Last week NVC Council rejected a proposed teen nightclub for the second time. Meanwhile, parents’ groups met ta examine ways to stop youth violence. Are adults teally doing anything to help the THIS ARTICLE puts you, the teenage reader, in the spotlight. Yve asked you to tell me what is on your mind. What are your goals in life? What are your con- cerns and interests? What do you - fear the most in the world today? . What are your thoughts and feel- ings as a teenager in the *90s? * Tina H., 16: “Qne of my big ‘concerns is the environment and related problems. like overpopula- : tion, the greenhouse effect, and the destruction of the rainforests. “Also one of my concerns is the AIDS epidemic and stuff like that. It’s scary growing up now. How . will the world be in the future, for our kids? “Environmentally I try to make a difference. 1 get so'-mad about the environment and what’s hap- pening to it. “I’m invoived in Counter-At- tack. ’'m against drinking and driving and substance abuse. Goals: ‘“‘Well, 1 want to travel and see the world before it gets environmentally worse.’’ Teya M., 16: _ Goals: *‘I1 want to get a really cool job that I'll enjoy. The most important thing to me right now is to be happy. “Teens are under so much pressure. I’ve got things that I want to dedicate myself to, but I can’t because I’ve got so much to do, like going to the gym, siruggl- ing through math, and holding a IM DRAWING A COMIC STRIP ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO HAVE OUR OWN Tv SHOW! YOu i, BAO HADN'T GONE TO THE GAME SCHOOL... stressed out. TLt BE THE STAR, SEE, AND You'LL BE MY JOVIAL SIDEKICK! {YOUTH NEWS ATCT tae part-time job. ‘‘My fear is not graduating even though I’m now only in Grade 11. Peopie on the outside seem to ex- pect so much of teenagers. They think that the problems we face aren’t of great importance. They are important to us because they are a part of our lives. “IT don’t think we get enough pats on the back, when we try so hard.”’ Words of wisdom: ‘‘Do nice things for yourself. There is only one of you, so take care. The best thing you can do is be yourself and people will accept you.” Mike S., 17: ‘Getting good grades and trying to get into uni- versity are some of my concerns. | enjoy sports like soccer and ten- nis. I also like drama. “TI have a really difficult time setting my priorities. I plan to do well in school, get a job and have a good time. Friends are impor- tant. There is a lot of prejudice going around.”’ Words of wisdom: ‘‘Don’t take things so seriously. Don’t get School is school. Stay away from drugs.” Natalie K., 16: ‘My goals are to get good grades, win a scho!ar- ‘ship and go to university. My w- terests are talking on the phone and socializing with friends. “I'm . also ‘concerned with school and the problems facing the Earth today, like starvation and poverty. “EF also enjoy shopping and get- ting involved in school and aca- demic work. I like my job. I work at a.clothing shop at Oakridge Centre. “My goal in life is to become an astronomer and pursue a career at NASA. What is on my mind right now is ‘Am I going to pass my upcoming chemistry test?’ This world needs to be improved so that the future generations can enjoy the world as it is now, not like what it is turning into.”* Ravi J., 17: “The mind-set of people in this world, the uncer- tainty of the future with this polit- ical unrest. My fear is to fail in life and be unsuccessful. “1 fear that my potential will = Ee teen violence problem? uyesuzian SUTHERLAND SECONDARY Grade 12 counsellor Daryl Samson (left) talks about the future with Grade 12 student Cherie Tan. Students are concerned about their grades, their ability to graduate, and their success after graduation. never be fulfilled, and my dreams will not come true.”’ Words of wisdom: ‘‘Peace comes not from the absence of conflict but from the ability to cope with it.”” Brandon M., 16: “I have no concerns about the environment, for things that I cannot fix. I fear that as I continue to get older I will become lonelier and useless. “I'm interested in girls, rela- tionships, poetry, and song writ- ing. I love classic rock and the blues. “I don’t want to end up work- ing for free and becoming average. A greater fear is that no one will love me as I age. I don’t want my academic career falling out from under me at the fast moment. I really get depressed when I fail at something I thought I was the best at.” Words of wisdom: ‘‘A life such ITS AN EASY JOB. ALL ‘YOU THAT 7 CAN REPLACE YOu HAVE TO 0O 'S LAUGH AT MY JOKES. GOTTEN MARRIED AND MOVED HERE TO HINSDALE... 1 1802 Untied Feature Syoaeaie ne. YOU'D BE STANDING HERE TALKING TO as ours is precious and cannot be taken on compromise.’’ Lise W., 17: ‘Environmental problems like pollution, reforesta- tion and stuff like that concern me. I fear death, war and especially nuclear war. | also fear being alone.’’ Goals: “I want to work in for- estry and study languages. I want to be happy and I don’t care how much money I have. I need to do well in school. I’d like to go to university, but Ill probably end up at Capileno College because of my average grades. “School is very hard. Grade 12 is very hard. I’ve got to make money to go to college after high school. I’m also trying to find a place to live, as { have to move out in June.” Words of wisdom: ‘Care about yourself, not what other people think of you.”’ In taiking with Daryl Samson, the Grade 12 counsellor at Sutherland secondary school, I Last week we asked what you like to do fer Halloween. { don’t think that Halloween should be a time of year when kids can do anything they bloody well please. It should be a time of year where kids can have fun and do some neat stuff such as fireworks. But I don't think it’s great for kids to be blowing off their hands just to have fun. To me, it’s having fun and I hope it con- tinues to be that way. To me Halloween is setting off firecrackers and stuff; peo- ple never let you do thai; they think it’s so illegal and say, “Oh, you're going to biow off your hand.” It’s not true. Maybe it is true if you’re not careful. Maybe they should let kids over 10 use them. Some kids are really safe with firecrackers, some aren't. If you're safe, then its OK to learned about other. Problems teens face. “1 think that teen “violence, anger and agression, stresses that come with competing for a posi- tion in a university or college, family dysfunction, broken homes, lack of communication, single-parent homes, and the problems that these conditions create, are some concerns | get from students,”’ he said. “‘Mislaid priorities are common. Dealing with that stress, these teens try to remove themselves from the world through substance abuse. They try to get away from their problems instead of trying to fix them.”’ Words of wisdom: “The five Fs — family, faith, finance, fitness and friends.’ Youth Views is writteri coopera- tively by the students of Sutherland secondary school’s Video Production career prepara- tion course. Kris Tuyssuzian is one the class’ four students. use them. It’s just about hav- ing fun. I think they should let kids use firecrackers. Pm 15 and I'm going out with my mommy to go trick or treating and get lots of candy. I don’t like firecrackers because they're bad. This Halloween I'd like to set off firecrackers and beat up little kids for their candy.