here!

People say Some Funny Things

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Have you ever said something really funny that you just want the whole world to know? Well, there’s a better way than Facebook to post and read hilarious bluffs in human language (or brain).

At “Things People Said” there are, well, real things people said. Including everything from Spoonerisms to News Reports and Kid’s Quotes. There is something for everyone here, and I assure you, this website will supply you with hours of laughter and funny quotes.

Unfortunately, they are not currently accepting new posts, but just keep those funny things written down and soon you’ll be able to share them with everyone.

The human is not perfect. And that’s what makes them so funny!!! Enjoy 😀

Be Fair! Fairly Traded Market Day 2009

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Earlier this month we blogged about Make It, which was an awesome opportunity to purchase  “ethically made, one-of-a-kind handmade items” from local designers and artists. On Saturday November 28th, you’ll have a similar opportunity to make ethical purchases – this time from international vendors – at the University of Calgary’s Fairly Traded Market Day.

Put on by the university’s business faculty, the event is running for it’s sixth year and will feature over 20 fair trade, international, local, and green vendors as well as great local entertainment and food from Calgary’s EthniCity Catering. It is a free event, so it’s light on our student wallets, and it’s located less than 10 blocks away from the Sunnyside C-Train station at the Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Hall.

For more information check out the web-page and the poster. See you there!

The Killing Fields

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“Imagine. You’re playing in the fields, bathing in the sunlight, breathing in the sweet grass, pine and 2,4-D. Wait, what’s that? Oh, just another cancer-causing pesticide. You didn’t know about it. You didn’t have a choice. But now you do and you can make a difference.”

Caught your attention didn’t it?  These are the words of the Youth Earth Ambassadors (YEA), a group of young people encouraging everyone to become “environmentally proactive.”  They started a Facebook group called, The Killing Fields, in order to bring attention to the fact that a lot of pesticides people use every day in Calgary to make their grass green can cause cancer.

The Killing Fields group is trying to lobby as much support (specifically YOUTH support) as possible for the “Toxin Toll (TT)” bylaw, which is currently up for passing, with the vote being held this Monday November 16th.

If this bylaw is passed, use of cosmetic pesticides and chemicals will be reduced.  This issue has raised a lot of debate in Calgary, so much so that the vote for the bylaw is currently tied (after many many many discussions), and only one more vote from one more alderman could pass the bylaw.

Lots of organizations like the Canadian Cancer Society, the Lung Association, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada, and the Coalition for a Healthy Calgary have thrown their weight behind this cause.

Currently, The Killing Fields Facebook group has 813 members, and the petition YEA has circulating has over 300 signatures at the moment – the youth in this city have the potential to put this bylaw through by showing their support and helping make the case for this cause. 

If you would like to help pass the Toxin Toll bylaw, join The Killing Fields group now, and breathe a little easier.

For more info, check here or here, and feel free to share your thoughts on this bylaw in the comment section below!

TWLOHA

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TWLOHA stands for To Write Love on Her Arms.  TWLOHA is a non-profit movement to raise awareness and encourage hope and recovery for people suffering from depression, self-harm, addiction and thoughts of suicide.  Over 121 million people around the world suffer from depression; over half of them never get the help they need.  Thirty percent of depressed teens develop substance abuse problems, self-harm problems, or commit suicide.  Twenty to fifty percent of teens struggling with depression have a family history of depression.  TWLOHA raises awareness and encourages hope and recovery for these people.  Friday November 13 is To Write Love on Her Arms Day. People all over the world write “love” on their arms today to help raise awareness for this cause.  Write love on your arm today to help this great cause and to show your support for people who are recovering.

I <3 *atomic

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A number of the YAA crew have been frequenting a local bubble tea store before our committee meetings recently. *atomic, the creation of entrepreneurial siblings Jessica and Russel Bohrson, has a menu full of creative bubble tea combinations (hot and cold), sandwiches, and salads. I was able to try out a new addition to the menu just this week – the Mangoberry Colada. It was a combination of the Strawberry Mango and the Pinatomic Colada, and although I can’t speak to either of those, the Mangoberry Colada lovechild was super tasty.

Aside from their great menu, *atomic boasts a successful appearance on Dragon’s Den, obtaining a $120,000 investment. And if you’ve watched Dragon’s Den before, you’ll know that’s no easy task.  You can watch the episode here and the follow-up here.

This little local wonder has taken full advantage of our favourite social networking sites – Twitter and Facebook – and even have their own blog, offering  occasional discounts for followers and fans. For Halloween, they offered 10% off for any customers in full costume.

They’ve got to locations in dowtown Calgary for you to check out: one just north of 7th ave on 1st street S.W., and the other on 13th ave and 1st street, so give it a shot. Curl up with an *atomic hot tea on a cold day, or just check out their menu here.

 

 

you like *atomic. *atomic likes you

Image by k-ideas

An Update on Andrew, Did he Pass or Fail?

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andrew-phungFollowing up with my last post, I thought it would be cool to share more of the TV show (Gillette: Drafted) Andrew is on with you.  Below is his most recent episode.  He interviewed Kardinal Offishall and Carl Robinson of the Toronto FC!  Take a look below to see his newest episode!

Click here to take a look at Andrew’s skills.

Don’t forget to become a fan of Andrew on Facebook if you haven’t already 🙂 Click here!

Weird Laws in Canada

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Canada, like other countries, has random weird laws that are funny yet strange! For example, it is illegal to pay for a fifty-cent item with only pennies.

In Nova Scotia, a person is not allowed to water their grass when it’s raining!

In Ottawa you are not allowed to eat ice cream on Bank St on a Sunday! 

In Oshawa, it’s illegal to climb trees!

In the old days of Alberta, if a person was released from jail, he was required to be given a gun and a horse so he could ride out of town!

For other weird laws that existed and still do exist in the world, check out this website!

Crazy November Days

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November is known as Aviation, Child Safety and Protection, Good Nutrition, International Drums, Latin America, National Adoption, National Epilepsy, Model Railroad, and Peanut Butter Lover’s Month.  Also, the second week of November is National Children’s Book Week!

Take a look at the calendar for some interesting dates that you may think are cool and might want to celebrate:

Nov. 1 – All Saint’s Day, National Author’s Day, National Family Literacy Day

Nov. 2 – The  Cookie Monster’s Birthday, National Deviled Egg Day

Nov. 3 – Sandwich Day

Nov. 4 – National Candy Day

Nov. 5 – National Donut Day

Nov. 6 – Basketball Day

Nov. 7 – Hug-a-Bear Day, Magazine Day

Nov. 8 – X-Ray Day

Nov. 9 – Parade Day

Nov. 11 – Remembrance Day

Nov. 13 – Mom’s and Dad’s Day

Nov. 14 – National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day

Nov. 15 – Pack Your Mom Lunch Day

Nov. 16 – Button Day

Nov. 17 – Homemade Bread Day, National Young Reader’s Day, Take A Hike Day

Nov. 18 – Mickey Mouse’s Birthday

Nov. 20 – Mexican Revolution Day

Nov. 21 – World Hello Day

Nov. 22 – Stop the Violence Day

Nov. 23 – National Cashew Day

Nov. 25 – Woody Woodpecker’s Birthday

Nov. 26 – National Cake Day, Thanksgiving Day (US)

Nov. 27 – Pins and Needles Day

Nov. 30 – Stay at Home Because You’re Well Day

Changes to Math…

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In light of all the recent changes in regards to education, I thought I’d also mention this change as well.

Alberta Education is changing its math curriculum next September (in 2010). Instead of students having to choose between two math courses, pure and applied, students now have three choices when transitioning into high school.

In grade 10, students will be enrolled in one of the three math courses. One of the courses is geared for students planning for post-secondary (which further splits into students requiring calculus or not requiring it for their post-secondary studies). The other is for students joining the workforce straight out of high school or for students pursuing apprenticeship programs, and the last one is a basic math program.

Mathematics 10C is geared for students wishing to take the “-1” or “-2” route; “-1” is for students who require calculus in their post-secondary studies while “-2” is for students who do not. The “-3” route is for students going straight into the workforce or pursuing an apprenticeship program; and the “-4” route is the same basic math program that will not have changed under the revised curriculum (the 31 course also doesn’t change).

Each course now covers less topics than they currently do and aims to go into more depth into the areas that the student will require depending on the route they pick.

You can read the news article from CBC News here, or check out the information files from Alberta Education here.

What do you think of these changes to the curriculum? Too complicated or specific? Or does it make it easier for students?