“I didn’t do anything to deserve being born in Canada” says January 2012’s second youth of the Month, the humble Sophie Harrison. It’s so rare to find a youth so passionate about climate change in today’s society that is driven by fast cars, popular electronic devices, and an obscene amount of energy usage. Nonetheless, we have found our diamond in the rough this month, Sophie, a young woman who passionately states and truly believes that “climate change is the greatest challenge of our generation”! Just an average girl, playing on a Metro soccer team and running cross country...


 QuickView | Read Full Article

Saying prayers in mosque in front of hundreds of people, flying planes up high in the sky, and partaking in tae kwon do. These are just a few of the wonderful achievements that 16 year old Ilyaz Mapara has been able to accomplish; all the while overcoming the barriers that autism has attempted to put in his way. Since the day Ilyaz was born, he wasn’t able to see things in the conventional ways that most of us can, because he was born completely blind. However, that gave his other senses a chance to shine and Ilyaz has not let the lack of one sense put a cramp in his style to say the least....


 QuickView | Read Full Article

Woo! 2011 is over and what a year it has been! The Youth of the Months, or YOMs as we like to call them, have truly done some damage on my emotions throughout this year. I can personally say that this show has exposed me to some of Vancouver’s most inspiring, life changing, and wonderful youth! It’s hard to narrow down such amazing people to a top 5 list, but it had to be done. Please everyone do me a favour though and keep in mind just how inspirational each of these Youth of the Months of 2011 have been and feel free to nominate someone today! Now, with much deliberation, voting, and decision...


 QuickView | Read Full Article

“It’s not like you have to go out and invent your own volunteer program” says November’s Youth of the Month, Amy Bains. It isn’t about the recognition or the large groups to volunteer with, or even the large fundraisers to travel across the world and volunteer her time over there. Although these are of course appealing volunteer opportunities, Amy looks at volunteering with a new approach. Being at Kwantlen Polytechnic University majoring in Psychology and minoring in Criminology, all the while working her way through it as a Customs Broker and playing soccer full time on a Division one team,...


 QuickView | Read Full Article

“I just want to help people and make them HAPPY!” These are the powerful words expressed by the inspiring and extremely self motivated 17 year old, Zoya Jiwa! When chatting with Zoya, enthusiasm, excitement, and pure passion for living life to its fullest are clearly evident in every word and every breath she takes! A girl who has gone through so much and has worked so hard to be where she is today, has made the conscious decision to remain optimistic at all times and never give up; an attitude that has brought her to where she is today! Like many motivated teens, Zoya finds time to volunteer,...


 QuickView | Read Full Article

Volunteering, working, studying to be a doctor, Co-Founder of a fundraising organization, religious and yet still has time to be a social butterfly! Adam Stich is the ideal example of a balanced guy. Studying Animal Biology in his third year at the University of British Columbia as one can imagine can be time consuming enough as it is, but that has never stopped Adam. From being a Residence Community Advisor at Simon Fraser University and jumping straight into the role as Residence Advisor at UBC, he has kept himself quite busy not only helping himself but helping others as well! Helping others...


 QuickView | Read Full Article

It seemed so simple! Get out of bed, head to work, climb the ladder, paint some homes and make some money to put towards university. With the blink of an eye this seemingly simple task turned into a life altering and destructive endeavor. I caution you, the story I am about to share with you will not just break your heart and bring you to tears but it will hopefully leave you inspired, realizing "no matter how bad things may seem at one point or another we can make it through”, according to Jessica Kruger, my personal inspiration this month! At the age of 15 Jessica Kruger had decided...


 QuickView | Read Full Article

“From Deepcove to the Dominican,” Sanna Welyk said it herself! This eighteen year old with a passion for change has really taken initiative in her high school career. She definitely has not wasted a free moment. From partaking in humanitarian initiatives, working along side teachers as an assistant in her school and running jean drives to provide jeans for the less fortunate this girl has done it all! But, it does not stop there! She has used her drive for change to impact those around her and create the chance for a better world, a world with change. Throughout her time in high school,...


 QuickView | Read Full Article

Talent, ambition, drive and youthfulness are what Andrew Galang possesses for him to be August’s Youth of the Month.  A positive contributor to the dance community for 5 years, Andrew’s journey begins as a student taking recreational hip hop classes. This ignited a passion to learn other styles to help Andrew diversify his ability in dance, training in contemporary and ballet. Andrew’s hard work and dedication brought him to the front of the class, where the roles are reversed and he is the one teaching and inspiring other dancers to bring out the best in themselves. His inspiration originates...


 QuickView | Read Full Article

"At first, as with any teenager, I was like 'uhhh do I have to volunteer?'" It started as a requirement for service hours and continued into a life changing experience. Eighteen year old, Nadia Niky, has involved herself in numerous volunteer and community initiatives throughout her high school career and now has high ambitions to take it global! After only just completing her secondary studies, Nadia is already what many would consider a true inspiration. She has already backpacked Europe, where she 'found herself', and graduated from high school, all the while being involved in mentoring...


 QuickView | Read Full Article

If there is only one word to describe Mary Leong, it may very well be "ardent." No, she is not an ardent follower, but rather, an ardent role model. Having a keen interest in politics, and currently pursuing a political science major, Mary organized a vote mob at UBC this past April to encourage students to participate in the recent election. It was a project that had originated at the University of Guelph in Ottawa. After Mary saw the potential and impact of bringing a group of youth together to spread the message about the elections, she sought to duplicate the effect at UBC. Initially, it wasn't...


 QuickView | Read Full Article

For Almira, making a difference doesn't necessarily equate to accomplishing great feats or getting well-recognized for what she does. All she needs are Saturday mornings with a gym full of enthusiastic kids. Almira is a recently graduated Kinesiology Major at SFU. Labelled by one of her friends as "one of the hardest-working people [he] knows," she volunteers her Saturday mornings to runFUNdamentals, a Special Olympics training program for kids ages 2 to 6. Although the program primarily focuses on helping handicapped kids with their motor skills through cooperative games and sports, there...


 QuickView | Read Full Article