There are many benefits of having Youthink in schools, a major one being that it provides student writers with an authentic audience for their written work. It is one thing to write for a class assignment, with a teacher and possibly a few classmates for an audience, but when students write for Youthink they know that their work will be read and appreciated by thousands of readers. It is an incredibly rewarding experience for students to walk down the hallways and see their peers in other classes flipping through a magazine that they’ve been published in.

Youthink is also an excellent teaching tool, as it provides students and teachers with up-to-date examples of good writing in several genres (including reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, and articles on issues that are relevant to teens such as caffeine consumption and racism). Best of all, these examples are all written by people their own age, who are in similar situations as themselves, which shows students that it is possible to be an active contributor to the culture in which they are living and that writing is useful in the world beyond the classroom. I’ve used Youthink in my language arts classroom as exemplars of good writing in genres that we are learning, as well as for topics of discussion.

The students I teach enjoy Youthink because of its relevance to their lives. When a new month has started, they are continually asking if the new Youthink has arrived so they can read the reviews and the creative section, check out the latest writing contest, and see what their peers' opinions are on things happening in the world. They also enjoy flipping through to find pieces written by people they know.

All in all, Youthink is hugely beneficial to students as writers and readers, and I hope we continue receiving it in years to come.

All Youthink articles focus on the latest happenings, from current events, to the latest in film and music, or the newest fashion – this approach captures the attention of high school students very quickly. Youthink also covers a wide spectrum of topics and captivates the interest of high school students.

From reading Youthink in the classroom, my students have learned a lot about writing creatively and succinctly. There are many benefits of having Youthink in the classroom.

Since the articles pertain to high school students and are written in a creative manner, students become more engaged in the reading. Youthink articles often generate spontaneous conversations between students. Most importantly, the magazine encourages reading and writing. My students are thrilled with the fact that they could have their written works published in a magazine that is read by their peers. Youthink captures the attention of my students better than most of the other forms of media in my classroom.

We read Youthink in the classroom during Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) days and we then discuss certain articles. The students are also encouraged to constructively critique certain articles and this builds their writing and editing skills.

Weaker students are much less reluctant to read, since Youthink speaks to the interests of those particular students. The magazine complements the program of studies for English Language Arts and Social Studies.

As a teacher, I find it invaluable. Young writers need opportunities to be published in a hip, non-threatening, fun way. Youthink gives them that opportunity. Those who oppose reading in my classes usually embrace Youthink.

Youthink is a wonderful addition to any LA class because it encourages students to read and think about issues that are important (and not so important) in their world. The students eagerly await each month's issue mostly because it is a reflection of themselves and it is a chance to see themselves and their classmates in print.

As a teacher, I love it because it encourages real writing in a number of different genres. And anytime you get students interested in reading something other than their game book rules, it is a success.

My students ask when the next Youthink is coming out. I use the magazine as a filler for those last few minutes of class when the lesson is over but the bell hasn't rung. On the day it is delivered to school the students always flip through it.

I think Youthink is a great inter-school based newspaper. Students always look forward to the new issue. Students learn that there are other likeminded kids their age in Calgary it allows them to feel understood and heard. Students see that they can actually get themselves published. The link is made between writing/talking in class and having their voice heard/published. Youthink is used in my classroom as a reward for working well. When the new Youthink stack arrives in my class, students are anxious to see what's in the current issue... but, they must work first.

I asked my students what they like about Youthink, and this is what they said...
-The Music section, learning what's new in the industry.

-All the articles are written by peers, relevant point of views.

-Movie section, interested in ratings to see what's good and what's not.

First, I think Youthink is an excellent resource for the classroom. It exposes the student to a print media, which in today's world, and their world, is something that is lacking. The format of the newspaper is eye-catching with the layout and the colour. They really enjoy having a forum to offer their ideas and talents and find it global in the sense that they are able to see what other students from other areas are into and enjoy. I believe having something like this (Youthink) encourages my students to think broader and experiment with their own writing, and for this I am grateful.

Students enjoy reading articles that are written by other students.

It is exciting for them to see some of their fellow schoolmates featured in the magazine. Youthink showcases a variety of talent (from poetry to artwork).

Some students are shy and this is a great way for them to use their creativity – they direct it to you and feel comfortable not going through a class.

Students welcome the opportunity to see a free concert or listen to a CD and write an article on it.

My students read for the first 20 minutes of class and many often read Youthink instead of regular novels.

Our lower-level students as well as our ESL students find the magazine appealing because it is written in simple language.

The layout is also appealing – something for everyone.

Youthink provides an excellent opportunity for Scarlett Journalism students to reach a wide audience. It gives them a taste of being part of a publication that distributes province wide and gives them further exposure for their writing. Many of our students go on to study Journalism at the post secondary level, and having work published in Youthink and read by an audience of their peers gives them tangible ways to build their portfolios; and a sense of satisfaction that their writing and thinking on issues is valued. Thank you for being a partner with the Scarlett Journalism program.

I like that Youthink gives students the chance to see publications from their peers. It shows that there is a chance that they can get their writing published into a magazine that’s about youth and youth issues/ideas.

Some benefits of Youthink would be it allows teachers to create writing projects that students may wish to submit. It gets them thinking about what they like to write about and what they can write about. It offers many ideas for teachers and it can be a source students use for information.

My students like that it’s a Canadian magazine and that it offers a wide range of articles. It’s not just articles about “boring” stuff, but rather it’s about their interests.