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More Art Contests

Sarah K
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Last week I mentioned a national art contest for youth hosted by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. This week I bring you three more contests, this time a little closer to home.

Sled Island is an “annual independent multi-venue music and arts festival” held right here in Calgary, and we here at YAA are big fans. Not only do they put on a great show each year, but they work year-round to be involved in the community, and they love to support awesome youth. Each year Sled Island hosts a “Create-a-Poster” contest for high school students. It works like this: You make a poster with information about the festival on it. You print copies of the poster. You put them up around the city. You take a picture of your poster hanging up. You submit it. This way, there’s loads of free publicity for both you and your work, and the festival. Ten finalists win a pass to the festival, and a wristband for the Young Buds Stage. The contest is open until the 15th of June, and you can find out more important details in the Facebook release.

But if you want to perform at Sled Island rather than advertise for it, then the search for the “best teenage rock band in Southern Alberta” might be for you. The Homestretch on CBC Radio One is asking young bands to simply create a profile on CBC Radio 3, submit a photo and an original song, and then e-mail them. The winning band will get a pretty sweet prize package, including the opportunity to perform live on CBC Radio One and at Sled Island. There are only 12 submissions so far, but the deadline is fast approaching, so check out the rules and get your submissions in before May 14th.

The last contest deadline is also coming up quickly. Radio station X92.9 is looking for an awesome album cover for the Xposure 2010 CD, and needs submissions in by May 21st. The winning designer gets $2500, which they suggest you might want to use to pay for school. Check out the rules and details on their blog.

Good luck!

A Walk So Kids Can Talk

jessica
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Preparing For Walk

Last Sunday (May 2nd to be exact) was the Bell Walk for Kids Help Phone and my mother and I both walked for our second consecutive year. There was a pretty good turn out down at Eau Claire Market (about 600 walkers), considering the clouds over downtown looked a little menicing. The 5km walk through Prince’s Island Park started in time to avoid the rain and there was just enough wind to cool you down.

This was the 9th year of the walk and so far the walk has raised a total of $2.5 million and the charity is still counting donations from the 50 cities that participated this year. Before the walk started in downtown Calgary, Jessica who had just turned 13 shared some very honorable news with the crowd. For her 13th birthday she asked her friends and family to make their gifts a donation to The Kids Help Phone and she raised over $300. There is some amazing work being done out there by our youth today, it definitely brought a smile to my face.

Kids Help Phone is open 24/7, 365 days a year. If you ever need someone to talk to, there is always a Kids Help Phone Counsellor waiting on the other end of the line at this number: 1-800-668-6868 You can also post a question online or just browse the site to learn more about the troubles kids are facing and how Kids Help Phone can help.

Do you love science too?

eva
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Have you heard about the I Love Science Video Contest?

The Perimeter Institute (for Theoretical Sciences) is hosting this video contest to reach out to youth in Canadian high schools who are passionate about science. All you need to do is make a video that’s 30 seconds long (or shorter!) about why you love science. The prize for this contest? An all expenses paid round-trip to Hawking at the Perimeter on June 20, 2010!

Please note, only youth in grades 9 – 12, who are also between the ages of 14 – 19, and are enrolled full-time in a Canadian public, private or home school are allowed to participate. Students must also be Canadian citizens or legal residents living in Canada. Click here for the Official Contest Rules.

And for those of you wondering, the Perimeter Institute is an independent research institute devoted to theoretical physics that is located in Waterloo, Ontario. Stephen Hawking is a famous British theoretical physicist who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is a form of motor neuron disease that causes the gradual degeneration of motor neurons.

Apparently, the Physics 30 students of Sir Winston Churchill had the choice of completing a lab (to do with marshmallows) or submit a video for this contest. So far, my friend and I have located 12 videos from the students of Churchill! I guess this is proof that the video isn’t a lot of work ; ). Feel free to check them out below:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xd4q8f_you-may-love-physics-but-not-as-muc_tech

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The Beauty of Simplicity

kaiz
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I got one more poem from Alex Dias for all of you reading this; it’s really sweet! He wrote about the simplicity of life and the wonder it holds! Take a look!

The Beauty of Simplicity
By: Alex Dias

The evidence of beauty,
Hidden within simplicity,
The simple Creation explicitly,
Shamelessly wooing man carelessly.

Complexity is often considered better,
Bought out by the go-getters,
The rich, constant change of technology.
Yet, complexity lacking compared to biology.

We miss out on a day’s sunset,
The gentle speaking breeze, we forget,
The fluttering butterfly we ignore,
In an alive slumber, we snore.

We miss the softness of the grass,
Instead dwell in houses of glass,
Ignore the depth of other’s eyes,
Cataracts, stress, makes us sigh.

We worry about our next meal,
Forget the taste we feel,
We are over-ridden by money,
If we continue, we die lonely.

sunset

Cindy
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What do you like to do when the sun is setting down?

I just like to watch.

And to remember it.

Its still April

Still beautiful

Spring Music Preview No. 1

Alexander
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Spring has sprung and this year’s season has been blessed with the release of some fantastic records that I am personally looking forward to quite a bit. So take a peek at what’s coming out May 4th – a new Broken Social Scene album.

Broken Social Scene:
Forgiveness Rock Record

I love Broken Social Scene because they represent the coming together of a very large chunk the Canadian independent music. Members of Broken Social Scene are also members of Apostle of Hustle, Land of Talk, Metric, Stars, The Weakerthans, etc… Their sound is characteristically layered, featuring orchestrations of several guitars, brass instruments and horns, woodwinds and strings. It all comes together to create this amazing texture of sound that builds up and rolls over you like a wave.

Dropping tomorrow, Forgiveness Rock Record is the first (official) Broken Social Scene release since their eponymous third album in 2005.

The entirety of the new album, Forgiveness Rock Record is streaming at their site. Make sure you check out the first track, World Sick.

Yet Another Poetry Moment: Shel Silverstein’s Sick

zeeyaan
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Check out this poem:

Sick, Shel Silverstein

“I cannot go to school today,”
Said little Peggy Ann McKay,
“I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash, and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I’m going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I’ve counted sixteen chicken pox
And there’s one more–that’s seventeen,
And don’t you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut, my eyes are blue–
It might be instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I’m sure that my left leg is broke–
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button’s caving in,
My back is wrenched, my ankle’s sprained,
My ‘pendix pains each time it rains.
My nose is cold, my toes are numb,
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow’s bent, my spine ain’t straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is–what?
What’s that? What’s that you say?
You say today is—Saturday?
G’bye, I’m going out to play!”

I love Shel Silverstein! His poems are fun and enjoyable to read. What are your thoughts?

Pearson’s 2010 Grad Talent Show

lisa aka "Mangomaru"
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During the last weeks before exams and the end of school, the fine arts department has defintely been keeping busy with serveral performances occuring at Pearson. A senoir, but possessing no stage show talents, and a fine arts student myself, I was extremely excited when my school hosted a grad talent show, ( to reduce the cost of grad banquet tickets) involving many of my talented friends. The night was incredible, raised over $ 1000 for out grad, and their were certainly phenomanal acts given. Many students came out and chose to perform their own slam poetry, an African dance, a hip-pop trio, improverb acts, a  piano solo and a baton act, show casing the excellent skills and talents many graduating Pearson students possessed. I was lucky enough to capture some of these acts on video, and perhaps watching these awesome youths, it may encourage you to develop some talents as well, because this talent show certainly has inspired me to polish my skills in choir.

[youtube gYibfpfOwcI 500 400] [youtube xgIndpsBoIY 500 400] [youtube ZhLXrm4zO4g 500 400]

Under the Wolf, Under the Dog by Adam Rapp

william
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When I was looking for a new book to read, I came across one with relatively high review. Despite its strange title, I decided to give it a try. So this time, I’m reviewing “under the wolf, under the dog”

This story starts off in Burnstone Grove, a facility for severely troubled youths. There, the teens are divided into groups. Red grouper (drug addicts), blue grouper (suicidal kids), and grey grouper (none of the above). The story follows a grey grouper named Steve Nugent. He is a highly intelligent sixteen year old who has experiences highly unfortunate events. Steven also tends to make a lot of bad decisions, which doesn’t help.

This is a heart braking story that causes to reader to feel sorry for the protagonist. But I do not believe that this story is depressing or melodramatic, just very serious 90% of the time. Despite its heavy themes, this story also contains just the right amount of light and hopeful moments.

Over all, this is a pretty good story, but in my opinion, this is not the best book of it’s genre. I still found it quite enjoyable and it did keep me up late at night, so I recommend this to readers ages 15 and above. I give this book a 4/5.

Ritchie Valens

irene
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Do you remember Ritchie Valens?

Few weeks ago, I saw the movie “La Bamba” which is deal about Ritchie’s short but succesful biography. I didn’t even know his name. However after I saw that movie, I strongly fall in to his misic’s temptation.

Ritchie Valens (Ritchard Steven Vanezuela) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is well known with “La Bamba” as his most notable song which was originally a Mexican folk song that Valens transformed with a rock rhythm and beat that became a hit in 1958. It makes Valens a pioneer of the Spanish-speaking rock and roll movement. “Donnah” is also famous his music. It was made up for his girlfriend Donnah. He was born on May, 1941 and made his first debut with the group on 1957.

According to the movie, “La Bamba” , his was not that rich and there was rough brother. However he always loved music and guitar. When he had a group concert, Bob Keane casted him and he made his first solo music ; Come on, Let’s go when he was 16. At that time, or even now everybody in the world love his music. Unfortunately, when he just became famous, he was killed in a small plane crash in Iowa on Feburary 3, 1959. He was only 17. On the plane, there was four people include Ritchie and they all died. Don Mclean, Eddie cichran whom were quit famous that day were others and youg pilot. After they died, that day become known as The Day the Music died.

Even though he act as a singer only two years, he made his own music and when he died, the world wept for him. I am thinking that if he didn’t die, then he might probably have become a legendary singer.

[youtube iuC9ck35fQk&feature] [youtube Jp6j5HJ-Cok]

YW 2010: Saturday and Sunday

kaitlin
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The final (official) days of Youth Week 2010 are here!

[youtube vtSYeZk08iM]

There are still a bunch of events happening this weekend, including LiveStyle: Urban Arts Festival (I heard there’s going to be a 2 on 2 bboy and bgirl battle), One Night Only at the Creative Kids Museum at the Telus World of Science (ever wanted free reign of the Science Centre? Here’s your chance!), and Empty Bowls, a youth-run mock soup kitchen event that raises funds and awareness for youth hunger and homelessness in Calgary!

There’s also a few events happening after the official dates of Youth Week (April 24 – May 2), so be sure to visit www.youthweekcalgary.ca for all the info you’ll need to take advantage of the great weather this weekend!

YW2010: Young Bloods Week

kaitlin
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Each year, Youth Week Calgary partners with Canadian Blood Services (CBS) for YOUNG BLOODS WEEK, which happens during Youth Week (April 24 – May 2, 2010).

During Young Bloods Week, CBS encourages young people (17+) around Calgary to donate their blood to those who need it.  Did you know that just by donated a pint of blood, you can save the lives of three people?

Check out the experience of Helen, one of our Youth Week steering committee members, as she donates blood for the first time.

[youtube vjGShR8x-yU]

Interested in donating? Here’s all the info on this awesome Youth Week event:

Event:  Young Bloods Week

Held By: Canadian Blood Services

Location: Canadian Blood Services Centre Clinic (737 13th Ave. SW, Calgary, AB  T2R 1J1)

Time: 3:30-8:00pm

Cost:  Blood – Free to give, free to get.

Appropriate For:  17+

For More Info, Contact: sabrina.dicintio@blood.ca OR 1-888-2-Donate

Here’s what Canadian Blood Services has to say about Young Bloods Week:

Calgary youth are saving lives!  Canadian Blood Services is welcoming all youth donors 17 and older to make a lifesaving blood donation during Youth Week 2010!  We will special refreshments, prizes, and movies running in the clinic.  Call 1-888-2-Donate to book your appointment or contact Sabrina at 403-410-2729 / Sabrina.dicintio@blood.ca for more info.

For more info on Youth Week…click here!

Youth Vital Signs – Grades Released

admin
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A few months back we posted an article about Youth Vital Signs.  This project is based on Vital Signs which is a report card on the city of Calgary.  Youth Vital Signs was open to Youth in Calgary and YAA is proud to announce that the results have been reviewed and the grades have been reviewed.  Click here to check out the report and findings.

A big “thanks” to all of the youth who completed the survey.  Your feedback, ideas, and comments were so amazing.  YAA would also like to thank Ros Doi and the Calgary Youth Foundation Steering Committee for their hard work on this project!  YAA would also like to recognize the Calgary Foundation and Telus for their amazing support on this project.

This project was organized by YouthCentral (formerly Child and Youth Friendly Calgary) which also manages Youth Are Awesome!  Keep your eyes peeled on more amazing projects that give youth a voice in Calgary.

Night time. Downtown. Calgary.

Cindy
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It was on a Saturday night

and we’ve decieded to ride the C-Train to Downtwon

While it was rainning and windy outside

but it was fun

and it was a beautiful night

The 100 Greatest Hits of YouTube…

TheGentlemanScholar
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… in 4 minutes! This video claims to pull together the 100 greatest videos of all YouTube history, all in under 4 minutes, and I can assure you it’s worth your time. Yes, you do get Rick Roll’d halfway through, but it’s offset by the amazing display of diversity this world has to offer, as well as a few people coming close to winning a Darwin Award. Try to see how many videos you recognize, and enjoy!

[youtube LGOIzsNZaPQ&hl]
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