Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting some articles that were written over the past year about the events and accomplishments of the EYC in 2009. I hope to post them in chronological order just to show all the awesome things youth have done down here at the centre.
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in April:
Connecting Stars Results
by Marc Rocheleau
Using art to convey their message, six youths are being recognized for promoting mental health awareness.
Essex Youth Centre (EYC) member Jasmine Wood (17) and a panel of judges have announced the winners of her Dare To Dream project. Connecting Stars is a book containing litterary and visual art submissions by youth in the area.
All entries help promote mental health awareness and with 67 to choose from, it was important that judges review everything closely. Wood was satisfied with their decisions.
"I am very happy at what was submitted and think the winners are all very deserving," said Wood. "The judges did an excellent job and I think they were perfect."
Because of different entry styles, three visual and literary submissions were awarded prizes. Heather Ferguson won first place for visual art, Kayan Ywung received second and Stephen Dronin came in third. In the litterary submission category, Tia Nicoletti earned first place, Chase Copat came in second and Jenna Petrie won third.
Several copies of Connecting Stars have already been sold to youth centres across Canada and many are seeking funding to replicate it in their communities. Those close to Wood are excited as well.
"When my grandma came over for dinner during Easter, the first thing she did was come to me with $5 in change asking for a book because she had read about it in the paper," said Wood. "She was proud of me and that made me happier than I can express."
Last month, Wood made a presentation about her book at the Teen Youth Participation Strategies (TYPS) conference in Ottawa. Those in attendance were impressed with what Wood and EYC did, also praising 17-year-old member Kelly Howe’s art for the presentation.
On Monday, May 11, EYC will host an event to celebrate the project and its winners. Cash awards will be handed out that night and each winner will also receive a copy of the book.
Wood previously dealt with depression and sought funding from the Provincial Centre Of Excellence For Child and Youth Mental Health to pursue the project. Once she received a $5,000 grant, Wood began organizing the book and got youth in the community involved.
Connecting Stars is now on sale to the general public with proceeds split between the Teen Health Centre and Kids Help Phone – two programs assisting those suffering from depression. To purchase a copy or for more information, people are being asked to call EYC at 519-776-9000.
"My goal with this project was to touch at least one persons life and make a difference," said Wood. "With the response I've been getting at the [Teen TYPS] conference and from friends and family, I think I did more than that."
Friday, December 11, 2009
2009 In Review - TYPS Confrence & Bragging Booth Results
Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting some articles that were written over the past year about the events and accomplishments of the EYC in 2009. I hope to post them in chronological order just to show all the awesome things youth have done down here at the centre.
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in April:
TYPS Confrence Results
By Marc Rocheleau
Returning from a confrence in Ottawa, the Essex Youth Centre (EYC) has plenty to brag about.
Staff and members from the centre travelled to the 11th annual Town Youth Participation Strategies (TYPS) confrence last month. Taking place from March 26-29, those attending were treated to several events and the opportunity to meet others from across Canada.
"Being at the conference was like a whole other world with only people who had ambition and goals," said 17-year-old EYC member, Jasmine Wood. "I made tons of connections. I thought it was great to meet people from all over the country from BC to Newfoundland."
One of the main events at the confrence was bragging booth displays and presentations. EYC showcased their events, Wood's Dare To Dream project – a book called Connecting Stars – and the EYC Super-Team comics. Before making their presentation, EYC sold seven issues of the Super-Team books and 20 copies of Connecting Stars. Because of this, the centre's booth gained attention early-on and won third place.
"The best part of the conference for me was the bragging booths," said Wood. "Seeing what everyone else did at their youth centres and how they were changing the world, not only for youth but for everyone. It was awesome to win third place."
Other events at the four-day confrence included a trip to Parliament Hill, workshops, TYPS Olympics and a costume dance the first night there. Many used this event to break the ice and show-off their creativity.
"The dance was awesome," said EYC event coordinator, Sylvia Caetano. "... There was one group dressed up as the aliens from Sesame Street. One group was dressed up in togas and stuff like that and then there was this one guy who was dressed up as Spider-Man but nobody knew it until he started stripping so that was pretty cool."
The TYPS confrence was a success for EYC and over 40 centres/clubs from across Canada that attended. EYC's Executive-Director Sandy Larivee introduced Wood to several people and their group got to meet someone from the Dare To Dream committee – a project that is set to expand to the U.S., Australia and New Zealand. Several connections were also made between youth centres and that was the main purpose of the event.
"There were so many people, I can't mention all their names," said Caetano about the connections she made. "I have all their names in my journal, it was just fun – they were the greatest."
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in April:
TYPS Confrence Results
By Marc Rocheleau
Returning from a confrence in Ottawa, the Essex Youth Centre (EYC) has plenty to brag about.
Staff and members from the centre travelled to the 11th annual Town Youth Participation Strategies (TYPS) confrence last month. Taking place from March 26-29, those attending were treated to several events and the opportunity to meet others from across Canada.
"Being at the conference was like a whole other world with only people who had ambition and goals," said 17-year-old EYC member, Jasmine Wood. "I made tons of connections. I thought it was great to meet people from all over the country from BC to Newfoundland."
One of the main events at the confrence was bragging booth displays and presentations. EYC showcased their events, Wood's Dare To Dream project – a book called Connecting Stars – and the EYC Super-Team comics. Before making their presentation, EYC sold seven issues of the Super-Team books and 20 copies of Connecting Stars. Because of this, the centre's booth gained attention early-on and won third place.
"The best part of the conference for me was the bragging booths," said Wood. "Seeing what everyone else did at their youth centres and how they were changing the world, not only for youth but for everyone. It was awesome to win third place."
Other events at the four-day confrence included a trip to Parliament Hill, workshops, TYPS Olympics and a costume dance the first night there. Many used this event to break the ice and show-off their creativity.
"The dance was awesome," said EYC event coordinator, Sylvia Caetano. "... There was one group dressed up as the aliens from Sesame Street. One group was dressed up in togas and stuff like that and then there was this one guy who was dressed up as Spider-Man but nobody knew it until he started stripping so that was pretty cool."
The TYPS confrence was a success for EYC and over 40 centres/clubs from across Canada that attended. EYC's Executive-Director Sandy Larivee introduced Wood to several people and their group got to meet someone from the Dare To Dream committee – a project that is set to expand to the U.S., Australia and New Zealand. Several connections were also made between youth centres and that was the main purpose of the event.
"There were so many people, I can't mention all their names," said Caetano about the connections she made. "I have all their names in my journal, it was just fun – they were the greatest."
2009 In Review - March Break Events
Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting some articles that were written over the past year about the events and accomplishments of the EYC in 2009. I hope to post them in chronological order just to show all the awesome things youth have done down here at the centre.
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in March:
March Break Events
By Marc Rocheleau
As students take a week off from school, one local organization is busier than ever.
During March Break, Essex Youth Centre (EYC) organized several activities for members – despite modified hours. On Thursday, March 12, the centre was closed after school until the next morning to accommodate students doing a famine.
After this, members kicked-off March Break with a Spider-Man movie marathon on Friday, March 13. The event – showcasing all three Spider-Man films – was requested by members but had originally been postponed.
“We were supposed to do it [March 6] but there was a coffee house at the school,” said event co-ordinator, Sylvia Caetano. “There weren’t very many students down here.”
From Saturday, March 14 to Tuesday, March 17, Delta Driving school rented out EYC’s facilities for driver’s education. Although this meant shorter hours for the first two days of March Break (4-10 p.m.) it was beneficial for all involved.
“The Delta driving school, if they get enough Essex kids, does driving schools right here in Essex,” said EYC Executive-Director, Sandy Larivee. “We’re able to generate a little bit of rent revenue by renting the facility for them for their classes.”
On St. Patrick’s Day, EYC threw a party to celebrate the occasion. Snacks and drinks were offered, including green Kool-Aid, cupcakes with green frosting and pizza. A Mario Kart tournament was also held during the event, with the winner receiving a “pot of gold.”
Girls Night will also take advantage of the break and have an Overnight party from 6:30 p.m.-8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18. It’s open to all female youth and admission is $2 for non-members: Those looking to join EYC can do so for $2 per month.
On the last day of March Break, the centre is holding a Call Of Duty tournament. The winner will be awarded a t-shirt and the contest is open to all members.
For more information on the EYC’s March Break events and schedule, please visit the events calendar at http://www.essexyouthcentre.ca/.
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in March:
March Break Events
By Marc Rocheleau
As students take a week off from school, one local organization is busier than ever.
During March Break, Essex Youth Centre (EYC) organized several activities for members – despite modified hours. On Thursday, March 12, the centre was closed after school until the next morning to accommodate students doing a famine.
After this, members kicked-off March Break with a Spider-Man movie marathon on Friday, March 13. The event – showcasing all three Spider-Man films – was requested by members but had originally been postponed.
“We were supposed to do it [March 6] but there was a coffee house at the school,” said event co-ordinator, Sylvia Caetano. “There weren’t very many students down here.”
From Saturday, March 14 to Tuesday, March 17, Delta Driving school rented out EYC’s facilities for driver’s education. Although this meant shorter hours for the first two days of March Break (4-10 p.m.) it was beneficial for all involved.
“The Delta driving school, if they get enough Essex kids, does driving schools right here in Essex,” said EYC Executive-Director, Sandy Larivee. “We’re able to generate a little bit of rent revenue by renting the facility for them for their classes.”
On St. Patrick’s Day, EYC threw a party to celebrate the occasion. Snacks and drinks were offered, including green Kool-Aid, cupcakes with green frosting and pizza. A Mario Kart tournament was also held during the event, with the winner receiving a “pot of gold.”
Girls Night will also take advantage of the break and have an Overnight party from 6:30 p.m.-8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18. It’s open to all female youth and admission is $2 for non-members: Those looking to join EYC can do so for $2 per month.
On the last day of March Break, the centre is holding a Call Of Duty tournament. The winner will be awarded a t-shirt and the contest is open to all members.
For more information on the EYC’s March Break events and schedule, please visit the events calendar at http://www.essexyouthcentre.ca/.
2009 In Review - TYPS Confrence & Bragging Booth
Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting some articles that were written over the past year about the events and accomplishments of the EYC in 2009. I hope to post them in chronological order just to show all the awesome things youth have done down here at the centre.
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in March:
TYPS Confrence Article
by Marc Rocheleau
At the end of the month, one local organization will get to show-off their accomplishments on a national stage.
On March 26, staff and members from the Essex Youth Centre (EYC) will attend the 11th Annual Town Youth Participation Strategies (TYPS) conference in Ottawa. Created to help share ideas between groups, over 40 youth centres and initiatives from across Canada will be represented at the four-day event.
"The conference is pretty hard to describe," said 16-year-old EYC-member, Jasmine Wood. "It's basically a big gathering – you learn about different youth centres and different things that they do or you can do."
A main attraction is bragging booths: Small kiosks setup to show-off what centres have accomplished. In the EYC's case, they plan on displaying members’ quotes about the program and Wood's recently-finished Dare To Dream Project; a book of art and poetry that promotes mental health awareness.
In addition, the centre will highlight it's comic book, the EYC Super-Team, which includes everyone at the centre and is drawn by 17-year-old member Kelly Howe.
"It was one night in August where I was here for 12 hours," said EYC event co-ordinator and comic book script-writer, Sylvia Caetano. "All of a sudden we just sat around the ping-pong table... figuring out powers and hero names for everyone that came down here and that's how it started."
Issues and a group drawing of the Super-Team will be on display at EYC's bragging booth and a contest will be held to create a new super-villain. The winner gets a Super-Team t-shirt and a copy of the issue their creation appears in.
EYC's presentation will also incorporate elements of the Super-Team, as members Brittany Jackson, Wood, Howe, staff-members Caetano, Sue Vermast and Executive-Director Sandy Larivee appear in homemade versions of their alter-egos’ costumes.
"When Sue Vermast and I were talking about the previous conferences before 2009, she said, 'what can we do to blow away last year's presentation," ( which took the top award at the conference) said Caetano. "... I said to her, the comic book. This comic book is about every single person that comes down here."
The four-day conference includes the TYPS Olympics, a competition with physical activities. Several workshops are also planned and those interested can take a trip to Parliament Hill and hope to meet with our Member of Parliament.
"I'm looking forward to seeing the Parliament buildings," said Wood. "I think it would be cool to see and very interesting for me since I just took law."
TYPS was formed in 1993 and started workshops in 1997. After receiving recommendations, they began their annual conferences in 1998. Continuously expanding, they provide tools for community programs like EYC. Special thanks to the Optimist club of Essex and the Essex Kinsment Club for their support in sending youth to this exciting event.
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in March:
TYPS Confrence Article
by Marc Rocheleau
At the end of the month, one local organization will get to show-off their accomplishments on a national stage.
On March 26, staff and members from the Essex Youth Centre (EYC) will attend the 11th Annual Town Youth Participation Strategies (TYPS) conference in Ottawa. Created to help share ideas between groups, over 40 youth centres and initiatives from across Canada will be represented at the four-day event.
"The conference is pretty hard to describe," said 16-year-old EYC-member, Jasmine Wood. "It's basically a big gathering – you learn about different youth centres and different things that they do or you can do."
A main attraction is bragging booths: Small kiosks setup to show-off what centres have accomplished. In the EYC's case, they plan on displaying members’ quotes about the program and Wood's recently-finished Dare To Dream Project; a book of art and poetry that promotes mental health awareness.
In addition, the centre will highlight it's comic book, the EYC Super-Team, which includes everyone at the centre and is drawn by 17-year-old member Kelly Howe.
"It was one night in August where I was here for 12 hours," said EYC event co-ordinator and comic book script-writer, Sylvia Caetano. "All of a sudden we just sat around the ping-pong table... figuring out powers and hero names for everyone that came down here and that's how it started."
Issues and a group drawing of the Super-Team will be on display at EYC's bragging booth and a contest will be held to create a new super-villain. The winner gets a Super-Team t-shirt and a copy of the issue their creation appears in.
EYC's presentation will also incorporate elements of the Super-Team, as members Brittany Jackson, Wood, Howe, staff-members Caetano, Sue Vermast and Executive-Director Sandy Larivee appear in homemade versions of their alter-egos’ costumes.
"When Sue Vermast and I were talking about the previous conferences before 2009, she said, 'what can we do to blow away last year's presentation," ( which took the top award at the conference) said Caetano. "... I said to her, the comic book. This comic book is about every single person that comes down here."
The four-day conference includes the TYPS Olympics, a competition with physical activities. Several workshops are also planned and those interested can take a trip to Parliament Hill and hope to meet with our Member of Parliament.
"I'm looking forward to seeing the Parliament buildings," said Wood. "I think it would be cool to see and very interesting for me since I just took law."
TYPS was formed in 1993 and started workshops in 1997. After receiving recommendations, they began their annual conferences in 1998. Continuously expanding, they provide tools for community programs like EYC. Special thanks to the Optimist club of Essex and the Essex Kinsment Club for their support in sending youth to this exciting event.
2009 In Review - EYC Super-Team
Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting some articles that were written over the past year about the events and accomplishments of the EYC in 2009. I hope to post them in chronological order just to show all the awesome things youth have done down here at the centre.
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in March:
EYC Super-Team
By Marc Rocheleau
Faster than a speeding bullet and more powerful than a locomotive, some homemade comics are bringing youth together.
In August, Essex Youth Centre (EYC) staff-member Sylvia Caetano and 17-year-old member Kelly Howe came up with a unique idea. After a 12-hour day at the centre, Caetano and several members began creating alter-egos and super-powers for a comic book based on the EYC.
“Well honestly, it was Sylvia’s idea,” said artist, Howe. “They’re obsessed with Marvel and stuff like that, so we decided to make our own [comics] – we all sat down and started naming characters.”
Shortly after, the EYC Super-Team began taking on a life of its own. Caetano started adding people from the centre to the book and wrote scripts for Howe to illustrate.
“Basically when it starts off, it’s where [Executive-Director] Sandy [Larivee] and the staff of the youth centre has invited the members to come down to become part of the EYC Super-Team,” said Caetano. “Because the crime-rate of super-villains has gone up in Essex.”
The first super-villain was a team-member gone bad. Due to a series of events involving a Kit-Kat and bad luck, John turned on the EYC and tried to destroy them with the Orb Of Destruction. After disposing of him in three issues, a fictional-character named Smarty came into the picture and grade nines had to save the day.
“Smarty was a grade nine who wanted to take over the world by using a machine to take over people’s minds,” said Caetano. “Firstly he takes over the minds of the grade nines and he comes down here to attack the Super-Team… because of the grade nines that we have down here, they had certain powers that helped us get away.”
The detailed storylines also have many humourous situations. At least one person is teased in each issue, with jokes ranging from a member’s height to the running-gag of someone being kidnapped by each villain.
The comic was also promoted at the Teen Youth Participation Strategies (TYPS) conference last weekend in Ottawa. All EYC members attending wore homemade versions of their Super-Team costumes and a contest was held to create a new super-villain – the creation will make its first appearance in issue 10.
Eight issues have been penciled, three are being inked and Howe is making one digital for the EYC website. Caetano is also hoping to re-paint the centre with characters adorning the walls and says the comic itself has been a real self-esteem booster for members. Although it started small, the comic has quickly become much bigger.
“Originally it was just a cool idea,” said Howe. “Now we want it to be a huge part of the people here so we all remember our time and have something from it.”
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in March:
EYC Super-Team
By Marc Rocheleau
Faster than a speeding bullet and more powerful than a locomotive, some homemade comics are bringing youth together.
In August, Essex Youth Centre (EYC) staff-member Sylvia Caetano and 17-year-old member Kelly Howe came up with a unique idea. After a 12-hour day at the centre, Caetano and several members began creating alter-egos and super-powers for a comic book based on the EYC.
“Well honestly, it was Sylvia’s idea,” said artist, Howe. “They’re obsessed with Marvel and stuff like that, so we decided to make our own [comics] – we all sat down and started naming characters.”
Shortly after, the EYC Super-Team began taking on a life of its own. Caetano started adding people from the centre to the book and wrote scripts for Howe to illustrate.
“Basically when it starts off, it’s where [Executive-Director] Sandy [Larivee] and the staff of the youth centre has invited the members to come down to become part of the EYC Super-Team,” said Caetano. “Because the crime-rate of super-villains has gone up in Essex.”
The first super-villain was a team-member gone bad. Due to a series of events involving a Kit-Kat and bad luck, John turned on the EYC and tried to destroy them with the Orb Of Destruction. After disposing of him in three issues, a fictional-character named Smarty came into the picture and grade nines had to save the day.
“Smarty was a grade nine who wanted to take over the world by using a machine to take over people’s minds,” said Caetano. “Firstly he takes over the minds of the grade nines and he comes down here to attack the Super-Team… because of the grade nines that we have down here, they had certain powers that helped us get away.”
The detailed storylines also have many humourous situations. At least one person is teased in each issue, with jokes ranging from a member’s height to the running-gag of someone being kidnapped by each villain.
The comic was also promoted at the Teen Youth Participation Strategies (TYPS) conference last weekend in Ottawa. All EYC members attending wore homemade versions of their Super-Team costumes and a contest was held to create a new super-villain – the creation will make its first appearance in issue 10.
Eight issues have been penciled, three are being inked and Howe is making one digital for the EYC website. Caetano is also hoping to re-paint the centre with characters adorning the walls and says the comic itself has been a real self-esteem booster for members. Although it started small, the comic has quickly become much bigger.
“Originally it was just a cool idea,” said Howe. “Now we want it to be a huge part of the people here so we all remember our time and have something from it.”
Friday, December 4, 2009
2009 In Review - Siblings Night
In the next few weeks, I'll be posting some articles that were written over the past year about the events and accomplishments of the EYC in 2009. I hope to post them in chronological order just to show all the awesome things youth have done down here at the centre.
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in March:
Siblings Night
by Marc Rocheleau
On Wednesday, February 25, female Essex Youth Centre (EYC) members got some company from siblings and friends.
While Girls Nights have been going strong, the party got a bit bigger last week. EYC allowed female members to bring their siblings (male and female) down to spend the night hanging out with them. Youths of all ages were welcome and many were excited about the first-ever Siblings Night.
"When I popped the idea some of the girls were like 'Oh my goodness, my sister's been asking to come down here and I told her I didn't know if she was allowed,'" said event coordinator, Sylvia Caetano. "It kind of made her really excited that we were going to do that and so her sister could come down and check it out."
Members showed up a half an hour before their siblings at 4 p.m. to make a spaghetti dinner. Those helping to make it ate for $1 while children paid $4 -- also to help cover the cost of activities.
In addition to the meal, there was plenty for children to do on the ocean-themed night: Caetano brought pages to colour, magnets to make fish bowls with, beads for crafts, movies including Shark Tales and multiplayer games for the centre's Playstation 3.
Alllergy-approved snacks and drinks were also provided for siblings and with ages ranging from four-years-old to late teens, it was a diverse crowd.
"I even said if you don't have a brother or sister you can bring a friend down," said Caetano. "If you want you can just come down because some of the girls are just going to bring two people down ...just to leave it open, just to have a good time; just to have some fun."
Attendance has been steady for Girls Nights since they began a month ago. Female members have already had a Mega-Twister night, an outing to the Family Fun Centre in Windsor and hope to continue having Siblings Nights every two months or so. Caetano in particular is optimistic that it'll help get the word out about the EYC.
"The younger ones are going to be like, 'Wow I like this place, maybe I'll come here when I'm in high school," said Caetano. "'Maybe I'll become a member.'"
Girls Nights are held every Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the EYC and will continue through May.
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in March:
Siblings Night
by Marc Rocheleau
On Wednesday, February 25, female Essex Youth Centre (EYC) members got some company from siblings and friends.
While Girls Nights have been going strong, the party got a bit bigger last week. EYC allowed female members to bring their siblings (male and female) down to spend the night hanging out with them. Youths of all ages were welcome and many were excited about the first-ever Siblings Night.
"When I popped the idea some of the girls were like 'Oh my goodness, my sister's been asking to come down here and I told her I didn't know if she was allowed,'" said event coordinator, Sylvia Caetano. "It kind of made her really excited that we were going to do that and so her sister could come down and check it out."
Members showed up a half an hour before their siblings at 4 p.m. to make a spaghetti dinner. Those helping to make it ate for $1 while children paid $4 -- also to help cover the cost of activities.
In addition to the meal, there was plenty for children to do on the ocean-themed night: Caetano brought pages to colour, magnets to make fish bowls with, beads for crafts, movies including Shark Tales and multiplayer games for the centre's Playstation 3.
Alllergy-approved snacks and drinks were also provided for siblings and with ages ranging from four-years-old to late teens, it was a diverse crowd.
"I even said if you don't have a brother or sister you can bring a friend down," said Caetano. "If you want you can just come down because some of the girls are just going to bring two people down ...just to leave it open, just to have a good time; just to have some fun."
Attendance has been steady for Girls Nights since they began a month ago. Female members have already had a Mega-Twister night, an outing to the Family Fun Centre in Windsor and hope to continue having Siblings Nights every two months or so. Caetano in particular is optimistic that it'll help get the word out about the EYC.
"The younger ones are going to be like, 'Wow I like this place, maybe I'll come here when I'm in high school," said Caetano. "'Maybe I'll become a member.'"
Girls Nights are held every Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the EYC and will continue through May.
2009 In Review - Dare To Dream Project
In the next few weeks, I'll be posting some articles that were written over the past year about the events and accomplishments of the EYC in 2009. I hope to post them in chronological order just to show all the awesome things youth have done down here at the centre.
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in February:
Dare To Dream Project
By Marc Rocheleau
Although many feel hopeless during their adolescence, one teenager is "daring to dream" of a way to help.
Having gone through depression, 16-year-old Jasmine Wood decided to do something about it. After working through her personal problems, the Essex Youth Centre (EYC) member used her creativity to help others suffering from depression. Wood wanted to create a book featuring art submitted by youth to raise awareness of this issue.
"A couple of years ago I went through a lot of stuff with myself," she said. "Just kind of making it aware for other teens is my goal."
Wood heard about the Dare To Dream program at the Town Youth Participation Strategies (TYPS) conference and thought it might be a way to reach out to others.
The Dare To Dream program is available for people 18-years-old and younger to promote mental health awareness. Project submissions are reviewed by a panel of youths and, if accepted, grants of $1,000 (for individuals) or $5,000 (for groups) are given.
Deciding to take the project on in March, Wood almost missed the deadline. After finishing the hand-written application, her mentor, EYC Executive Director, Sandy Larivee expedited it for review.
Although they received a $5,000 grant in June, Wood's exam schedule and summer job caused some delays. In September, Wood had more free time and received some help. Fellow EYC member Kelly Howe (17) created posters highlighting the project and Sylvia Caetano provided support during her placement. Child & Youth Worker Tanya Nash also got Wood on track, helping to organize and distribute posters beyond her 20 hour co-op.
"Tanya picked up the torch because it's an amazing project," said staff-member Sue Vermast. "It certainly isn't anything that warrants merely 20 hours. Jasmine's put in 200 and I'm quite sure Kelly's put in at least 200 drawing the posters.”
Every submission must fit on 8.5x11" paper, be 2D and no profanity is allowed. Despite these guidelines, no one has been limited so far.
"I got this really cool entry that I saw the other day," said Wood. "It was drawn but also had, like, kind of a poem but it was really cool. It was almost like Japanese anime kind of style and it was really cool."
Cash prizes will be awarded and first place will get their art on the cover – Wood is using judges from the school and EYC , including a social worker to decide the winners. Once completed, she's hoping to have an open house at the centre for participants to show and celebrate their work. Copies of the book will also be printed for local schools and have contact information for help.
(Contact info for submissions removed due to it being out of date and obsolete.)
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in February:
Dare To Dream Project
By Marc Rocheleau
Although many feel hopeless during their adolescence, one teenager is "daring to dream" of a way to help.
Having gone through depression, 16-year-old Jasmine Wood decided to do something about it. After working through her personal problems, the Essex Youth Centre (EYC) member used her creativity to help others suffering from depression. Wood wanted to create a book featuring art submitted by youth to raise awareness of this issue.
"A couple of years ago I went through a lot of stuff with myself," she said. "Just kind of making it aware for other teens is my goal."
Wood heard about the Dare To Dream program at the Town Youth Participation Strategies (TYPS) conference and thought it might be a way to reach out to others.
The Dare To Dream program is available for people 18-years-old and younger to promote mental health awareness. Project submissions are reviewed by a panel of youths and, if accepted, grants of $1,000 (for individuals) or $5,000 (for groups) are given.
Deciding to take the project on in March, Wood almost missed the deadline. After finishing the hand-written application, her mentor, EYC Executive Director, Sandy Larivee expedited it for review.
Although they received a $5,000 grant in June, Wood's exam schedule and summer job caused some delays. In September, Wood had more free time and received some help. Fellow EYC member Kelly Howe (17) created posters highlighting the project and Sylvia Caetano provided support during her placement. Child & Youth Worker Tanya Nash also got Wood on track, helping to organize and distribute posters beyond her 20 hour co-op.
"Tanya picked up the torch because it's an amazing project," said staff-member Sue Vermast. "It certainly isn't anything that warrants merely 20 hours. Jasmine's put in 200 and I'm quite sure Kelly's put in at least 200 drawing the posters.”
Every submission must fit on 8.5x11" paper, be 2D and no profanity is allowed. Despite these guidelines, no one has been limited so far.
"I got this really cool entry that I saw the other day," said Wood. "It was drawn but also had, like, kind of a poem but it was really cool. It was almost like Japanese anime kind of style and it was really cool."
Cash prizes will be awarded and first place will get their art on the cover – Wood is using judges from the school and EYC , including a social worker to decide the winners. Once completed, she's hoping to have an open house at the centre for participants to show and celebrate their work. Copies of the book will also be printed for local schools and have contact information for help.
(Contact info for submissions removed due to it being out of date and obsolete.)
2009 In Review - Girls Nights
In the next few weeks, I'll be posting some articles that were written over the past year about the events and accomplishments of the EYC in 2009. I hope to post them in chronological order just to show all the awesome things youth have done down here at the centre.
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in February:
EYC’s Girls Nights Start Again
by Marc Rocheleau
On Wednesday, February 4, Essex Youth Centre (EYC) brought back an old tradition.
Although they hosted Girls Nights on and off between 2000-2005, EYC hadn’t put one together in awhile. After being postponed due to weather the preceding Wednesday, this stretch of inactivity ended last week.
"We used to do Girls Nights way back when – I don’t know when it stopped,” said event coordinator, Sylvia Caetano. “… Back then it used to be like a one day a month thing. We want to do it every Wednesday ‘cause the youth centre has only been running Sports Night on those nights.”
To break the ice, Caetano tried an exercise using stones. Each one had words like “friend” or “beauty” on them and everybody had to take one. After this, each girl told the others why they chose that word and a story about themselves.
"Maybe we can make some friendships,” said Caetano, referring to the exercise. “You know, the whole point of Girls Night is to bring some of the girls at the youth centre a little closer together and maybe bring some more ladies down.”
> The night also consisted of chatting and a movie. After breaking the ice with one another, the ten girls who came out decided to watch Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants. In addition, Caetano got ideas for future Girls Night events.
"I talked to some of the girls about maybe having a siblings night,” said Caetano. “Where they could bring their siblings down and have them hang out down here."
EYC Executive Director, Sandy Larivee also mentioned getting some Students from St. Clair College who are training to become hair dressers and estheticians. Other ideas include a board game night, baking and an outing in Windsor on February 11.
EYC members don’t pay for Girls Nights but others can participate for a small fee. For guys wanting something to do, Sports Nights also take place on Wednesdays from 6:30-8 in gym B.
The following was originally printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press back in February:
EYC’s Girls Nights Start Again
by Marc Rocheleau
On Wednesday, February 4, Essex Youth Centre (EYC) brought back an old tradition.
Although they hosted Girls Nights on and off between 2000-2005, EYC hadn’t put one together in awhile. After being postponed due to weather the preceding Wednesday, this stretch of inactivity ended last week.
"We used to do Girls Nights way back when – I don’t know when it stopped,” said event coordinator, Sylvia Caetano. “… Back then it used to be like a one day a month thing. We want to do it every Wednesday ‘cause the youth centre has only been running Sports Night on those nights.”
To break the ice, Caetano tried an exercise using stones. Each one had words like “friend” or “beauty” on them and everybody had to take one. After this, each girl told the others why they chose that word and a story about themselves.
"Maybe we can make some friendships,” said Caetano, referring to the exercise. “You know, the whole point of Girls Night is to bring some of the girls at the youth centre a little closer together and maybe bring some more ladies down.”
> The night also consisted of chatting and a movie. After breaking the ice with one another, the ten girls who came out decided to watch Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants. In addition, Caetano got ideas for future Girls Night events.
"I talked to some of the girls about maybe having a siblings night,” said Caetano. “Where they could bring their siblings down and have them hang out down here."
EYC Executive Director, Sandy Larivee also mentioned getting some Students from St. Clair College who are training to become hair dressers and estheticians. Other ideas include a board game night, baking and an outing in Windsor on February 11.
EYC members don’t pay for Girls Nights but others can participate for a small fee. For guys wanting something to do, Sports Nights also take place on Wednesdays from 6:30-8 in gym B.
The Skinny On EYC's Share The Warmth Tree '09
As printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press:
EYC Provides Warmth For The Holidays
By Marc Rocheleau
Scarves and gloves aren’t commonly used as Christmas decorations but for a decade, one organization has embraced the idea.
For the 10th year in a row, Essex Youth Centre (EYC) is collecting winter clothing for its Share The Warmth Tree. Instead of using garland, ornaments and tinsel, EYC members are decorating with warm apparel that will be donated to those in need.
“We ask the youth and anyone in the community to bring in and decorate our tree with hats, mitts, gloves, socks and scarves,” said EYC Executive-Director, Sandy Larivee. “What we do with that is we provide these items to the [Essex Area] Food Bank for the Christmas hampers. It’s a way to make sure that kids in need stay warm over the winter months.”
Although many charities collect canned goods during the holidays, Larivee wanted to do something different. The tradition has taught members to give to the community and, while food is in demand at the food bank, Larivee believes these clothing pieces are needed from the public as well.
“Anybody can donate, we look forward to community donations,” she said. “They can come in and check out the tree and put their own decorations up. It’s really a goodwill gesture on everybody’s behalf.”
EYC will be accepting donations during their hours of operation until December 15, at which point they’ll deliver the items to the food bank. For further information, those interested can either visit EYC’s website at http://www.essexyouthcentre.ca/ or call them at 519-776-9000.
Located beside the Essex Youth Centre behind Essex District High School, Essex Area Food Bank provides food and essential items for hundreds of people in the county year-round. With Christmas being their busiest time, the food bank is thankful for any help it can get.
“The tree looks absolutely wonderful,” said Larivee. “The food bank’s very grateful for the donations.”
EYC Provides Warmth For The Holidays
By Marc Rocheleau
Scarves and gloves aren’t commonly used as Christmas decorations but for a decade, one organization has embraced the idea.
For the 10th year in a row, Essex Youth Centre (EYC) is collecting winter clothing for its Share The Warmth Tree. Instead of using garland, ornaments and tinsel, EYC members are decorating with warm apparel that will be donated to those in need.
“We ask the youth and anyone in the community to bring in and decorate our tree with hats, mitts, gloves, socks and scarves,” said EYC Executive-Director, Sandy Larivee. “What we do with that is we provide these items to the [Essex Area] Food Bank for the Christmas hampers. It’s a way to make sure that kids in need stay warm over the winter months.”
Although many charities collect canned goods during the holidays, Larivee wanted to do something different. The tradition has taught members to give to the community and, while food is in demand at the food bank, Larivee believes these clothing pieces are needed from the public as well.
“Anybody can donate, we look forward to community donations,” she said. “They can come in and check out the tree and put their own decorations up. It’s really a goodwill gesture on everybody’s behalf.”
EYC will be accepting donations during their hours of operation until December 15, at which point they’ll deliver the items to the food bank. For further information, those interested can either visit EYC’s website at http://www.essexyouthcentre.ca/ or call them at 519-776-9000.
Located beside the Essex Youth Centre behind Essex District High School, Essex Area Food Bank provides food and essential items for hundreds of people in the county year-round. With Christmas being their busiest time, the food bank is thankful for any help it can get.
“The tree looks absolutely wonderful,” said Larivee. “The food bank’s very grateful for the donations.”
EYC Eighth Annual Trivia Night Results
As printed in the Essex Voice and Essex Free Press:
EYC Trivia Night A Success
by Marc Rocheleau
How long does the average person wait for coffee at a donut shop drive-thru every year and how many hairs are on an average person’s head?
These are just a couple of the many questions asked during Essex Youth Centre’s (EYC) eighth annual trivia night. Hosted at Essex Royal Canadian Legion Branch #201, the event had 19 teams participating.
Although not everyone could win, they all had a fun time competing.
“The atmosphere was great,” said EYC Executive-Director, Sandy Larivee. “I had a lot of people come up to me after and say this is just a fun event to come to, either as a group of employees or a group of friends.”
EYC’s November 17 event began at 7 p.m. and lasted a couple of hours. Each team answered 10 rounds of 10 questions and those with the most correct answers were awarded prizes.
As usual, some good-natured rivalries also developed over the course of the night.
“There was the bank vs. the credit union,” said Larivee. “There was certainly a lot of rivalry amongst the [seven] Optimist Clubs.”
Once the dust settled, five teams (three adult and two student) were announced as winners. The top four-person adult teams were Full Contact Trivia (72 points,) N’Stink (71 points) and Hay Moo (67 points.) In the student team category, winners were Michelle Qwans (45 points) and Red Skins (38 points.) In total, $540 was awarded in cash prizes.
EYC raised roughly $1,000 from the event but Larivee feels it isn’t all about the money.
“It’s more about friendship and developping our sense of community with the youth that participates and the people that partake in the contest,” she said.
Larivee compiles the trivia from different sources over the course of the year. Although she keeps track of it for a long time, Larivee maintains she doesn’t reveal any questions or answers until the night of the event itself.
And the amount of time spent in a donut shop drive-thru for coffee per-year? 45 minutes, according to Larivee.
For more trivia, those interested will have to attend next year’s event, which is confirmed for fall 2010.
EYC Trivia Night A Success
by Marc Rocheleau
How long does the average person wait for coffee at a donut shop drive-thru every year and how many hairs are on an average person’s head?
These are just a couple of the many questions asked during Essex Youth Centre’s (EYC) eighth annual trivia night. Hosted at Essex Royal Canadian Legion Branch #201, the event had 19 teams participating.
Although not everyone could win, they all had a fun time competing.
“The atmosphere was great,” said EYC Executive-Director, Sandy Larivee. “I had a lot of people come up to me after and say this is just a fun event to come to, either as a group of employees or a group of friends.”
EYC’s November 17 event began at 7 p.m. and lasted a couple of hours. Each team answered 10 rounds of 10 questions and those with the most correct answers were awarded prizes.
As usual, some good-natured rivalries also developed over the course of the night.
“There was the bank vs. the credit union,” said Larivee. “There was certainly a lot of rivalry amongst the [seven] Optimist Clubs.”
Once the dust settled, five teams (three adult and two student) were announced as winners. The top four-person adult teams were Full Contact Trivia (72 points,) N’Stink (71 points) and Hay Moo (67 points.) In the student team category, winners were Michelle Qwans (45 points) and Red Skins (38 points.) In total, $540 was awarded in cash prizes.
EYC raised roughly $1,000 from the event but Larivee feels it isn’t all about the money.
“It’s more about friendship and developping our sense of community with the youth that participates and the people that partake in the contest,” she said.
Larivee compiles the trivia from different sources over the course of the year. Although she keeps track of it for a long time, Larivee maintains she doesn’t reveal any questions or answers until the night of the event itself.
And the amount of time spent in a donut shop drive-thru for coffee per-year? 45 minutes, according to Larivee.
For more trivia, those interested will have to attend next year’s event, which is confirmed for fall 2010.
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