Celebrating Youth

Participants in Youth Activities, and parents.

Jackson Holmes, Matt Holmes, Jennifer Lewis-Lawson, Emma Lawson, Brian Burns, Oonagh Burns, Dawn Burns, Mason Puppa, Monica Caldwell-Puppa

Jack Holmes provided an excellent account of activities and lessons learned from his attendance at Adventures in Citizenship held in Ottawa.  This program provides 200 youth from across the country an opportunity to explore shared values and the implications of freedoms we enjoy as Canadians.  A tour of parliament hill and local museums,and a French Canadian meal (complete with square dancing) were enjoyed by all.  Jack pointed out that hearing from a veteran of the Afghan conflict and a native community group in addition to the opportunity to meet many people from across the country provided participants with new and powerful insights.    Great presentation.

SLAPSHOT – Mason Puppa and Emma Lawson

Student Leadership Award Program for Students High On Training

Mason Puppa and Emma Lawson attended this Ancaster event with 100 other participants.  The weekend event provided high school students with personal and leadership development activities.   The group included 50 Canadian students and 50 from the USA.

Mason and Emma provided club members with an enthusiastic and positive outline of their experience.   Outstanding motivation speakers and trust building exercises in particular left participants with the belief that everyone can become a leader.  Good lesson and a great presentation.

World Affairs Seminar – Oonagh Burns

World Affairs Seminar is the vision of Rotarian Dr. Dale Brock whose vision was to bring about better understanding of world problems among a select group of young people from around the world.  Students from 14 countries attended this week long event at Carroll University in Wisconsin. The focus of 2014 was World Health – Issues and Responsibilities.  Oonagh outlined for the members some of the highlights of what was clearly an outstanding experience.  Seminar leaders such as well- known speaker Eric Plattsburg who spoke on how to achieve happiness in life and others who spoke on the benefits of meditation left a strong impression on the participants.  Of particular significance were a group of speakers, one of whom was blind, another deaf and a third who is schizophrenic who spoke on how to be positive.  Very moving.  A presentations on how Rotary is very close to eradicating polio was also a feature.   Apparently the week was not only educational and challenging, it was also a great deal of fun.  Great presentation.