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.
It’s that time of year again! Christmas is in the air. We all love our classic holiday songs, but there are some awesome remakes out there!
“Last Christmas” is a song originally by the British pop duo, Wham. Have you ever heard the version by Crazy Frog? The video is funny, and I thought I’d share this with you all! Ignore the first few seconds. Take a look below:
[youtube a2SateaTLZU]
What do you think? Is the remake better than the classic?
“Practical Disasters” are disasters that have happened in the past, and may happen in the future. Obviously, I am not talking about a scenario like in the movie 2012. These are the disasters that people can survive, or at least try to. In this series of “Practical Disasters,” I will give you some tips of things you can do to help you best survive under potentially fatal disasters.
Plane Crash
Believe it or not, the odds of surviving a plane crash is 99.9999815%, which means if you know what to do during and after the crashing of the plane, you are very much likely to survive.
Below are some tips that could help you increase your chance of surviving an airplane crash:
Don’t worry, once you are far away from the crash plane, stay with other survives and rescue crew will arrive and you will be fine.
Do you have any suggestions to survive a plane crash? Share them with us in the comment section.
This is the first in a series of posts dedicated to athletes who were legends in their respective sports!
Today’s Sport: Hockey
Without question, Wayne Gretzky is classified as the best player to ever play the game. “Number 99” played from 1987 to 1999, winning many awards along the way, including nine Hart Trophies (Most Valuable Player), 10 Art Ross Trophies (most points in a season), five Lady Byng Trophies (sportsmanship and performance), and many others. Gretzky is nicknamed, “The Great One” because of his accomplishments in hockey.
Even after he retired, Gretzky couldn’t leave the game he loved. He was the Executive Director for Canada’s Olympic hockey team (in 2002 and 2006), coached the Pheonix Coyotes for many seasons, and has been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
His number, 99, has been retired by every team in the NHL in respect of his great skill and talent for Canada’s sport. Wayne Gretzky is the greatest hockey player of all time, and hockey is lucky to have a legend and a role model like The Great One.
Keep reading for the Sports Legend of Soccer next week!
One of my favorite music sites is Pitchfork Media. They are on the forefront of new music and aren’t limited by any one style of music. In one place I learned about Lil Wayne’s new mixtape and read a review about Animal Collective.
Each year they release a whole bunch of “best of” lists. They recently put out their Top 100 Tracks of 2009. I love this list because it allows me the chance of going back and listening to the tracks I missed out on.
The band Phoenix makes a few appearances on this list. I discovered this band while watching Gossip Girl (please don’t make fun, I’m already ashamed). I picked up the album on iTunes and I was blown away. I also caught them while out in Toronto and was even more blown away. Check out their video for the track “1901”:
[youtube 4rbGj4_qYgI]I’d also like to point out number 86 on this list, Drake’s “Best I Ever Had”. Drake blew up this year and he had a huge year. Since leaving Degrassi he’s been courted by numerous record companies. He also released one of the most popular mixtapes in recent history. The mixtape “So Far Gone” is one the best albums I’ve heard in a while. Everything flows and it’s a highly engaging album. The best part is that it’s readily available on the internet for free. Here is one of my favorite tracks “Successful”. At first you’ll think “oh great, another hip hop track about ballin”. But listen closer and hear the lyrics about Drake questioning the hip hop game and what successful actually is?
[youtube nqy9THAMbnw]Phung-Bot Out
In about a week after Halloween has passed, what do you see? Christmas decorations of course!
There is always that specific house in the neighborhood that is all decked out in lights and decorations, and when the holiday comes you can’t help but look forward to seeing it. Then there are the houses, which seemed to light up the entire block and blind you with their lights.
Don’t misunderstand, I enjoy the holiday spirit with the bright lights and moving Santa statues but sometime these extravagant insanely decorated house are a bit too bright .These houses redefines holiday decorating and makes my house look so dim in comparison. Take a closer look at some of the neat decorations people have on display!
[youtube tajWJY–S_A ] Am I the only one who finds the rows of snowman/Santa/nutcracker displays intimidating?Hmm… I wonder how long it took to set these all up. When the electricity bill comes next month; I can only imagine the astronomical number that will be on it—ouch!
Have fun looking!
Tis the season to be jolly, falalalalalalalala.
Eggnog has arrived once again here in Calgary! This deliciously seasonal drink will warm the hearts of many during this wonderful Christmas season. I know many of you have not tried it or heard of it or simply scared to try it but trust me, there’s nothing to worry about! Consider it like any other dairy product. Eggnog is milk-like with beaten eggs added to give it a frothy texture. Grounded cinnamon and nutmeg are added for extra flavoring, making it the most delicious drink for Christmas. Also, similar to milk, there are eggnog original and eggnog light – light being not as strong as original, so it’s great for first timers to try it out. Now, here you are probably thinking that it’s got eggs and that it’s disgusting, but trust me, you will not even notice that there are eggs added.
If you are wondering where you can get it, it’s usually available now at your local grocery stores, such as Co-op, Sobeys, Safeway etc. in 1L or 2L. Walmart and Superstore on the other hand usually only have 2L cartons. Eggnog is generally available around Thanksgiving for a while and then returns mid November once again for the Christmas season for all those who love it.
Go out now and grab a carton and indulge in the wonder of Christmas!
Merry Christmas everyone!
Youth Are Awesome was launched in September and we’ve been slowly evolving and gaining an audience. This past month we saw our biggest one day total of 400 hits!
From the beginning we’ve had a dedicated group of youth who write and post onto the site. Youth Are Awesome is run entirely by youth volunteers with the support of Child and Youth Friendly Calgary. Each of these volunteers dedicates countless hours in writing, researching, and posting their articles. For most of them this is the first time they’ve have the chance to post articles that reflect their interests.
So far they’ve all done an amazing job. With that in mind I’d like to unveil some pictures of the Youth Are Awesome Bloggers. Some are missing from these pictures but we’d like to recognize the hard work of these youth.
Youth Are Awesome has big plans and we’ll continue to grow into the new year. We’re passionate about this website because we know there will always be awesome things being done by youth!
If you’re interested in becoming a Youth Are Awesome Blogger please contact Kaitlin Gordon at yoda@cyfc.ca.
Yup, I’m back with another blurb about Taylor Swift… 😀
But first off, she turned 20 yesterday (December 13th). Happy Birthday Taylor! Hope you have a great 20th!
Next… a new song! But this one doesn’t involve her singing. Instead, Evan Taubenfeld has quite an original song about her:
Merry Swiftmas (Even Though I Celebrate Chanukah).
[youtube EGM6Xtx02M4]
It’s cute, it’s original, it’s catchy. What’s not to like? His voice is really nice too. I think my favourite line is “Kanye will watch his mouth next time“. This totally brought a smile to my face when I heard it. Taylor even twittered about it this past week!
So anyways, I hope you enjoy it. Just in time for the holiday season too. Cheers!
Channukah, Chanukkah, Hannuka, Hannukah–all are the same thing: the Jewish Festival of Lights. Don’t get too confused; there are many ways of spelling the name, because it is a Hebrew word, not English. However you spell it, it’s the same thing 😉
Channukah lasts for 8 nights, usually starting in December. The date varies somewhat each year, because the Hebrew calender follows the lunar cycles. This year, Channukah started on the night of Friday, December 11. You may have heard that Channukah is the Jewish version of Christmas, but this is not the case. Besides the fact that during both, people spend time with close friends and family, eat food, and open presents, they are not alike at all.
The story of Channukah goes as so: two thousand years ago in Syria, the Jewish people were ruled by the evil king Antiochus. He forced the Jews out of the Temple in Jerusalem and ordered them to worship the Greek gods. Those who refused were to be killed. However, this did not keep the Jews from following their beliefs. The Jews were led by a father and his fives sons, called the Maccabees, and together, they fought the Syrians. The Maccabees victoriously won the Temple back, but returned to find it filled with altars and Greek idols. The Jewish people worked hard to repair the Temple and when it was ready for services, they could only find enough oil to keep the Eternal Light–a seven branched menorah–burning for one day. It would take another eight days to manufacture new pure olive oil. The miracle of Channukah is that the small amount of oil kept the flame going for eight nights!
This miracle of light is remembered by lighting a menorah, a special candle holder with places for 9 candles. Why 9, you may be asking. The miracle was 8 days, not 9! To answer the question, the ninth place is raised above the other eight and has a special purpose. The candle placed in the raised location is called the shamash, meaning helper. The shamash is the candle which “helps” to light the others. One candle is added each night of Channukah and a special blessing is said.
It is traditional on Channukah to eat much fried food in remembrance of the oil that was used in the Temple. Latkes are fried potato pancakes that are usually eaten with sour cream and apple sauce (here’s a recipe!). Donuts are also a very yummy fried food that goes well with Channukah ;). Children (and those of us older than “children”) play Dreidel, a spinning top game (click here for more info and the rules of the game!) where gelt is bet. Gelt is Yiddish for money. On Channukah, kids receive gelt as a gift on some nights–some actual money, some as chocolate coins wrapped in foil :D. Some families give presents every night, while others only give on the first or last night. Channukah is also an important time to be thinking of others and to give to charity. It’s quite the party!
So, which ever holiday(s) you celebrate at this time of year, make sure you keep warm, spend time with your friends and family, and enjoy the snow! Happy Holidays! ♥
This story takes place in the 21st century, but it has an interesting twist to it – the Greek gods, goddesses, and mons
ters are real and they live among us. In the story, a magical substance known as mist keeps humans from seeing the supernatural; it instead causes us to see things that can be explained by logic. Only magical creatures and demigods can see trough the mist.
The story follows a young boy named Percy who gets dragged into the world of magic. He is a demigod who should not have been alive due to an agreement between the three major gods. But he becomes extremely important to the gods when it is revealed that he is part of a prophecy that is about to come true.
The character matures throughout the series and so does the story itself, becoming darker and more intense with each novel. The protagonist ultimately finds himself caught in a potential war between the gods and the titans.
This series is not as dark or as meaningful as the books I usually talk about, but it is still a fun read that anyone above the age of ten may enjoy. I would recommend this series to anyone between grade 6 to grade 9.
The first book of the series (the lightning thief) is about to become a movie.
It’s that time of year again! Nomination forms for the 2010 ConocoPhillips Youth of Distinction Awards are now available!
The ConocoPhillips Youth of Distinction Awards, a program of CYFC, is an opportunity for Calgarians to recognize deserving youth (13-18 yrs) for the amazing ways in which they have chosen to live. The awards are not academic rather they focus on leadership, friendship, overcoming personal challenge and community service. The seven award categories are as follows:
Advocate Award (formerly the Activist Award): To be given to a youth who has committed time and energy lending their voice to a cause and bringing about change.
Environmentalist Award: To be given to a youth and a group of youth who are committed to improving the environment and reducing environmental degradation.
Leadership Award: To be given to a youth who has chosen to take a leadership role in bringing positive change to their school or community. This youth will have demonstrated responsibility and drive, as well as initiative in starting new projects and programs.
Peer Support Award: To be given to a youth who has mentored others. This youth will have positively influenced someone struggling to overcome issues in their life.
Perseverance Award: To be given to a youth who has prevailed over adversity or an obstacle in their life.
Volunteerism Award: To be given to a youth who is truly selfless and dedicated to helping others. Though not necessarily in a leadership role, this youth has shown commitment to bettering their community by volunteering their time to a cause they are passionate about.
Do you know a young person who is the perfect example of one of these categories? Fantastic – Nominate them!
Nomination forms are available at www.cyfc.ca/yoda. The deadline for nominations is March 15th, 2010.
Ever since Our Lady Peace released their latest record Burn Burn, I was whittling away waiting for a tour announcement, and it’s finally arrived. You can’t see me, but I’m definitely dancing around the room, because this promises to not just be any tour. Just last week Our Lady Peace’s Canadian Tour, Clumsy and Spiritual Machines In Their Entirety was announced and that means that there are two different shows, one night after the other. On Monday May 10th, the band will perform songs from their classic album Clumsy and on Tuesday May 11th, Our Lady Peace will perform songs from their album Spiritual Machines. Both CD’s will be performed on their separate nights starting with Track 1 until the CD is complete, and in addition, the band will also be playing a full 2nd set of songs from all their other 7 records. The best part is that it will all unfold in the Jack Singer Concert Hall to make the evening seem much more intimate.
Tickets went on sale this morning (Friday, December 11th) at 10 am on Ticketmaster, as well as Live Nation. With ticket prices ranging from $35.50 to $49.50 before convenience charges. For each night, there are 4 exclusive VIP packages if you are the ultimate Our Lady Peace fan, that includes some pretty sweet stuff, but most importantly a meet and greet with the band before the show.
Check out their latest music video…
[youtube i42riJ8K6KE]Or take a second to appreciate one of my favourites from this Canadian band (trust me I have a lot of favourites)! So put those days up on your calendar and let’s make it a date! See you there!
[youtube RkUnlejMqjQ]We all have our favourite newspaper comics, but there is one comic in the Calgary Herald that never ceases to amuse me. Hence the title, it’s “Pearls Before Swine,” by Stephan Pastis! This comic strip is full of a variety of animals, including an angry rat, a cute pig, a wise goat, some clueless crocodiles who try to eat their clever neighbour the zebra, characters from other well-known comic strips, and even the author appears regularily in his comic strip!
The ones that really crack me up are the plays on words. Stephan Pastis is a pro when it comes to throwing a hilarious punchline at you, and you never saw it coming. I will never get tired of these clever comics!!
You can view the Pearls Before Swine archive, and see more recent comics!
Artistic students in the Calgary Board of Education district have had the opportunity to obtain a Fine and Performing Arts Certificate since 2006, but now the CBE is recognizing the global citizens of the student population with its International Certificate.
In order to obtain this certificate, students must fulfill three globally-themed modules, components of which include 125 hours of second language study, internationalization of coursework, and an international experience. The program is quite flexible and can be tailored to suit the needs of any globally-minded student.
This piece of professional recognition will no doubt serve well for scholarship and job applications for all involved, and is also simply a wonderful piece of recognition for “contributions, work, and experiences” of an international nature. If you’re interested in learning more, check out the webpage here, and let us know what you’re up to as a global citizen.
