I’ve seen copies of Youthink magazine around my school (Henry Wise Wood) since I started there, and new issues are always a big hit with myself and my friends. I started writing for the magazine after Esther Au (former Youthink liaison) did a presentation to my journalism class, and have been as actively involved as I can be ever since. Before then I didn’t have much experience when it came to writing for a real print magazine, and needless to say, I’ve learned tons over the last few months! It’s given me the opportunity to interview popular musicians, review recently released CDs and voice my opinion about all kinds of teen issues. I was also given the opportunity to write a current affairs blog for the online edition – a fun challenge, which has also really stretched my global perspective. My experience as part of the Youth Editorial Board, which meets regularly a few times per year, has also allowed me to better understand the behind-the-scenes processes which pull each issue together (design, theme choice, etc.). One of the awesome things about Youthink is the fact that they really listen and respond to the suggestions which youth readers give them. I know that the “grown-up” faction of the staff is always interested in hearing the opinions of my peers and I. Although I've learned lots about journalism in school, there's really nothing that compares to hands-on experience. Getting practice doing interviews, meeting deadlines and seeing other journalists in action have really improved my writing. One great experience I was fortunate to be part of, for example, was going for Youthink to a Michael Bublé press scrum he had at the Saddledome in Calgary. It put me right in the action with local TV and radio reporters, and in one hour, I picked up more tips than I think a classroom could have ever given me. I feel like if I choose to pursue a writing career down the line, my experiences with the magazine will have given me a massive head start!

It is one thing for a magazine to have students writers but it takes a lot of work to run a magazine written solely by students and that is what I admire most about Youthink. Not many high-school students are given the amazing opportunity to have their own writing published. What I learned most at Youthink was how much work goes into publishing a newspaper or magazine . My best Youthink experience was definitely my interview with Danny Fernandes!!! I couldn't even believe that I got such an amazing opportunity and I will NEVER forget it! To learn about a subject is one thing but to be able to participate in something such as Youthink teaches students so much more than they could ever learn in a regular classroom not just in terms of experience but for me personally in terms of confidence in my writing and communication skills. What my peers at school likes most about Youthink was how it was always available as well as interesting to read in terms of keeping up with the latest trends and pop culture.

It's a very diverse and interesting magazine that lets teens get inspired to experiment with journalism and the types of writing they are most interested in and that they will excel in. Youthink was the starting point of my experiences with journalism. It has helped me not only explore what the magazine has to offer, but also the different ways that I can branch out with my writing. I think that my whole experience with Youthink was very positive because I started off just writing a few poems in grade 8 and then got more opportunities such as movie reviews, interviews, more serious articles and the Youth Editorial Board. I sort of grew alongside the magazine and watched not only my writing become stronger, but the ways that a magazine changes as it becomes more known. All in all a very rewarding experience that would be a great jump start to any student who is looking for a career in print journalism. When students see that other people in their school are getting their writing published, they often want to give it a shot as well. Many students wouldn't be aware of this magazine if it wasn't provided in their schools/classrooms. In my experiences the magazine was mostly used as a way to point out and recognize students that got their writing published, or as a silent reading activity. Students like the fact that issues they are currently facing are often addressed in Youthink, and sometimes even solutions are presented. There is something for everyone, whether it be entertainment, art, movie and music reviews or even interviews with celebrities... the wide range of topics draws in all sorts of people with different interests.

I like how so many good ads for teens border the bottoms of the pages (college options, all ages events and cool activities, music promotions, etc.) Also, I like that it's the work of local teenagers interested in journalism, provides students with experience with the writing field and with deadlines.

Youthink gave me a chance to test out the waters of journalism, get a feel for what a magazine is like, how it is run, and so on. I love the opportunities Youthink provided. I learned a lot about deadlines and the construction of articles, as well as what it's like to be a writer. When I interviewed TV On The Radio, I felt like Kyp Malone and I actually connected and got to talk about something substantial. I really appreciate that Youthink took me on. Thanks for everything!

Some of the articles that I have read give me ideas on different aspects in life. Such as when i read about the spring fashion trends or other stuff I can get ideas off of that. I've learned valuable life lessons from reading Youthink, such as not to drink and drive or to smoke. Having it in the classroom gives people who forgot their silent reading books something to read about and to enjoy. I think students like reading ideas and thoughts from other peers that are published.

I really liked the extremely rare opportunity to represent a magazine and to be able to interview musicians and other public figures. Youthink is an easy to read, colourful magazine aimed at high school teens. I like the balance between fun, top 10 lists and relevant teen issues. I've learned the basics of conducting interviews and writing reviews. From reading the magazine, I also learned about up and coming bands and what's happening at other schools. My best Youthink experience would have to be the interview I did with a representative from Converse. I got to check out the next season's collection of Converse shoes AND I got to interview the creator of a major arts+media website AND I got a free pair of Converse and a bag. Amazing is an understatement. The benefits of having Youthink in the classroom is that it's free and easily accessible. It's fun to discuss with your friends the latest topics. We flip through Youthink when trying to come up with ideas for our school newspaper. My peers like that it is free and it's good reading material during lax times in class.

I'll be honest here, I like the CD, book and movie reviews and the cover stories if they look any good to me. I would like to see more articles on things that weren't as mainstream. I like the creativity of the writers with their stories. I've learned from Youthink that its hard to write with such a small canvas and still get across what you want people to know. I believe its a challenge that I am frustrated by but also enjoy at the same time. Also, as a reader, I've learned mostly just about preparing myself for post-secondary education. My best Youthink experiences were interviewing bands! Probably everybody says this but I love it not just to meet cool people but to improve my skills as a writer and interviewer as well. I like being a representative of Youthink and keeping its name respected and admired. Having the magazine in the classroom is great because that's the only time students can pick it up while at school and actually look at it, unless they live in the library. Once people actually read it, they like it and look for it. It's also a great classroom discussion starter.

Joining Youthink magazine was an eyeopener for me. I moved to Canada in 2006 and I had no idea what youth in Canada perceived as hip and cool in music, fashion and celebrity gossip. I isolated myself when I was at school because I felt like I didn't belong. Then, one day as I was sitting near the library, I picked up a magazine. I was so amazed at the intellect behind the name Youthink. I was shocked to find out that there were people in those magazines who had the same taste in music and fashion as I did. I began writing articles for Youthink. My 1st article was about an athlete at our school. I ended up receiving $50 to The Dog's Ear and this motivated me to write more. Although no money was involved in writing for Youthink, every time people picked up the magazine and highlighted my name from one of the pages, I felt like a celebrity. No longer was I the loner in the Library corner but, a writer - a Youthink writer!

I like that it's a magazine that's written by teens. So, because the writers are teens, they know what other teens want to read, which keeps the magazine very fresh. Writing the career profile for the May Issue of Youthink was my first "real" assignment, and it felt great to see my writing on paper. Some benefits of this magazine in the classroom is that it gives students more opportunity's to write, if that's what they're passionate about. It opens up a lot of doors for students who love to write. Last year, our English teacher gave us an assignment, but he also introduced Youthink to us as well. He told the class that he might pick the best student essay, and submit it to Youthink. That is actually how I found out about Youthink. Other students and even my friends like Youthink for the same reason as I do. It's written by youth, so teens read what they want to read! Another cool thing is that you get to see how talented many teenagers are when it comes to writing. Many things I've read have shocked me as to how well they are written!