NEWS - Performance Printing

leNEWST-shirt sales for youth.netSydney SteeleSpecial to the NewsEMC news - Youth.net, ayouth mental health promotionprogram, has benefittedthanks to grade 12 art studentsat South Carleton High Schoolin Richmond.The students in the grade12 art class earned $450 foryouth.net by selling t-shirtswith art designs on them. Thissilk screening project beganin mid-April with the t-shirtsales starting at the beginningof May. The students’ originalgoal of raising $300 was surpassedby $150 in the end.“Mental health is talkedabout a lot and we all knowsomeone suffering from amental illness,” says DeannaSchuster, one of the studentsinvolved in this project. Thestudents unanimously agreedto donate the funds earned bythe sale of their t-shirts withart designs to youth.net.“We chose youth.net becauseit means something tous and we’re helping otherkids our age,” she adds.Although the fundraisinggoal of the students was exceeded,making these t-shirtsdid come with challenges.“Getting it right on the firsttry was very difficult, especiallywhen it was going onsomeone else’s t-shirt,” saysLinda Pottle, one of the studentswho participated in thist-shirt art project. “You had tomake it perfect,” she adds.But judging by the fundsearned and the response fromfellow students, these challengeswere overcome.Youth.net has made presentationsat South CarletonHigh School in the past. Itis a bilingual “by youth foryouth” mental health promotionprogram with the objectiveto reach out to youth withthe aim of maintaining goodmental health as well as to developa positive thinking strategyand to decrease the stigmaaround mental illness and itstreatment. Not only are youthheavily involved at youth.netbut also they act as a youthvoice for other organizationsaround the Ottawa area, especiallyin dealing with mentalhealth.Katherine BercusonKawadri, who is the mentalhealth promotion coordinatorat youth.net, feels that themoney raised by the SouthCarleton students would bebest to go to youth.net’s “pensand paints” program since thestudents are in an art class.This “pens and paints” programis one of the initiativesat youth.net which was developedby youth themselves. Itis an art-based program designedto help youth cope withstress.Every week during this“pens and paints” program,which can run from 8 to 12weeks in duration dependingon when it is run, a group of10 to 12 youth gather at youth.net headquarters and produceart based on different discussiontopics. Topics could beConnected to your communityabout relationships, body image,self esteem or some othersimilar subject.Youth.net always involvesyouth in its activities, all theway from hiring staff to beingat programs.“Whenever we hire newstaff, we have a young personin the room just becausethe staff that we hire will bethe ones out there workingwith young people and connectingwith them,” says Ms.Kawadri.“During the interview, if theyouth doesn’t feel any connection,what are the chances thatthey will connect with youngpeople out in the community,”she adds.To donate to youth.net orto find out more informationabout the organization, visitthe youth.net website at http://www.youthnet.on.ca/ or call613-738-3915.SYDNEY STEELEThree South Carleton High School students who are holding up t-shirts with art designson them thanks to a project undertaken by grade 12 art students to raise funds for youth.net are, from left, Linda Pottle, Samantha Moberg and Sabrina Calogeracos.ON JUNE 1, 2013, GO THE DISTANCE INTHE FIGHT FOR CANCER SURVIVORSHIPIN EASTERN ONTARIOTHE BIGGEST ONE-DAY WALK IN OTTAWA– 28 KM FROM THE QUEENSWAY CARLETON HOSPITALTO THE RICHARD & ANNETTE BLOCH CANCER SURVIVORS PARKRegister today: www.ottawacancer.caTHANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORSBENEFITINGtheR0012078221Please join us for a special evening ofWine & Pints Food Pairing EventRestaurant International at Algonquin CollegeWednesday, June 19th, 2013, From 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.Located at 1385 Woodroffe AvenueFeaturing a four course gourmet dinneraccompanied by Wine & Beer TastingAll proceeds support theresidents at St. Patrick’s Home$65.00 per ticketLimited seating availablePurchase your tickets by calling 613-260-2738 or foundation@stpats.caEntertainment, Silent AuctionR0012122738Stittsville News EMC - Thursday, May 30, 2013 41