NEWS photo Neil Lucente

MASTER ORATOR Massimo Cusano of North Vancouver won the Optimist Club's Orator contest for
the Pacific Northwest. Massimo, a North Shore News carrier, has also been in several commerciais
and movies. Here he belts out the aria ‘‘Figaro"' for the camera.

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THE B.C. government axed the
Environment Youth Corps pro-
gcam where youth could get work
experience by helping on en-
vironmental projects. Can youths
still make an impact by working
for the environment on their own?

HE’S SHORT, he’s Italian,
he’s cute — but don’t pinch
his cheek, he hates it.

By Barbara Black
ZAP! Profile

At nine years of age, North
Vancouver’s Massimo Cusano is
already full of bluster and
bravado. It’s no wonder he won
first place in the Optimist Club’s
orator competition in Idaho.

The pint-sized pontificator
delivered his award-winning
speech four times, starting at the
North Shore Optimist Club and
working his way up the ranks to
the Pacific Northwest finals where
he scooped the trophy and $1,500.

When asked what he will do
with the prize money he quips,
“I'm saving for my Ferrari.’’ His
mother Carmelina corrects him,
explaining that he'll get it after he
graduates from high school.

Massimo and the other entrants
received 10 weeks of speech
coaching from members of the
Toastmasters Club, and North
Shore Optimist Club members put
in a lot of hours on the contest,
especially contest chairman Mel
Johnston.

Massimo’s winning speech, bas-
ed on the theme ‘“‘If I could see
tomorrow,’’ took a slightly dif-
ferent tack than the others, says
his mother. “Most of the others

980-KIDS

Meet the talking
dynamo Massimo

talked about what the world
would look like in the future,”
she said. Massimo, however, con-
sidered what it would be like to
see into his own future.

After considering his fame as an
actor, he comes to the conclusion
that it would be better to know
nothing about his future and be
surprised. His speech finishes with
the song *‘Que sera, sera’’ (what
will be, will be).

His mother says Massimo must
have been nervous at the Pacific
Northwest finals because he put
on somebody else’s socks before
his speech. He won anyway.

Being on the stage or in the
spotlight is old hat for Massimo,
who’s been in eight TY cemmer-
cials, two movies and an opera.

His favorite commercial is one
he did for GM when he was four.
“T was driving in a little car and I
was scared I would fall off the
sidewalk!’’ he laughs.

In addition to his acting and
speaking pursuits, Massimo
studies piano, plays soccer and is
a North Shore News carrier. He is
a student at Holy Trinity School.

The day after his interview
Massimo was going to sing the
national anthem at a Vancouver
86ers game against Milan.

If his version of the anthem is
anything like the operatic rendi-
tion of ‘‘Figaro’’ he gave in his
living room, the game will be off
to a rousing start.

Caulfeild Green Team
promoting the three R’s

CAULFEILD SCHOOL has
taken the environment to
heart.

A group of Grade 4, 5 and 6
students formed a Green Team,
whose main aim is to promote the
three Rs: reduce, reuse and recy-
cle. They currently recycle bottles,
Paper and compost items on an
ongoing basis.

For Environment

Week, the

students arranged events to get the
whole school involved.
Monday, June 1, was lights out

LAST WEEK ZAP! asked if
you thought your parents were
doing a good job raising you.
Most of the female calters
thought parents were doing
OK, while male callers thought
the question was stupid.

Basically, I think that with
the information and experience
that my parents have they deal
really well with the situations
that are coming up with my
brother and [. I value their
opinions and their choices and
maybe mine will be a bit dif-
ferent when I get older, but for
now I'm pretty pleased with
the way they do things.

I'm 16 years old and I just
live with my dad and I'm hap-
py with the way he raises me.
{t might sound stupid coming
from a teenager saying ‘‘Yeah,
I like the way my parents are

day in which all lights in the
schoo! were turned off; Tuesday
was green day, where everybody
dressed in green; Wednesday was
a swap meet to trade used items;
Thursday the Green Team planted
25 seedlings using ‘‘school’? com-
post; and Friday was lights out
day again.

The group also showed an
Ecosavers video to the entire
school.

Kudos to Caulfeild for such an
environmental effort.

raising me," bui I really do
learn lots from him.

1 think my parenis are doing
a very good job of me, mostly
just respecting me and I like
that. If they respect me and I
respect them back then I'll take
their punishments without
complaint.

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