One Night Out

by Joanne Kim – Maple Ridge Secondary, Maple Ridge BC Mar 8, 2010

Hello, all! I’m back from the half-dead (i.e. collapsing into bed the minute you come home and not budging for the next ten hours) with a unique experience to share.

Some of you may have heard of “One Night Out,” and some of you may even have participated in it. For those of you who don’t know, “One Night Out” is a campaign spearheaded by Free the Children in order to raise awareness about homelessness. The basic idea is that students will get together and camp outside or sleep inside the gym, without any of the luxury they’re used to, and get a feel of what it’s like to be homeless in the streets or in the shelters.

Our school’s wasn’t as big an event as we’d hoped to make it, as rain scared the majority of the people who had signed up, and only a handful of people actually came. But we did receive substantial donations for the local food bank and clothing for shelters so I’m not complaining.

I’ve been volunteering at the local Salvation Army for the last three years, but I was shocked at everything I learned during our event. I had no idea there were over 65,000 homeless youths (and that was back in 2004), out of the 150,000 to 300,000 experiencing homelessness across Canada. 3.2 million people in Canada live below the poverty line, and in 2008, the economic downturn forced 95,700 of those people into homelessness. You know what else took me by surprise? The fact that 1/3 of Toronto’s homeless are immigrants. Isn’t it ironic that these people come to Canada to have a better life and end up in the streets?

We had a guest speaker come and talk about his experiences of when he had been homeless, and the reality of the situation in the streets and the shelters is heartbreaking. A lot of the shelters still need great support, and often turn out to be inadequate or dangerous. Even without those problems, a lot of the people who have been homeless for a long time will refuse to go into shelters. They’ve lived in the streets for so long that they do not know how to join society again and they do not want to abide by any rules or regulations. Since many (NOT all) of the homeless have a mental illness and/or drug addiction, this makes the problem even more complicated.

Although a large number of the homeless population have been made homeless due to various situations and only require a solid support system to get back on their feet, the problem of homelessness itself isn’t going to be solved by more affordable housing or government support, etc., though those are also necessary. The causes of homelessness – substance abuse, mental illness, etc – will have to be addressed and individuals will need to be rehabilitated back into society if we really want everyone in Canada to have a proper home and life. This is going to require a great deal of education and awareness about homelessness as well. We all have so much to do.

So anyway, I slept out in the school courtyard in a tent with a group of people (of course, I didn’t get much sleep, hence the ten hours of unconsciousness the minute I arrived home), and it wasn’t too bad. We were packed in, and it started to get a little cold during the night so that was a little uncomfortable…but the thing was, I could go into the school any time I wanted to and access warmth and running water. I also had a home and a cozy bed to go back to. And our awesome teachers FED us. It still wasn’t a cup of tea and the One Night Out was plenty uncomfortable for us students, but realizing that thousands and thousands of people spent every night of their lives in much worse circumstances was incredibly humbling.

Has anyone else participated in the One Night Out or something similar? I’d love to hear about the experience.

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Youthink and Tom Lee Present BC’s Best Teen Band Contest

Youthink Magazine and Tom Lee Music are pleased to announce the Top 3 bands from BC’s Best Teen Band Contest! Congratulations to the finalists:

1) High Life Scenery – a pop punk-rock band from Burnaby and Vancouver

2) The Knots – a rock band from Coquitlam

3) Split the Silence – a progressive indie rock band from West Kelowna

The Top 3 bands were chosen by online voters and are now featured on the Youthink.ca Top 3 Band page where you can vote for your favourites.

VOTE

Voting to rank the Top 3 begins March 8th and closes on April 16th. The band who receives the most votes will be declared the ONLINE winner. The online winner gets to play last for the final event, second place plays second and third place plays first (or, if they’d prefer, first place can choose whichever slot they’d like, second place chooses next and third place will receive the remaining slot).

The three finalists will compete live in a final showdown @ Tom Lee Music Hall in Vancouver on Saturday, May 1st, 2010, 2pm. A panel of industry judges will determine the ultimate winner of BC’s Best Teen Band and the winning band will be announced live and receive amazing prizes!

PRIZES:

The Winning band will receive:

• $500 in gift certificates from Tom Lee Music as well as a Yamaha drum kit + more prizes to be announced later!
• Recording of one single by Jay Evjen (Hot Hot Heat, Incura, Motion Soundtrack) of Juicemix Productions at the Factory studio (where Tegan and Sara, Simple Plan, Billy Talent + many more have worked! )
• A one-day songwriting session with acclaimed songwriter Shaun Verreault of Wide Mouth Mason
• A band photo shoot with photographer Adam Blasberg and art director Ben Oliver
• A marketing consultation with White Tide Entertainment
• The title of BC’s Best Teen Band!!!

The Top 3 bands will receive:

• A performance @ Tom Lee Music Hall in downtown Vancouver in front of crowd of 200+ people.
• A video of the finals @ Tom Lee Music Hall
• A media training session with the editors of Youthink Magazine
• Publicity in Youthink Magazine/Youthink.ca (interviews/profiles to run in spring 2010)

SUPPORT YOUR FAVOURITE BAND:

Become a Facebook fan of Youthink to ensure you get the latest updates about this contest and show your support for your favourite bands! Click here to become a fan!

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Five Apocalyptic Worthy Fashion Flops this Decade

by Sarah Li – Old Scona Academic High School, Edmonton AB Jan 19, 2010

I’ve gotta give credit to the Mayans for the inspiration of this blog, as well as countless Facebook groups, movies, and forums dedicated to that controversial “end of the world” date in 2012. But I have to say, this past decade we’ve survived through some pretty terrible fashion blunders, and what could be worse than that? It’s time to poke fun at this recent decade in fashion (I mean, er, critically analyze it) before we start off the new one with a fresh clean slate.

That Retro Look
Apparently this decade has relied on iconic fashions more than any other decade. Boho hippie style, ‘80’s leggings, shoulder pads, oh wait, I guess the ‘80s in general - I am pointing a big finger at you. Will the next decade at least be a little more original? Hmm, we can only wait and hope.

Leggings for Pants, AKA Jeggings
Leggings are fine, but then somebody started the whole “leggings, no pants and tiny shirt only” look, and that can get a little messy. Leggings are not called pants for a reason!

Image Credit: Forever21

Celebrity Fashion Lines
I just have to say that Jessica Simpson and other celebs are not the next Coco Chanel. Although I would have to admit that Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B does prove otherwise ... but that is an exception to the rule.

Uggh, not those shoes again
Uggs have been oh-so controversial for sure. According to many people and experts in the industry, they’re the worst designed shoes this decade, but others beg to differ. Some Hollywood stylist decided that pairing these cold weather sheepskin boots with shorts or a miniskirt might catch on, and the curious phenomenon was born.

Torn and Destroyed Designer Jeans
This one isn’t as bad so much as it’s ridiculous. I mean, you buy a pair of $200 designer jeans with rips in it? Wait, you mean it’s supposed to look like someone ran it over with a car and then tried to cut it into pieces? Oh.

Image Credit: mytruefit.com

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New Year’s RE-Solutions

by Joanne Kim – Maple Ridge Secondary, Maple Ridge BC Jan 18, 2010

Ahhh… 2010 is finally here. The Year of the Tiger, the Olympics, and apparently the International Year of Biodiversity (I don’t know, Google it). 2010 is also fraught with significances for me personally, because it is the year of my grad. How time flies!

So to honour this special year, I’ve been reflecting on my resolutions for this new year.

Now, when I hear the term “New Year’s Resolution,” I am immediately overcome with a serious case of cynicism. Am I the only one here? I mean, everyone sets these goals for themselves, but it seems like the big resolve and the optimism from the New Year starts winding down in a matter of weeks and those resolutions collect dust in the corner.

So there I was on New Year’s Eve, at church with my parents, brewing in this cynical mentality until I heard a New Year’s message that was incredibly refreshing. What really stuck with me was the idea that resolving to do something was to REsolve, and resolutions were REsolutions.

It’s difficult to explain the impact that had on me, but I think I realized then that resolutions for the new year don’t need to be anything new and fancy. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to climb new mountains and break new barriers in 2010... but I think that the real key of making a difference is to REdo our actions – whether they be big or small – every single day.

The world doesn’t change from a sudden event; it’s rather that little actions accumulate over the years to shape it in a different way. I think it’s essential for us to CONTINUE carrying out commitments, even little ones like turning off the lights and recycling. We need to keep REsolving the problem, sticking to REsolutions – REdoing our actions each day.

There are already solutions out there, some of which you may already be doing. So let’s make REsolutions this year. It’s great to resolve to, oh I dunno, run a marathon for charity this year, but I think it’s also fantastic (and maybe more realistic?) to REsolve to turn off the tap every day like you've been doing so far, so that you can be even more consistent in your REsolutions this year.

I hope everyone got the gist of what I was trying to say. I just thought I’d throw in some of my thoughts for this New Year, and maybe suggest a more practical way to make a difference in 2010.

What do you think?

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Youthink is distributed to more than 400 high schools, as well as community centres, library branches, 7-Eleven Stores, Mac's stores and Safeway stores in British Columbia and Alberta. A magazine like no other, Youthink provides an unparalleled opportunity for advertisers to reach loyal teen readers across BC and Alberta month after month.

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BC's Best Teen Band Contest Rating System

HOW OUR RATING SYSTEM WORKS

You rate the bands by choosing how many stars to give ‘em out of five. You give them one star if they’re not so good, and five stars if they’re your new rock heroes. You give them somewhere in between if they’re just, meh, so-so. Click on the number of stars. That’s great, thank you. The bands thank you.

We then compile all of your collective ratings using the simple but fair system of calculating each band’s average rating. Throughout our Top 10 phase, we then list the three highest average ratings on our contest page, so you can keep track of who’s in the lead.

For those of you still scratching your heads, what this means is that if 500 of you each give a band 3 stars, the average rating of that band will be 3 stars (500 x 3 divided by 500 = 3). If you guys just can’t agree, though, and half of you give the band 3 stars, and the other half give ‘em 5 stars, guess what the average rating will be? Take out your calculators, kids! Yup, the average is going to be 4 stars (250 people x 3) plus (250 people x 5) divided by 500 = 4.

Bonus skill-testing question: If 982 people give a band 4 stars, 493 give the same band 3 stars, and 200 people give that same band 1 star, what will the average rating be (rounded off to four decimal points)?* Winner gets the pride of knowing they’re a math whiz. :)

See? Who says music doesn’t prepare you for the real world?

If you have questions, ask us. Otherwise, rock on!

BACK TO TOP 10 BANDS

*Bonus answer is 3.3475

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BC's Best Teen Band Contest Sponsors

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Meet Olympic Hopeful and MTV Star Kimiko Zakreski

With the 2010 games just around the corner, many Olympic hopefuls are getting closer and closer to finding out if their dream will come true – to compete in their home country at the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

One of these talented young hopefuls is snowboarder Kimiko Zakreski. Kimi, as she is more commonly referred to, is a member of the Canadian National Team and a star on the hit MTV reality show, Over the Bolts, which documents the Canadian Olympic Snowboard team and the athletes’ push for a coveted spot on the Canadian Olympic squad. The Calgary native took time out of her busy schedule while training and competing in Colorado to share her journey as a snowboarder and her thoughts on the possibility of becoming a 2010 Olympian.

YT: When Vancouver was awarded the Olympic Games, what were your first thoughts?
KZ: When I found out Vancouver got it, I was like, “Holy s***! It’s going to be in our country!” You know, when you get out of high school, there’s always that question as to what you want to do with your life and everyone’s going to university and getting degrees. It’s hard as an amateur athlete because you don’t have a lot of support in Canada and when you’re paying out of your own pocket to do something, it’s kind of like, “Why in the hell would I keep doing this when I could go to school and start making money?” So I was kind of at that point of deciding whether or not to keep going with it. When they did say Vancouver, I was like, “Wow! This is an amazing opportunity for any athlete in Canada and I would be an idiot to give up now and miss the chance of going to the Olympics in my own country.”

YT: What do you need to do between now and selection day to give yourself the best chance of making the team?
KZ: Snowboarding is so tricky with how they’re picking the team because we have three different disciplines. We have boardercross, half-pipe and alpine all competing for the same spots, so basically I have to compete against people who aren’t even in my discipline. There’s not a lot of control that I have over how it’s going to pan out in the end. The only thing I have control over is me and riding as fast as I can and doing everything in my power to be the best snowboarder I can be. And if it works out for me and I make the team, then sweet, and if it doesn’t, I mean it’s going to be a hard blow and it would really suck to not make the team, but as long as I do everything in my power to get myself there, then I’ll have no regrets with whatever happens. It’s just all about working harder than anyone else on the team, which is pretty hard ’cause we’re all hard workers.

YT: What would it mean to you to represent your country at the Olympics?
KZ: It pretty much doesn’t get better than that in sports. The Olympics are like the biggest thing in sports professionally or amateur-wise. If you’re playing professional hockey, to make the Olympic team and represent Canada is pretty special, you know, and for it to be in Canada and to have my family and friends – anyone who’s supported me along the way over the last friggin’ 13 years that I’ve been doing this – be able to watch this on our home soil is amazing. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity ’cause the next time the Olympics come back to Canada is who-knows-when, so yeah it’s pretty cool!

YT: For any athlete, there are good days and bad days and this is evident on your show, Over the Bolts. How do you avoid getting too low when you’re not meeting your goals?
KZ: Well, that’s part of the deal. I think growing up competing you learn to deal with that and the kids who couldn’t deal with defeat didn’t make it this far. That’s the first thing you need to learn – how to lose. It’s tough especially as an athlete… you can get on that downward spiral. You just kind of remind yourself it’s not always bad and you remind yourself about the things you love about it. I think the important thing is if you keep trying new things, and keep trying to problem solve, not think that it’s just going to fix itself, and if you work hard, eventually you’ll figure it out. Going through bad races happens all the time. We have 12 World Cup events in a season and you know you’re bound to have a few bad ones, especially in snowboarding. Falling is very common. It’s not like skiing where you have two skis to save yourself. If something goes wrong, if you hit a bump and your edge goes out, game over. I think as you grow as a snowboarder, you get more confident and experienced in dealing with it. I mean, bad things happen in life, not just in athletics, so you just got to stay positive as much as you can and surround yourself with people who motivate you to be better and work harder.

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