Priceless
Summer 2015
GL Vol. 4, Issue 2
• Fashion Show • Hiking the AT • Brothers at Bard • Earth Guardians
A free journal written by young people for young-minded people
TOC/Masthead Contents Restaurant Review: Boitson’s ........................................ p. 8 An Interspecies Interview ............................................. p. 10 Advice: Ask Sushi ..................................................... p. 12-13 Brothers at Bard........................................................ p. 14-15 Appalaichian Trail Diary......................................... p. 16-19 Fiction: Forget Me Not ........................................... p. 20-21 The Art of Nancy Azara ......................................... p. 22-23 Cover Story: Fashion in Bloom............................. p. 24-27 Interview: Donna Lewis.......................................... p. 28-29 Poetry ......................................................................... p. 30-31 Surfin’ NJ......................................................................... p. 32 Earth Guardians ............................................................. p. 33 Unpaid Internships ........................................................ p. 34 A Little Change of Heart .............................................. p. 35 Belleayre Bash ................................................................. p. 36 BMX in the Hudson Valley.................................... p. 38-39 SUNY ArtsLab................................................................ p. 40 Library Calendar ............................................................ p. 41 Equine, Equine .............................................................. p. 42 Phoenicia Festival of the Voice ............................. p. 44-45 Memories........................................................................ p. 46
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher..................................... Cathy McNamara Art Director...............................................................Grey Ivor Morris Executive Editor..................................Monique Winum Martindale Senior Copy Editor......................................................... Julie Schmidt Editorial Assistant.....................................................Shannon Meyers
Sales
Marketing & Sales Director.......................................Carolyn Handel AWARENESS New Paltz Youth Sales Pilot Program ............ Youth
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Classic Road Trip
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hen I was 13, my mother decided to take a summer road trip to show me our country’s beautiful sites, national parks and roadways. She also wanted to visit “Big Bird,” an old archeology buddy of hers in California. As we traveled, I could not stop thinking about “Big Bird” . . . exactly what kind of a person gets a name like that? My mom replied, “Big Bird describes her to a T . . . a kind of giant hippy chick . . . with lots of character, high energy . . . free spirited . . . unafraid to speak her mind! Oh, did I mention a feminist, too”? Wow. I didn’t even know what that meant yet! By the door of Big Bird’s apartment sat pairs of shoes that were the largest I had ever seen . . . size 13 stamped inside. Big Bird walked in, making a grand entrance. She was unusually tall (6’ 6”), but her charismatic laughter made me not even notice! She explained, “Never let size or looks get in the way of anything . . . forget being self-conscious, let you personality rule!!” “Blue Spanish Eyes” played on her player piano, and we talked into the night . . . the keys worked all by themselves! Reasons to go on road trips at 17 are good! A girlfriend got a summer job at the Grand Canyon and needed a ride! My BF Annie and I said “OK”! We felt like adults! Yes, our summer was free! Yes, we had driver’s license! Yes, we had my stepdad’s 1967 red Valiant! Yes . . . parental permission . . . ahhh, no? We promised our parents to “go straight to the Grand Canyon, turn around, and come straight back”. Reluctantly, they finally said yes! We did break a few rules, like picking up a young teen hitchhiker because he was cute (reasoning: three of us could take him on if he was bad). We wound up temporarily working at the Rim ourselves. . . . I forgot to mention we had a smallish fender bender in Tucson (don’t ask) and needed money to get home! My old college boyfriend Garth Francis took this picture. He was taking an Ansel Adams summer photography workshop in Yosemite National Park. We had convinced him to take us (Annie and me) along! The picture tells the full story . . . we had come of age! Annie is now a free angel.
On the cover: Diver photo by Rachel Schackne
Fall issue coming next!
Deadline August 9th. • Solar Energy • Movie Make-Up for Halloween Disclaimer: The views expressed in this magazine do not reflect those of the publishers, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised.
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Resturant Review
Boitson’s
By Finn Doering, age 12 http://sharpfinnsoup.wordpress.com/
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oitson’s has been one of my top picks for dinner for a while now. It has a kind of hidden secret vibe. It also has an interesting backstory. The woman who owns it, Maria, was left an inheritance by her elderly neighbor in Brooklyn, who would watch her working long hours in her family’s restaurants. Maria fondly named her new restaurant, Boitson’s, in honor of her old friend. One of my favorite parts about this restaurant is the deck out back which is very modern with heat lamps and blankets for chilly nights and a nice view of the Catskills. You forget you are in Kingston! They also often show movies on a big screen out back in the summer, which I think is so cool. Plus, it’s not all tables; there are some comfy couches, too, and a huge bar. The food is very interesting because there is something for everyone, from burgers to steaks. Also, there is awesome comfort food, like mac ‘n cheese, mashed potatoes with gravy, and fried chicken. But there’s also more sophisticated choices, like a raw bar, fried oysters, wild salmon and risotto. At the bottom of the menu, they say that they always try to use as much local, organic, sustainable food products as possible. This last trip to Boiston’s, I had the deviled eggs as an appetizer, which were insanely creamy and delicious. I also tried their fried chicken, which comes with local honey to dip it in. But my favorite is the good old Boitson’s Burger, which comes with caramelized onions on a challah bun with your choice of cheese. The burger is very good and has a juicy, flavorful taste with a generous side of fries. The desserts are all amazing, but if the lemon tart is available, I highly recommend it. Boitson’s is the perfect restaurant for any occasion, and I highly recommend it to anyone - but be sure to make a reservation on the weekend because it’s always packed! Boitson’s is located at 47 North Front Street in the Stockade district of Kingston.
Photo by Dylan McNamara
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www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 9
Question & Answer
An Interspecies Interview
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i, I’m a 13-year-old Interspecies Communicator (meaning I can understand the energetic and telepathic language of animals) and today I’m going to be interviewing my male betta fish, Cloud. Last issue, I talked about how fish are individuals with the ability to love, learn, think, and feel. Now you can see first-hand how one of my fish expresses this ability. Here is the interview: Me: Cloud, would you like to be interviewed? Cloud: Yes. Me: Okay, today we’re going to talk about how we humans can give bettas a better life. To start, how big do you think a betta’s tank should be? Cloud: Big enough that they have space to swim happily, but not so big that when they try to get somewhere, getting across the tank takes them a long, long time. You see, bettas need enough space that they can have a territory and feel the love of a space that is theirs to explore, but they can’t have so much space that it feels overwhelming for them to make a territory and explore. Me: So you seem to be saying that bettas need more than just a tiny bowl, but most people think bowls are fine for bettas. What’s your oppinion on this? Cloud: It is wrong for my heart, to be stuffed into a tiny bowl. Sometimes people don’t realize about fish hearts and they only see what appears in front of them, instead of looking underneath all the happy fish looks, because fish can’t look sad to the eye that only sees them as beauty. You see, fish can really have something more than emotions from love of what they look like. Just remember that this goes on and on: the struggle to see what’s there in the heart.
By Miriam John, age 13
Me: how could they make their fish happy? Some people can’t just go out and get a new tank. Cloud: I don’t understand why it makes a difference if they can’t provide everything, if they’re understanding what most people don’t about fish, and that will change the lives of everyone for the better. Me: I’m confused; you said that it was wrong for you to be stuffed into a tiny bowl, and now you are saying that it doesn’t matter if people can’t give their fish a big tank. Please explain that. Cloud: I don’t understand what those two things have to do with each other. It’s different what I said about my own heart, because fish in a big tank need to be in a big tank. My heart says, because you can have me in a big tank, that is what I need. Other fish’s hearts say that as long as their person understands them, that’s all they need. Me: What’s the difference between you and the “other fish” you are talking about? Cloud: When a fish’s person can’t provide them with a perfect life, they understand that, as long as their person understands and loves them for who they are.
“Just remember that this goes on and on: The struggle to see what’s there in the heart.”
Me: So if everyone WAS able to see what’s in a fish’s heart Cloud: That would be great! Me: And they realized that their fish needed to not be in a tiny bowl. Cloud: That needs to be done. Page 10 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
Advice
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ello and welcome to another “Ask Sushi” with me, Sushi. Man oh man, has it been loud where I live. There is so much work going on - workmen fixing up houses, that is. As soon as one house is finished another one begins. Every day: bang, bang, bang. It’s starting to drive me a little nuts. Right now, they are renovating the house next to ours and since we are in the city, we share the same wall. And it is loud! I have been barking at them to try to get them to stop but so far my negotiations with them have failed. But, hey, the neighborhood and a lot of the houses are getting nicer. And for every new person that moves in, at least one dog comes with them. That means new faces and new things to sniff. Also, it’s been getting hot. I am really ex-
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Ask Sushi cited. Sadly, some of my pack members are going to be going away again for a while, but my mom and I can hang out a bunch: take long walks, go to the beach, enjoy the sand. You know how much I love sand? I am looking forward to it. I hope some chicken is involved in all that. But enough about me. Time for my first question. Q: How do you budget your chicken bones? Do you bury and save any for a rainy day? A: Well, yes, but let me tell you about that in a minute, because, I have a feeling that you are talking about the green stuff. You know, the weird flappy, strange-feeling papery green stuff with pack members’ faces on them. No, not my pack members, mind you, but old pack members from a long time ago. Well, I know one of my friends suffers in this area. He usually makes a good chunk of green flat stuff but never holds onto it for more than a few days. And he always sits down and complains about it when he doesn’t have anymore. I don’t know where he loses it, but he is always sad when he does. Whereas, another one of my friends always keeps some for as you said, a rainy afternoon. And this one finds what he really wants to lose his green stuff over. Personally, I don’t have a backyard to bury any bones in. But, I do have secret hiding spots where I put my (chicken) bones. For instance - and don’t tell anyone about this
Fluffy Advice
spot - behind the stairwell there is a painting. If you turn the painting to the left side, there is a secret tunnel. If you go down the secret tunnel, there’s a vault. You have to write in the secret password and once you write in the secret password you open the vault and there is a tinier vault inside. You need a key for it and I think you can guess what happens from there. And now for my Sushi wisdom to you: you shouldn’t spend your green stuff willy nilly, just seeing something and buying it. You should save up for what you really want. But don’t be afraid to spend your green on what you want when the time comes. And that’s my sushi wisdom to you. Next question. Well, actually, it’s a fourpart question and its all about ears and music! Q (Part 1): When will humans realize that music shouldn’t be played at high volume that can damage their hearing and a dog’s, as well? A: Well, I don’t think they’ll ever truly realize, but it would be nice if they could turn it down a little. As you know, my hearing is supremely amazing and some people’s voices are like a squeaking mouse inside of a telephone box. Q (Part 2): That being said, what is music like for you? A: Well, I heard about this dog, Peps, who helped Wagner with his tones and notes for the opera, “The Ring Cycle.” He helped his pack member by wagging his tail when he
Advice
by Griffin Stewart, Brooklyn Age: 14 liked what he composed. For me, some music is a little agitating, but classical music calms me. Which leads me to, Part 3: What type do you like to listen to? A: Well, I am mostly a classical dog. I like Yo-Yo Ma, Mozart and Ludovico Einaudi. Q And now for Part 4: Do you like what your pack members listen to? A: No. And here is my Sushi wisdom for you. Music comes in all shapes and sizes and volume that definitely affect all pack members big and small on a deeper level than you think. Choose accordingly. Now our final question.
Q: Some people are famous for some very frivolous reasons. Most activists (environmental, social) are not. Let’s make them famous! How? A: I think that people are famous for frivolous things because people like them for what they do and who they are and by how entertaining they are. This world is full of people who are bored and want to do something fun. Said famous people usually have that answer of something fun. I am famous in a very small fashion. And all I do is answer questions, give people insight and voice my opinion. I think some activists should be famous and some of them are already, like Ghandi, Dr. King, Bob Geldof, Elon Musk, Malala Yousafzai, or John Oliver— lots of very big people. There are many more but, I don’t think every activist who raises their sign into the air can be famous. You need to be a certain type of person to be famous. You can’t be a sheep-le, but you can’t be a shark, either. You need to be relatable, but also be someone who is different enough to stand out from the rest. And now for my Sushi wisdom to you: how do you make an activist famous? Well, support their work, share with friends and back their position if you believe it to be true. And that’s my Sushi wisdom to you. Alright, gotta go eat some bones. See ya! www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 13
Community
Brothers At Bard:
Expanding Opportunities for Young Men of Color By Marley Alford, age 19 e interviewed Dariel Vasquez, a sophomore at Bard College. He’s studying Sociology and History with a concentration in Africana Studies. He’s from Harlem, NY.
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Marley Alford: Tell me about your TLS project, Brothers at Bard. Dariel Vasquez: So, Brothers at Bard (BAB) is a character-development, peermediation mentorship program. We currently work with 16 Kingston High School students, young boys of color from 9-12th grade. We are not tutors. Instead of focusing on our students’ academic needs, we focus on the social barriers, like what’s going on in the household or in the community that’s keeping them from performing to their highest potential in the classroom.
Brothers At Bard, six mentors at the Parent Engagement Event, February 27, 2015.
MA: What prompted you to found BAB? DV: It really just started as me and a bunch of friends. We found a safe space for ourselves to have discussions about identity and being in a predominantly white college, and what it means to be profiled as a man of color on the local and national level. After we started our on-campus group, we noticed that a lot of us had this drive or passion for doing community service/outreach, and some of us have been a part of mentorship programs ourselves. So from that we launched our outreach program.
that up to the circle, they stay completely quiet while everyone in the circle gives them feedback. Now, the feedback isn’t going to be, “Bro, you dumb, ‘cause why would you do that?” You know? It’s supposed to be a supportive environment. MA: That makes so much sense. Starting from the ground-up instead of trying to solve a surface problem. DV: Yeah, because after the hot seat, we try to move forward with that person, and see what plan we can set up to help that mentee. After the hot seat I might run a character development workshop. Then at the end of our sessions we come together and huddle up and we all throw one word into the huddle. Some people might say “inspired,” “motivation,” “passion,” “love,” “brotherhood,” “community,” “loyalty.” And that’s the end of our meetings.
“I’m shaping the future that I would like to see for my friends in every student that I mentor”
MA: What happens at a typical meeting? DV: Every meeting’s different, but there are four things that are always the same: the ground rules, the check-ins, the rules for the hot seat, and the closing. Our off-campus meetings are when we work with the students. First things first: we’ve got to feed the students. After we eat, we set our chairs in a brotherhood circle, and we set the ground rules, and then check-ins. They tell us how school is going, what classes they’re having problems with. After the check-in, if someone is facing an urgent disciplinary issue, then they’ve got to get in the “hot seat.” The purpose of the hot seat is to put the student in the center of the brotherhood circle, where they confess to what happened, what they did wrong. After they open Page 14 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
MA: And why are the students comfortable with sharing so much? DV: Because of the four basic rules we reiterate at every meeting. The first is One Mic, which translates to respect: if someone’s talking, they have the mic. Then there’s Safe Space, which means no judgment, and Attack the Idea, Not the Person. The last rule is Vegas Rule: what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. In other words, what is said in our circle stays in our circle. I’ve been a very open person about all my issues and haven’t painted myself as a perfect role model. But that’s what makes
Community me perfect for this--that I’m not perfect. Right? I think all role models should be relatable. And that’s what BAB mentors bring to the table, that we’re all relatable, that we all had different experiences. If a mentor used to sell drugs in high school, they open up about that. When we are open, then the students will also feel comfortable enough to be open. They’ll tell us more about what’s going on in their lives. M: How did you pick the school that you picked and the young men that you mentor? D: Kingston High School was the only public High School in Kingston that I was aware of at the time. So with the school’s permission, I sat in once a week during their lunch hours and I would meet with students while they were eating lunch and tell them about Brothers at Bard to recruit them. When the assistant principal, Ms. Armstrong, heard about it, she started sending us waves of young men of color that she thought would be a good fit. She would say, “This student is having trouble at home, this student needs a mentor, this student needs someone to talk to,” etc. If it wasn’t for Ms. Armstrong, there would be no BAB.
things that got in the way of me performing well in the classroom and building and sustaining positive relationships with others. These all improved after I joined a mentorship program at my high school, Brother On a New Direction. I’m the only guy in my group of friends from back home that’s in college. My favorite thing about mentorship, given that background, is that I see myself and I see my friends when I look at my students.
Dariel Vasquez tries to focus on character development, peer mediation mentorship, empowerment and self-awareness.
MA: What is your favorite thing about mentoring? DV: I faced a lot of issues growing up--I had anger issues and other
MA: You see the potential? DV: Exactly. A lot of people see a kid who’s 16 or 17 who’s selling drugs, and they’re quick to judge. But I can’t do that, because, at some point that was my best friend. I also know that there is potential there, and that it’s untapped, and that all that it takes is support and mentorship. So in a way, I’m shaping the future that I would like to see for my friends in every student that I mentor. I feel like I’m making a broader impact on how I want my community to be. And mentoring is something tangible, as opposed to preaching on a soapbox. I feel like I’m in the trenches! A lot of people can’t say that.
Visit https://www.facebook.com/BrothersAtBard to find out more about BAB.
Brothers At Bard hosted the first annual BOND (Brothers On a New Direction) Men of Color Conference on the campus of Bard College.
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 15
Outdoors By Rachel Saguid, age 19
Rachel on the trail, Southern Section
Appalaichian Trail Diary
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iking this trail is something I’ve dreamed about doing ple, but I love it. Hiking alone gives me time to reflect on myself since high school graduation. It was a secret up until a and on my life. I have my phone off during the days and at night I few months before I left when I decided I would have to call family or friends back home. The hikers are from all over the quit my job and tell my family. Finally, after five years world and are mainly in their 20s or retired. I know a few people who are doing the trail for their second time. This trail has given and a lot of planning, I saved up enough money. I started to get nervous and excited as I boarded the plane to me more confidence in myself. I push myself to do more miles Atlanta, Georgia. My backpack was the only carry-on luggage I every day and I can feel my body getting stronger. It’s only been a month and I’ve learned so much. I take each had and it had all the bare necessities I would day one step at a time. A big part of being on need for the next 4-6 months. On average, this trail is having patience. It’s 2,185 miles my pack weighs 25-30 pounds. I stop in a long through fourteen states and it will take different town every few days to resupply on quite a bit of time to get there. I wait for water food, do laundry, and to shower. I wake up at to drop into my bottle on hot days and filter it sunrise every morning (sometimes earlier) with a Sawyer Squeeze. It’s hard when your and hike until the sun goes down. Some days feet get wet or things don’t go the way you are harder than others, like when I wake up had planned. This trail can change your life to snow or a thunderstorm. The people I’ve if you allow it. I stopped thinking about how met on the trail are the most amazing people much it hurts in my knees or feet and started and they keep me going. I have my own secto think about how much beauty there is in ond family on the trail: we truly look out for the woods: ancient wild flowers, trees, and each other. Plus, it’s nice to know that even nature surround me. I see spring starting all though I smell of sweat, have dirt smeared on around me and get to smell pine needles after my face, and my hair is a mess, no one is judga long day of rain. I enjoy the little things, ing me in the woods. I hike one day with a like when I can have clean clothes or a hot person and I can feel like I’ve known them for meal instead of pasta sides, oatmeal, and trail my whole life. Little did I know, a lot of the mix. I’ve been really lucky to have Trail Magpeople I met would quit within the first week ic (defined as acts of kindness by other hikof starting. The author and her boyfriend, Devin ers or having an awe-inspiring nature siting) Hiking alone could seem scary to some peo-
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Outdoors from past thru-hikers and rides into town from polite strangers. I love being outside and hearing nothing but birds and seeing nothing but mountains for as far as the eye can see. If you do find someone with whom you share a lot it can be nice to hike with someone else. My boyfriend, Devin, will be joining me on the trail and flip-flopping. Flip flopping is starting at one point in the trail, going to the endpoint, Katahdin, and then going back to the part you missed and finishing. I think this trail is good for the mind, body, and soul. Anyone can do it if they really want to. People go to lose weight, take time away from the hectic fact-paced society, as part of retirement, honeymoons, anniversary, after someone has passed away (people spread ashes along the trail), as part of a bucket list, or just to enjoy nature and figure out where they are going next in life. For a lot of people, the Appalachian Trail is just a door to many more trails.
People will get addicted to hiking and plan their next thru-hike; many choose the Pacific Crest Trail or the Continental Divide. Here is my list of supplies: Jet Boil flash stove Rei joule 23 degree down sleeping bag 6 moons design lunar solo tent Clothes: 1 set of merino wool base layer 1 synthetic t-shirt and running shorts Patagonia ultralight down jacket Marmot pre cip jacket 2 Pairs of darn tough wool socks 1 pair bedtime socks 1 pair running socks Outdoor research gaiters Lowa renegade boots Salomon trail running sneakers Crocs First aid kit Osprey aura
Food: Instant Starbucks Coffee packets I mix with hot cocoa for breakfast then I eat a cliff bar or trail mix with peanut butter or the Justins almond butter in a tortilla wrap for snacking /lunch ... trail mix is great for protein and I like dark chocolate and Chia if I can find it. Vegetarian is pretty easy on the trail and dinners I do pasta sides, rice sides, or powdered mashed potatoes. You can carry a ziplock of seasonings if you want to spice things up a bit!
“It’s 2,185 miles long through fourteen states and it will take quite a bit of time to get there.” www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 17
Outdoors
Hiking and Camping
Map URL: http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_ forests_pdf/catmaptiled.pdf Detail from the Catskill Park Map Paper maps are available from DEC’s New Paltz office (845-256-3033), Schenectady Office (518-357-2068) or Central Office in Albany (518-473-9518)
Websites: NYcampgrounds.com VisitTheCatskills.com
Books: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson Wild by Cheryl Strayed Tracks by Robyn Davidson Catskill Mountain StoreHouse Phoenicia Page 18 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
Resources/Information Camping in Ulster County Blue Mountain Campground Saugerties 845 246-7564 Hide-A-Way Campsite Phoenicia 845 688-5109 Kenneth L. Wilson Public Campground Mt Tremper 845 679-7020 Phoenicia Black Bear Campground and RV Park Phoenicia 845 688-7405 Rip Van Winkle Campgrounds Saugerties 800 246-8334 Romer Mountain Park Phoenicia 845 688-7440 Rondout Valley Camping Resort Accord 845 626-5521 Saugerties/Woodstock KOA Kampground Saugerties 800 562-4081 Sleepy Hollow Campsite Phoenicia 845 688-5471 So-Hi Campground Accord 845 687-7377 Woodland Valley Public Campground Phoenicia 845 688-7647
Outdoor Stores:
Catskill Mountain StoreHouse – Phoenicia Dick’s - Kingston Gander Mountain - Kingston Kenco - Kingston Rock and Snow – New Paltz Campmor – New Jersey EMI – Poughkeepsie
Rock and Snow in New Paltz
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 19
Fiction
By Mimi Ngo, age 17
Forget Me Not
S
he sighed as she wiped down the table. The glare from the “softest” of people, but she was still kind… in her own light above shined on the mint condition table and reflected way. her image. She stared at her reflection for a moment before She used to read his favorite books, despite her distaste for wiping over that spot with vigor. Deeming the table as clean, literature, just so that she could see that excited look on his face whenshe straightened up and walked over to the café’s main counter to ever he found out she was reading them. She also used to leave cups of pick up the used coffee mugs left by the customers. coffee with her signature rabbit latte art on the counter for him at the Just looking down at the mugs that had previously held Americano end of her shifts. In return, he had given her small rabbit themed accoffee led her to scowl bitterly. His favorite was Americano… cessories like keychains whenever he came across some that he knew Placing the cups into the sink behind the counter, she began to wash she would like. She had kept every single one of them. them, scrubbing unnecessarily hard. Her mind drifted to the past as Unfortunately, their strange but close relationship hadn’t had a the smell of coffee filled the air. chance to grow. While on a trip with his best friend across the counHow many years was it since she had last seen him? Two years? Or try, he had been involved in a huge accident that had killed hundreds was it three? She wasn’t sure anymore. She had been in her last year of of people. He and his friend had high school when she had first met him, working at the Horizon café. been lucky to survive, but they Her younger brother had run away only a few years before, leaving her hadn’t come out unscathed. to return home every day to no one. With the last of her family gone, His friend had suffered a her already hardened personality had solidified even more. She had few broken bones. He, trouble expressing her emotions and her feelings. Thus, people who didn’t know her well automatically deemed her as mean. It wasn’t like they were completely wrong. When he had first started working at the café, she would show him the wrong way to brew coffee because she was annoyed by his naiveté towards… well, everything. However, after learning that he was also an orphan, she had begun to sympathize with him. He was also a loner… someone who also returned home to nothing. He was a bookworm; he constantly indulged himself in literary tragedies. She could still remember seeing him at one of the café tables with a cup of Americano and a book in hands with that absorbed look on his face. He had always gotten excited when talking about his favorites; it was almost cute. She had always called him an idiot due to his innocent, naïve nature, but she had never meant it, and he had known that. While he would rather be hurt than to hurt others, she defended herself and “attacked” when she was provoked. He was passive; she was aggressive. She wasn’t the Photos by Dylan McNamara (Models: Eden O’Clair & Eamon Burdick, Location: Little Apple, Woodstock)
Fiction on the other hand, had suffered a major brain injury. Somehow, he had survived several brain surgeries. After the surgeries, he could still function like a normal person and live his life, but the memories of his past had been completely wiped out. He remembered very little of his deceased family and friends… and definitely nothing about mere colleagues, like her. She had also heard that he had become a different person; he was more optimistic, a bit childish in terms of personality, and liked to use puns. However, he still loved reading, and he was still kind. She hadn’t seen him since she had visited him in the hospital when he was still unconscious. As much as she had wanted to visit him again, she had known he wouldn’t remember her, and that he might find her presence to be a burden. So, she had pledged to never meet him again. Now, at the tender age of 20, she had matured quite a bit, and her old aggressive personality had mellowed. She was more sympathetic towards others, but she still stood her ground when challenged. Hearing the bell chime from the opening of the café door, she quickly straightened her uniform and grabbed her small clipboard with her rabbit-top pen. She was the only one working in the café . . . her café. She’d always been fond of brewing coffee and making latte art, and there was a certain homey feeling about these establishments that she liked. So she had opened a café of her own as a way to remember the past, but also to start anew. “Welcome!” she said, raising her eyes to meet those of her customers’. Most of the eyes were unfamiliar, but there was one pair that made her widen her eyes in the kind of surprise that she couldn’t hide. In turn, that pair of eyes widened with a small flash of recognition that disappeared as fast as it surfaced. After a few seconds of dumbfounded silence, she was brought back to reality. She gave a forced smile and led the customers to a table and took their orders before walking back to the counter, but not before hearing one of the unfamiliar customers comment that she was “really cute.” After returning to the safety of the counter, she calmed her sudden urge to declare the café closed so she could run off to who knows where to reevaluate reality. He had come to the café… and she was the only one working. Panicking, she began to fiddle with her fingers while biting her lip. Wait, why was she panicking if he didn’t remember her? To him, she was just some barista at some random café he had just happened to come across. Yeah. That’s all it was. After calming herself by brewing their coffee, she placed the mugs onto a tray and walked over to the table, her previous thoughts on repeat in her mind like a mantra.
“Okay, here are your orders,” she said, placing each customer’s order on the table before turning to him, “and an Americano for you.” He stared at her for a second too long before smiling and thanking her. She then stepped aside and politely held the coffee tray in her hands to await the customer’s opinions. “How is it?” Everyone agreed that the coffee was great, and she turned to him. He had looked down at his mug after drinking a good portion of the espresso in one sip and said, “I don’t think I’ve ever had a cup as good as this… but it there’s just something so familiar about it.” He looked up at her and she could only manage a bittersweet smile. He wasn’t sure what compelled him to ask, but he felt like he wanted to hear a confirmation: “Is it okay if I come here again?” “Of course.” After that first encounter, he did return . . . many times. Something new that she noticed about him was his reading glasses. They were fairly large and round and made him look like a 30-year-old classical lit professor even though he was only… 22? 23? They made him look almost cute. Through their interactions, which included friendly small talk about professions and like, it was evident that he didn’t know her anymore. It was like a punch in the gut, but she had expected that. He was a different person, yet still the same… and she was okay with that. She tried to keep her distance, but it was difficult considering his constant presence. Eventually, they were able to rekindle the friendship he didn’t even know they had lost. She kind of missed the old shy naïve him, but she didn’t mind this new “overly friendly” him either. He even said he “loved her coffee a latte” or in other words, he loved her coffee a lot. It was a horrible pun, but at least he had tried. One day at around closing time, he got up from his usual table in the corner and told her “happy birthday,” despite the fact that she had never him the date. Then he waved goodbye and turned to leave… wait, was that a tinge of pink she saw on his face? She never got a chance confirm her suspicions, because he practically dashed out of the café before she could even thank him. She merely shrugged and went to retrieve his used mug. Then she noticed that he had left some items on the table. First there was a little message saying “Happy Birthday” with a rabbit keychain beside it, which made her smile. And inserted between the pages of his current favorite novel—a tragedy, no surprise—were some flowers. She wasn’t too familiar with the flora of the world, but they looked to her like Forget-me-nots. She smiled, pulled the flowers out from between the pages, and twiddled them in between her fingers. “Good to see we’re on the same page.” Heh.
“She could still remember seeing him at one of the café tables with a cup of Americano and a book in hands with that absorbed look on his face. ”
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 21
Art
The Art of Nancy Azara
By Caleb McNamara
Nancy’s work will be on exhibit in Athens, NY at Athens Cultural Center in a show called “Shifting Ecologies II” from Aug. 8 – Sept. 6. The works: (from left) Four Gold Feathers: From the Eagle, carved and painted wood with gold and aluminum leaf, 8ft. X 23” x 5”, Vines with Blue, carved and painted wood with aluminum leaf, 19” x 11” x 1” (opposite page) Four Blue Summer Leaves, rubbing on mylar, 67” x 100”, Red River, carved and painted wood, 8” x 21” x 3.5”,
Page 22 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
CM: So when did you first start sculpting? NA: In my mid 20’s. I’ve always been interested in art. Even as a young child I was interested in form and shadows and the three dimensional quality, how something from the front doesn’t look the same from the back. People, too; I was interested in how when they would walk by me and I’d notice the front and back of them, so I had this fascination with presence. Like a tree brings a presence, even things that aren’t animal bring presences. When you look at a work of art that is powerful, you feel that it’s alive, that it’s animal, and that animal quality touches you in some way. As I got older I started to understand that things have energy. I think my first experience of that was when I walked into an empty room and I would sort of feel the presences of other people. I still feel it, especially when I do this yoga class in Woodstock. So that was kind of the beginning of the seeds that made sculpture happen for me. I was a costume designer for the theater in my early 20s, so that’s also kind of like sculpture. You put the clothes on people and they move in them. As a costume designer, you present an experience or feeling, so that when your character comes out on stage, you become very involved in how they feel. But costume designing didn’t keep me interested my whole life because I wanted to make objects. CM: So you’re a curator at Kleinert. What’s that like? NA: I’m curating a show there. It’s a group of maybe 10 or 12 people. I’ve done it for almost 20 years now, and for ten
Photo supplied by the artist
N
ancy Azara is a local artist who has a rich history in the arts (as well as the feminist) community. Azara was born in 1939 in Brooklyn, NY. She graduated from Finch College at which point she began working in costume design. Eventually Nancy began to fully invest her time in her passion, sculpture. Azara went on to make a living off her sculpture work which featured nature themes primarily carved out of wood. Nancy has also explored themes like feminism and the healing nature of art in her work. Eventually, in 1979, Azara co-founded a feminist art school, The New York Feminist Art Institute. The primary intent of the school was to examine the expression of many of issues relating to gender, self, and identity in art. I got the chance to sit down with Nancy in her studio and talk a little about her career as a sculptor.
Art years I was the chair of what is called the exhibition committee. I curated a few shows, and now, as a regular member of the committee, I have curated one which may interest your young readers in particular, because it’s a show for people who grew up with the computer. Even though it’s made with a computer, they use handmade references, so sometimes it looks handmade even though it came from a computer. Sometimes the computer is the inspiration. Since I never grew up with a computer, just with a TV, it’s very alien to me and it was hard for me to learn. The younger generation is much more knowledgeable about that stuff. There will be 3D sculptures, and there will be performances and things like that, and it opens on Labor Day weekend. CM: In your work, you use a lot of natural elements and natural themes. Has that subject matter always appealed to you? NA: I think so. There’s a piece that I did about my daughter’s birth. I made a huge piece out of maple when she was born, so that was a long time ago. Wood carving has always been interesting to me. I would feel like the tree, and I had a dialogue [with it]. There was a lot of experience of the presence of the tree that I felt, so that was also a big part of it. CM: So you’ve been involved in the feminist movement a lot also. How did you first become involved in feminism? NA: Well, I was involved from the beginning. There’s an article I wrote that you might be interested in, and it’s also online. I wrote it for the Brooklyn Rail. It’s about my beginnings in the women’s movement and what it was like for all of us, but I think I was always a feminist. I think maybe many women in my generation who wanted to do something with their lives were, even though they were told they couldn’t. I grew up in the 50s. Have you ever seen Mad Men? I don’t watch it because I can’t stand it, because that’s really how it was, it’s pretty accurate. Things were pretty bad in those times. There were specific roles for women and they were all diminished to the way women were supposed to be. Many of these women became trained and wouldn’t even go to college. The women’s colleges were all founded by women who were feminists or women who believed in a woman’s education. The 50s were much more reactionary than the 40s, and even before that, there had been women fighting for rights. In the 1940s, because the government needed women to take on roles that were men’s roles, positions like welding and things like that. When the men came home, they told them their children would become juvenile delinquents if
they didn’t go back home. This is history and it’s good for young people to know because women’s history often gets lost. CM: Do you have any advice for any young people who may one day want to submit gallery work? NA: The whole idea is to find out who you are as an artist and work and reflect. Practice and try and make mistakes. Find some mentors. It’s very important you have to find someone whose work you admire and preferably someone who’s accessible. So it’s important to find the work within yourself and to not judge it in a way that demeans yourself but to really respect it. The reason to show at that level is not necessarily to make money (although it would be nice), but it’s more about seeing how people react to it. The work you make in your home looks very different than it does in the gallery sometimes. It looks much better, but sometimes you’re devastated and you say, “I didn’t make that!” Respect yourself and your work. If you’re not going to do that then you might as well do something else. CM: Do you think that art can be a tool of self exploration? NA: Absolutely. I think the dialogue in the relationship itself and the work is about wisdom. That’s another thing about art—if it doesn’t give you a sense of wisdom in your work or other people’s art, then maybe just collect it. I mean, there are those who work without that sense, and I respect that too. You would be much happier collecting art and making money from it if you cannot find the wisdom in it. CM: Are there any other shows you’d like to talk about before we finish up?
NA: There’s a show coming up at Jersey City University which will be in the fall and that will be a three person show. The curator, Midori, is interested in leaves and trees, and as you can see I’ve got plenty of those [points around her studio]. I’m also in a show in Greene County. It’s a piece called Red River, and it’s a piece about ecology. Nancy Azara has been a huge contributor to the evolution of art and the way we understand it in relation to ourselves. Her work expresses many hidden aspects of nature and gets people to look deeper into the things we see every day, like a branch or a tree, and to experience what these things truly are. Her contribution to the feminist movement and to the art world will surely not soon be forgotten.
The Busy Studio the bright lights on the chiseled wood colors are abundant and rich on walls on wood Bones rumble as the doorbell rings rings and rings again gnawing and barking
again and again Kaji you loud dog Stop it You too Hana It never stops even for a second the sounds of people (and dogs).
though though Artist works her hardest In the noisy noisy Studio. By the artist’s granddaughter, Maximiliana Olivas McEwen, age 11 www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 23
Fashion
Fashions in Bloom Byrdcliffe Presents
by Starla Bolle, age 10
Photos by Dylan McNamara
I
t’s finally here, it’s finally here- three cheers for summer!! I’m for the summer is jumpers. I love them, my friends love them – evso done with winter clothes by the time sunny weather rolls eryone’s wearing them! Jumpers are a one piece outfit – my favorite around. I can’t wait to put away my bulky winter jackets, my style is the shorts and tank combo. They’re so convenient because you don’t have to choose a pair long hot fleece layers, and my puffy snow pants. of pants and a top to matchIt’s finally time to feel the sun on you have it all in one right my skin instead of the freezing cold Woodstock Harley-Davidson there! wind. Model: Asia, Jake and Hubie So lets talk about Fashion in I also think that jean Bloom!! One of the things I think is shorts are in trend this year. in bloom There are so many different washes, lengths, and colors to choose from, and they
Woodstock General Model: Siobhan
Woodstock Trading Post Model: Katia
Woodstock Design Model: Catherine
Page 24 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
Birchtree
Model: Asia
Fashion go with practically any top. I especially like to pair mine with graphic tees or spaghetti strap tanks. It’s flip-flop time, everyone! I think flip-flops are superior to sandals because they’re so much easier to slide into and out of – how can you not love that? It’s so nice to finally put away my boots that take so much effort and time to lace up. But with my flip-flops, I can pop them on quickly and head right out into the sun! So for summer I like to wear my hair in messy buns and pony tails. Hair bands are a MUST to have with you. What else would keep sweat out of your eyes? My hair is long and flowy, and I have to keep it off my neck. I like side braids and pigtail braids – you can learn to do those on your own pretty easily with a little bit of practice. Fishtail braids are pretty easy to learn also, but I think French
Braids are a little too much work for the summer. Hair dying is really trending again this summer. I personally prefer pink. There’s lots of pinks to choose from, but for me the brighter, the better. Other good colors are yellow, purple, red, and orange. You can try blue and green, but be careful – they can fade into grey pretty quickly. I prefer dying my tips because you also have to bleach the hair first to get a really bright color pop, and you can always just snip it off if you don’t like it or get bored. Whatever you do, remember always have fun! Fashion is about expressing yourself and challenging your imagination. Happy summer!!!
SEW
Tibetan Arts & Crafts
Model: Sylvia
Models: Dianne & Christa
ecosystem
Model: Bob
Lily’s Boutique Model: Alana
Juda Leah
Model: Peppy
DIG
Model: Danika
Partial view of downtown Woodstock by Caleb McNamara
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 25
Fashion
Cut from the Same
F
or the past few months I have been living in New York City, working to complete my freshman year of college at the Fashion Institute of Technology in the Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design major. Although I am not studying fashion, being in such a creative environment has inspired me to start expressing myself through my clothing in a way that had never previously felt accessible. From designer clothing stores, to hole-in-the-wall thrift shops, to private collections designed by FIT students available from various outlets in and around campus, there are many clothing resources available. Combined with the stunningly diverse street fashion that I am exposed to every day, it is difficult not to feel the urge to go outside the box and experiment with different looks.
“Fashions fade, style is eternal.”
I recently became aware of Cloth, a free app that lets you record your outfits and take inspiration from what others around you are wearing. As a full time student with hours upon hours of homework, the app is a perfect companion for the busy individual who loves to express their style but needs an organizational platform to help them keep track of it. Cloth lets you quickly and easily take pictures of what you are wearPage 26 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
Cloth
Fashion By Katia Michalopoulos, age 18
Some of Katia’s hottest looks.
ing, organize your photos by occasion and weather conditions, and share your outfits with other app users if you so desire. It helps me to develop and maintain a collection of options that all express my personal style, which I can keep to myself or share with the public. To me, the most important thing to remember in terms of clothing is that personal style is key. Fashion is offered to you and decided for you, but style is what you choose to do with it. As designer Yves Saint Laurent said, “Fashions fade, style is eternal.”
C
What is Cloth?
loth is an app for iPhone that makes it easy to save, categorize, and share your favorite outfits. The app also uses real-time weather data to help you pick your best outfits for current conditions. Cloth also lets you see what other people are wearing, in any city in the world. Searchable by category, weather... or just about anything else. Real-time street style.
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 27
Interview
Donna Lewis Always Forever (welsh pop star makes good)
By Jonah Martindale, age 16
I
recently interviewed Donna Lewis, the famous Welsh singer/ songwriter who is best known for the 1996 pop hit single “I Love You Always Forever.”
“Really, I think I conjured up this image of falling in love in the summertime.”
DL: I started playing piano when I was 6, but by the time I was 14 I was feeling that I really wanted to sing and really wanted to write my own songs. So that was the point when I realized I really enjoy doing this. Probably around 15 or 16, I remember thinking “Okay, I really want to go to music college.” At that point I really never thought about doing Page 28 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
JM: Where did you grow up? What was your childhood like? DL: I grew up in Cardiff, Wales. A lot of people may think, where is Wales? Wales is part of the United Kingdom. Wales is really beautiful place, which is why I think I’m here in Woodstock, because my surroundings here are very similar to Wales. Although we have the coastline in Wales, so where I lived I was about 15-20 minutes away from the coast, so every day in the summer we would go to beach. I loved that part of growing up. Very happy childhood. My father was an amateur musician, so I grew up listening to a lot of jazz. He was an electrician by trade and he loved music, so he would play guitar and piano in bands. He never had the opportunity to go to college. He probably would have ended up a brilliant musician if he had. He played by ear and couldn’t read music, but yeah I grew up in a household full of music. JM: What were the musical differences in Wales and the area over there versus the music in the United States?
Photo by Monique Martindale
Jonah Martindale: What is it exactly that you do? Donna Lewis: I suppose I would say I’m a singer/ songwriter and recording artist. When I went to music college, I wanted to do music full time. I began writing songs when I was very young. From the age of 14 onward I’ve always been involved in music. Then, when I left college, even though at the time I qualified as a music teacher, I decided that I just wanted to perform and sing with various bands, but I would teach private pupils on the Donna with her platinum record and author Jonah Martindale side so I could earn money. But I’ve always been a singer/songwriter, way before I got my deal with Atlantic Records. I would anything else. I knew that music was going to be my career somehow. I didn’t realize at the time how hard it is trying to make it as a musician. play with various bands, do a lot of solo work. Also, even though I did get a breakthrough, that didn’t happen until I JM: You mentioned that you were playing music at age 14. How old was 30, so [during those years] of being out of college and playing gigs constantly and writing songs, there were a lot of dark moments where were you when you can remember first getting interested in music? I was thinking, “Am I ever going to get anywhere? What I am going to do?” It’s not easy. I was lucky that I had my music played to the right person at Atlantic and I was offered a record deal. But that isn’t the be all and end all either, some people would think that having a record deal means your life is going to be fabulous from then on, but that can still be a roller coaster ride too.
Interview DL: Well, yeah, that’s the thing about growing up, being little and going to school. Wales was very much into the arts. Every year we would have a sort of festival of music and poetry. So I grew up with a lot of choirs and a lot of arts festivals, a lot of poetry readings, stuff like that. So I was involved in a lot that music making. [I think] that’s the same in America but I’m not entirely sure. American music was very popular by the time I became a teenager. I really liked people like Elton John and David Bowie and those kind of people. But of course the American music was very popular in England. I remember buying Stevie Wonder, Motown and that sort of music. I really don’t know how different it was for me growing up. I remember in Wales the choir was a big thing, always big male voice choirs, and very festival like, a lot of celebration of the arts. JM: What type of music were you making? When you had your big hit “I Love You Always Forever,” what would you say that was? DL: Probably when I was about 21 and started playing at a lot of piano bars in Europe, I would play for play for about five hours a night, and they were mostly covers. I was really into artists like Ricky Lee Jones, Kate Bush, artists like that. I would do a lot of covers and my own music as well. I was into a lot of diverse music and when I was living in Birmingham, England, I had my own little studio set up. I just started creating my own sounds at home and my own demos. At the time I was listening to bands like the Blue Nile, a lot of pop music that was really popular at that time, and that was inspiring. I just really loved any sort of atmospheric kind of music. I was also really into a lot of electronic music at that time, like Massive Attack. Though “I Love You Always Forever” became very much like electronic and I wrote it in Birmingham. Of course it was a good few years later that we recorded it and it became what it was. JM: Is there any particular story behind the writing of “I Love You Always Forever”? Was it inspired by a boyfriend at the time or something like that? DL: You know, people ask me about that. Like, “Who is the one with blue eyes?” because my husband has brown eyes. I was really into reading these very old fashioned novels, this one in particular one called For the Love of Lydia, based on this love story set in the English countryside. Really, I think I conjured up this image of falling in love in the summertime. But it had to be very descriptive, I wanted it to be very English. Probably because I was living in the dark suburbs of Birmingham, a rather dark place. It was not a safe area, a lot of stuff going on. So I was putting myself out into a different image of this beautiful English area. But no guy or anything like that for that particular song. JM: Who or what are some of your major influences? DL: Well, it’s interesting, because growing up I listened to a lot of jazz, a lot of big band stuff. Even though my early work was kind of in-
spired by bands like the Blue Nile and Ricky Lee Jones, that kind of music. Now with my new record out, it’s this record with a kind of jazz perspective. So I feel as though I kind of came full circle. My early years have these kinds of jazz influences, and now my new record is very much like that. I was in a rock band at one point called She She and the Boy Scouts. As I got older and was performing in the piano bars, I remember thinking, “I can’t sing like this for five hours for two months.” So I found [the style that] my voice fits best, and I found that to be that sort of breathy angelic like voice. JM: You just mentioned something about a record you are currently working on. So have you not retired at all from being a musician? Did you just continue working even after your big hit? DL: I did a few records after that, but then I had my son who is now 12. I didn’t think I would, but I took a step back. Even though I was still writing and creating, I really felt I didn’t want to leave him. That was my choice, so I really took some time out of the industry. I’ve done a bunch of stuff with these electronic guys. David Torn, who is a composer, I did a bunch of tracks with him under the name of Chute, a very electronic feel to it. He would say how he always wanted to hear me with an upright bass and piano. So we were working with these incredible top jazz musicians. And we recorded it live at a club house. It’s a variety of very interesting covers. We covered David Bowie’s “Disco King,” “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley, and we created a few originals too. I loved it, and like I said, I think I’ve come full circle. Back in the 90’s, I was very much layering vocals, layering sound. The jazz stuff is just one voice with three guys, and it is one my favorite things I’ve ever done. Now we have been doing shows live and we’re going more and more with that. So David Torn has produced and arranged my current record. JM: How do you feel about the majority of modern music being produced and the most popular music among the younger generations right now? DL: Well, a lot of it I can appreciate. I do like Taylor Swift. I can appreciate it for what it is. The problem is there is so much out there that sounds so manufactured. There is beauty in technology, but also, if somebody can go to a studio and the person doesn’t know how to sing, it can be tweaked. Often a lot of the tracks sound the same. So that’s one of the reasons I love the current record I’m working on, because it’s showing off these four musicians who really know how to play music. It’s really interesting to hear because you can really hear people’s skills on the record. There is some great stuff out there and also a lot of dross, as we say in England. The hardest thing for any artist now is to actually make a living. Because part the problem is that streaming has taken over because nobody has to buy anything anymore. Hopefully, sometime in the future that can change. That is part of the reason I’m back to performing live, because it seems the only way to be able to sell your record is to sell it live. www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 29
Poetry
Words can hurt. By Grace Anderson, age 17
Words can hurt.
Words can heal.
They bleed me dry,
I know they can.
With the blades
So why are they weapons
Of hurtful lies.
In the hands of man?
Do they know
If one word lifts
The pain I’m in?
And the other drowns,
Do they see
We pick the ones
My painted grin?
That bring them down.
Do they hear
We scar and scrape
My forced laughter?
Through gritted teeth.
They took away
The lies we sow.
My ever after.
The pain we reap.
I am fading.
And those that creep
Broken down.
Into our ears,
Ripped to shreds,
Grip the heart
By fools and clowns.
With stinging tears.
I like a joke,
We take the strikes.
But not assault.
We dole them out.
They make me feel
We fight and curse.
Like it’s my fault.
They scream and shout.
This drizzle of sorrow
Stop the over-flow of lips!
Is now a storm, And the skies agree With the clouds they form. Following me Beating me Tearing me Eating me.
Page 30 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
Gaia
By Antonia Weeks, age 15 A waterfall of words spill from her lips soft and airy they cascade from her mouth, the rushing waterfall of words. They tumble down the hills of her breasts, the valleys of her body. Throughout herself rivers, streams, oceans, fill with tears of laughter and sorrow, and fill with all of her endless words. They lay upon her still, she is soft and kind, and lonely, so new to the universe, so young so unafraid. Illustration “For Xanthe Unwin” by Layla Michalopoulos
Hear kind words unfolding. Always think before you speak, Or keep the silence golden. Peace in words. War with words. And I’m enemy number one.
Poetry
Never forget
By Kaitlana Petunia Viglielmo, age 17
Illustration by Leah Kilb
I look back and still see your eyes Looking back at me As if it were yesterday. Back to the days The long summer days. Where I still hear the Laughter ringing in my head, Because Now I’m faced with A deafening silence. I see these eyes today And Know I can’t trust them. By Dane Bundschuh, age 16 Looking in I see my old friend, Looking fondly to the future with eyes Then they blink, uncertain of what is yet to come, The eyes I knew are gone. but the vague ideas are there. Flicked back The Village. To the cold, still, darkness I’m still coming to terms with. Coffee shops. But Quaint and crunchy. I’ll never forget The things that were good Scarves and flannel. I’ll look back at thous Beautiful women, elegantly draped in And remember. gowns of low self-esteem, And that’s Ok. and self hatred. I’ll get over it, Because I never changed Masters of their own demise. That’s for the better. Professionally insecure. I hope you Don’t forget, With dyed hair and henna, I know you still remember. I want to forget, and you to comfort them, No longer warm them, Remember. So the silence attempt to fix, what can’t be, Stops ringing, trying to writhe water out of And I no longer a bone. Look for what’s been Lost, Everything’s cliché in the In those eyes, inevitable smog flats we That are now all live in, Frozen over, in another time, after this one. With the Memories. Before The We cling to the notion that we Darkness will be content once we have Took you found someone else to drown From in, to melt with. Me. Illustration by Madeline Friedman
Illustration by Sophie Corwin
Looking fondly
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 31
Photography
Surfin’ NJ
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ew Jersey isn’t necessarily the first place that comes to mind when you hear the word “surfing.” Granted, our summer is full of beautiful beaches and wonderful weather. However, when the winter comes around, it’s the time of year that the hardcore surfers not only from the Jersey Shore, but the entire East Coast, get sexcited for. Even though the water can reach a low of 35 degrees, and the air around 10 degrees on the coldest of days, the waves ridden and the memories made are second to none. I found my passion of photographing the art of surfing about two years ago after I started making lots of friends who were already doing the same. I was already deeply invested into the surf culture and wanted to try something new. The more I did it, the more I fell in love with it, as with anything else that I find myself doing in the ocean. I was always into art and creating things for as long as I can remember. Whether it be creating huge sculptures out
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Article and photos by Dylan Jurusz, age 17
of Legos, or painting anything that came to mind, I always wanted to create things the way I wanted to. I don’t try to limit myself to any area of photography. I try to photograph anything that captures my eye. But the most important and special thing to me is photographing from the water. It entails an infinite amount of respect for the ocean and the way it works. Also, you need to have a great understanding for your equipment and a strong work ethic to be able to capture the images that you think would make a good photograph. Being a surfer, it was easy for me to swim with my camera because I already had enough knowledge about how the waves and the currents work.
Environment
Earth Guardians
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Photos by GoodLife
arth Guardians is a group of young activists which is looking for a change in the world, but is tired of waiting for it to happen. Like many powerful leaders of the world, this group does this in a peaceful, positive, creative, and effective way. This non-profit organization has tackled earth-related issues including plastic water bottle usage, the problems large corporations with monetary motives have caused for everyone - especially the youth, climate change, and other earth issues that don’t have enough light shone on them. Its mission is to tackle one of the worst things earth has ever faced: climate change. Climate change is a change in the earth’s climate, due to an increase in atmospheric temperature. The main cause of this is from the use of fossil fuels, leading to the damage in the atmosphere and the cause of our air to suffer from carbon monoxide. Tamara Rose began this organization with the help of many other eco-conscious activists. Her children continue her movement and share her legacy of fighting for environmental safety, justice, and preservation through peaceful, educational, and purposeful ways. Her son, Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, is the youth director of Earth Guardians and runs this from Boulder, Colorado. He is speaking out to the younger generations about the dangers of moneyhungry corporations and the problems we are facing when people do not think of the future of the earth. “We are facing a global crisis that is going to affect the kind of world we are going to be left with, so I am committed to doing everything in my power to mobilize my generation to unite and stand together to create the kind of future we deserve to inherit,” states Xiuhtezcali. Groups have formed in Hawaii, Africa, India, Kentucky, Las Vegas, New Zealand, Germany, Ohio, Bhutan, and beyond. Earth Guardians has made its way to Woodstock, New York, through the collaboration of Aidan Ferris, Aaron Lurborsky, and Rachel Marco-Havens. “I want to help the youth in this area see that they have the power to make a difference. I hope EGNY will educate young people about climate change and why it is imperative that they step up and take action to protect their future. I think EGNY can help young people become leaders instead of waiting for others to fix the climate crisis and that it will be a force of positivity in our community by giving young people a fun and constructive place to put their energy, while making a huge difference,” said Aidan Ferris, EGNY president. Meetings are 5:00-6:00pm at the Golden Notebook in Woodstock on Tuesday nights. Come out and collaborate your thoughts on climate change with other active earth advocates! What has EG done in Woodstock, you ask? Recently, two trees have been planted
By Anna Compton, age 18
(Above) Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh and his little brother Itzcuauhtli, (below) Aiden Ferris of the New York Earth Guardians chapter.
in honor of Earth Day, EGNY has acted on alleviating environmental issues such as water bottling company corruption on places like Cooper Lake and in California (Niagara was kicked right out of Cooper Lake!), and they have fought for the denial of the Algonquian pipeline (which everyone should consider researching because it is a crisis throughout NY and will further damage the earth) in Westchester, NY. EGNY has spoken at earth-based events, has signed various petitions, has encouraged the youth of Woodstock to join in on taking action, and so on. Currently, it is organizing the peace flags for the Woodstock Peace Festival, which will be happening this September. EGNY will be working with One Voice For Laos for this event. Earth Guardians, no matter where they are in the world, will not give up without a fight. Save the atmosphere, water, and land before it is too late! Want to be become involved? Here are ways in which you can: sign the pledge to be a climate leader, get a group of young, earthloving advocates in your community together to become part of the revolution, and most importantly, do something, speak up, and take action. In order to see a healthy, just, sustainable, equal, and overall beautiful world...WE have to be alive. How can we make this happen? We can care for our mother earth just like she does for us. www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 33
Employment
The Legitimacy of Unpaid Internships in America
Article and illustration by Sophie Corwin, age 19
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ost college students face the problem of being broke at some point during their education. When funds are low, any form of income becomes invaluable and a necessity. So, most students try to find paying work. Most (if not all) are also required to, at some point, find an internship. While these internships may be mandatory for class credit, not all employers are required to pay their interns for the hours and the labor that they put in. This means that many students will have to work hours that should be reserved for classes and schoolwork without receiving any monetary compensation. Many argue that working for no pay in these situations should be illegal, while others claim that the benefits of an unpaid internship (practical experience in their chosen field, etc.) make them well worth the trouble. This debate has been raging since The Great Depression, and both sides of the argument have some validity. However, I feel that unpaid internships are unlawful and should be abolished. First, a brief history: unpaid internships have been legal since a Supreme Court case in 1947, when disputes over the legality of unpaid labor caused a public examination of the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the same laws that banned child labor after the depression). In that Supreme Court case of Walling v. Portland Terminal Co, it was determined that unpaid railroad trainees were not considered “employees” and therefore could not receive minimum wage pay. This was determined by the following criteria under the FLSA: that the work was a practical training program, that the trainees benefited from the training experience, that the work did “not displace any of the regular employees (who did most of the work themselves)” and were at all times supervised, that the work did not “expedite the company business and could actually impede and retard it”, that the trainees were not guaranteed an employee position for their work, and that no pay had ever been promised or expected. At that time, it was made official that all six of the criteria had to be met; if not, then the intern was
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considered an “employee” and would have to be paid for their labor. This case was the predecessor for court cases decades later involving unpaid internships, and it was referenced in the 2010 government issuing of Fact Sheet #71 (which was re-issued to let employers know that violations to the criteria would no longer be tolerated by the Obama Administration). This Fact Sheet actually fueled the controversy, as it became recognized that unpaid interns could not be protected against harassment or discrimination in their workplace because they were not considered employees. I believe that receiving no pay for the hours spent working outside of class is unacceptable and illegal. In many unpaid internships, the criteria listed in Fact Sheet #71 are not being met. For example, many unpaid interns are being asked to complete laborious tasks that benefit their employers. Let’s say I’m interested in costume design and decide to intern at a semi-professional theater company (this is a real-life example, using information from a company’s website). The description for this unpaid internship says that I would be “assist(ing) in the planning, construction and completion of (costume) designs, including shopping, sewing, and pattern-making”, and that I would be required to have sewing skills. I don’t understand how creating and designing costumes for a professional theatrical production qualifies as not “expedit(ing) the company business” or as possibly “imped(ing) or retard(ing) it”. I believe that if the internships offered to college students were all paid, then college life would improve. Money awarded for work increases motivation to work, learn, and improve; I believe that more students would try to find the time and drive to become interns if they were paid. This is why I respectfully propose that all internships in the US should be paid.
Employment
A Little Change Of Heart
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By Monty Stewart, age 19
hat happens when after five years of pursuing one career, your desires shift, and you decide to choose a different one? Back in 2010, I was utterly convinced that I wanted to be a game designer. I played my favorite videogames over and over again. I studied every aspect of them: the characters, the way that objects and gimmicks could be interacted with, how narrative was written into it, and so on. I would’ve struggled through four years of Computer Science courses, when I don’t love math or numbers or even computer programming for that matter, just to have the right chops to do the job. That’s how much I loved it. And when I say, “loved it” in the past tense, I mean that. I no longer love the game industry and certainly don’t want to be a part of it. Like a rebellious young prince in an arranged marriage, that I myself had arranged, I am escaping my tower of videogames to become a writer. It’s a little disconcerting, isn’t it? That you could love something for five whole years and then, out of the blue, not love it anymore? I wonder how someone who is midway through a college term feels when this kind of change happens to him/her. Is it harder then? Is it scarier and more uncertain? I don’t know. I don’t feel any remorse for the loss of my love of games. Its time has passed, now. I’m a different person than I was before. In fact, I feel that writing was actually my true passion all along. Videogames were my escape - an escape that I no longer need. When I was young, they helped me cope with a stress-filled world that I couldn’t control. That’s part of why I was infatuated with them. Now that I’ve matured past the point of needing them, I no longer feel the desire to make ones of my own. Honestly, when I figured that out, it wasn’t sad; it was relieving. Long before I had even picked up a game controller I had another passion: writing. I have always aspired to tell stories, even through games. Looking back, it seemed that all of my best game ideas were actually great story ideas all along. I look forward to turning each of them into novels and graphic novels and perfecting my story-making capabilities. I’m almost nineteen now - close to a year out of high school and not enrolled in any colleges yet. Now, I’ve got to make a new plan based around this whole writing biz-ness, but at least I dodged a bullet. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that you should always keep your mind open to different possibilities. Very often kids can become obsessed with things, like I did, to the point that they think they have to build a life around it. Just because you like something or you’re good at it, doesn’t mean that it has to become your career. Don’t hold on to your childhood ambitions so completely to the point that you can’t see past them. However, respect your younger self and remember that he/she played an important role in the construction of who you are today. Don’t be afraid of a “change of heart.” Take what it has to give you and embrace it. www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 35
Awareness
Belleayre Bash
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By Anna Compton
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s we know Prom and Graduation is an exciting time of the year and the season is upon us again. Statistics show that Prom-Graduation season— the months of April, May and June—is the most dangerous time for teens. One-third of the alcohol-related traffic fatalities involving teens each year occur during those months. Below are some safety tips for both parents and students in the hopes that together; we can keep our student’s safe.
Prom and Graduation Safety Tips for Parents
• Know where they’ll be throughout the evening and find out their transportation plans. Ask your teen for a detailed itinerary for prom night, including venues, times and contact numbers. • Don’t give permission to attend parties that will be serving alcohol to minors. • Discuss the dangers and consequences of drinking and driving with your teen. • Encourage your teen to call you if they ever find themselves in a situation where they’re with an intoxicated driver or are too drunk to drive. • Never provide alcohol to teens at a party. You could face fines and even jail time. • Teens who report regular, open communication with their parents about important issues say they are less likely to drink, use drugs, or engage in early sexual behavior. Talk openly with your child. Page 36 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
Photo by Garland Berenzy
am soon to be 18 years old, and I’ve grown up in the same town my entire life. I am graduating from Onteora High School in a month. Over the years, I have learned a tremendous amount about my community, society, and teenagers. I have seen people lose their lives in the blink of an eye because of one small thing that could have been prevented. I have seen the heartache and reality of things going wrong due to intoxication. I didn’t want to look back at my senior class’s graduation and remember bad things that happened because of drinking and drugs. I didn’t want to think, “More could have been done to stop this from happening.” We all wish for better things after high school. New chances, new places, new people, new lives. But we cannot make these things happen if we are not alive. If we end it all on graduation night, what was the point of those four years? Those years of heartache, stress, happiness, love, sadness, friendship. Those years of finding out who we are and doing everything to become the person we aspire to be. That’s why I am the vice president of the Belleayre Bash. This is an after-graduation party that is a drug and alcohol free event. Some of you who are reading this may think, “That sounds lame”, but it’s not. It’s okay to have sober fun. This event serves a purpose. The Bash is free to all seniors. It is filled with food, games, dancing, music, prizes, bouncy houses, and the chance to say goodbye to all of the friends the seniors have known since they first learned to talk. They do all this while being safe. No driving under the influence, no risks. In the morning, the seniors sit and watch the sunrise together. We ourselves control how we choose to spend our time. It is time to change the “social norms” and prove to the world that we are capable of making good decisions for ourselves. After all, we are now officially “adults”.
• Discuss the rules for the prom, your own rules, the school rules and the consequences for violating the rules. • Encourage seat belt use. • Discuss with your teen how to handle difficult situations, such as being offered a ride by an intoxicated driver, being offered alcohol or drugs, or being pressured to have sex.
Prom and Graduation Safety Tips for Students
• Never drink and drive or ride with someone who has been drinking. • Arrange for safe transportation before prom night arrives. • Don’t leave your drinks unattended. • Stay with your group of friends and look out for each other. • If a friend has been drinking, make sure they don’t drive. • Listen to your parents or guardians about the dangers of underage drinking and driving. They care about you. • Know your agenda and provide the information to your parents. • Plan ahead what you will say or do if someone offers you alcohol or another illegal drug. Phrases such as “No, thanks,” “Are you kidding? I want to remember this night!” or “Actually, I’d rather have a soda. Do you have one?” often work, even if you think they won’t. • Find out what your curfew is and tell your date and/or your friends before prom night. • Discuss post-prom possibilities with your parents (the party at your friend’s house, early morning breakfast at your place, etc.) Make sure to contact them if your plans change. • If you have a cell phone, make sure it is fully charged and keep it with you. • Trust your instincts. If you feel endangered or uncomfortable, leave immediately. This list used courtesy of www.creteschools.com Prom and Graduation Safety Tips for Parents and Students.pdf If you or someone you know needs help in a supportive, non judg-
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 37
Sports
BMX Bike Racing in the
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By Nolan Fuller, 11 years old his past summer, something great happened to me. I joined the amazing and awesome community of BMX, started riding my bike instead of playing video games, and fell in love with the fun, active, and exciting sport. You may think BMX sounds dangerous and “extreme”, and yes, it can be both of those things at times. In reality, though, BMX racing is a great sport which anybody can try. You don’t have to be sporty, athletic, or tough to ride BMX. Sure, muscle helps in races, but all you really need is commitment, optimism, and determination. BMX is a great way to make new friends and have some fun! There are two BMX tracks in the area, Kingston Point BMX and New Paltz BMX, both of which offer loaner bikes and free trials. Kingston Point BMX has a simple track that can be good for newer riders, but it has room to try out new techniques as well. New Paltz offers a fast, fun, and exciting track to race on, with an awesome, friendly and helpful rider community. Both tracks have a race and a practice session each week, and they offer regular clinics and annual events. For me, this season has been wonderful, and I truly appreciate the advice, help, and encouragement from my friends, family, and rivals. For all of you readers, even those of you who aren’t quite convinced, I strongly recommend that you give this epic sport a try. It’s fun, healthy, free to try, and you can meet new friends and have fun with your family. Interested? If so, then see you soon at the track! Trust me, you won’t regret it.
Photos courtesy of Kingston Point BMX
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Hudson Valley Kingston Point BMX: 2015 Schedule May through October Monday: Practice 6:00 – 8:00pm $5.00 fee per Rider Wednesday: Racing (Registration from 6:00 - 7:00pm, Racing ASAP)
$8.00 fee per Rider
**Saturday Racing begins in November** • May 29th - May 31st - Mega Point Weekend • Friday 5/29 - Single Point Race in New Paltz • Saturday 5/30 - Triple Point State Qualifier Day Race in New Paltz • Saturday 5/30 - Single Point Night Race in Kingston **Bob Warnicke Scholarship Race** Registration from 5:00 - 6:00pm, Racing ASAP • Sunday 5/31 - Triple Point State Qualifier in Kingston Registration from 9:00 - 11:00am, Racing ASAP • Monday, June 22nd - Olympic Day Registration from 6:00 - 7:00pm, Racing ASAP • Wednesday, July 22nd - Race for Life Registration from 5:00 6:00pm, Racing ASAP Visit us on Facebook or kingstonpointbmx.com 4 Delaware Ave Kingston N.Y. 12401 For more info call 845-3366611 or email us at kingstonpointbmx1238@aol.com
New Paltz BMX 2015 Schedule Practice: Tuesdays 6:30–8:30 PM Racing: Fridays Registration 6:30-7:20 , Racing ASAP We Race Thursdays : June, July & August Newpaltzbmx.org 1 Clearwater Rd. New Paltz N.Y. 845-255-1269 Practices: May: 5, 12, 19, 26 June: 2, 9, 16, 30 *6/23 Olympic Day Race:FREE 6:30 July: 7, 14, 21, 28 August: 4, 11, 18, 25 September: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 October: 6, 13, 20, 27
Races: May: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 30 (Fridays) June: 4, 11, 18, 23, 25 (Thursdays) July: 2, 9, 16, 23, 25 (Thursdays) August: 6, 13, 20, 27 (Thursdays) September: 11, 18, 25 (Fridays) October: 2, 9, 17, 23, 30 (Fridays)
Photo courtesy of New Paltz BMX
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 39
Photography
SUNY Arts Lab Speaks: Photograph Your World
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ur goal was to visually tell the story of each of their lives. Examples of assignments: Photograph someone you love, make a self-portrait without yourself in the photo, photograph a meal or food, photograph your
instructor and their peers in the class, the students begin to learn about visual literacy, another tool that will accompany them through life. Deborah DeGraffenreid, artist/educator, is an architectural and portrait photographer. She has a Masters of Ed in Special Education, with a focus in autism. Deborah has been teaching students of all ages for more than a decade. Her passion for visual storytelling through photography compels her to guide others in sharing their stories.
Djuna
What is the story behind it?
Emily path during one day, photograph something you are scared of, and more. Exploring one’s environment, families, friendships and self on a deeper level through the act of looking - utilizing the camera as a tool students gain a new perspective, acquire a greater sense of self and self esteem, and are empowered through a new understanding of who they are and how important they are. In addition, photography is a powerful communication tool. Through the assignments, as well as the feedback they receive from the Maria
Faculty within the Studio Art and Art Education departments on campus have been working toward this project for many years. Due to the fact that we have a strong School of Fine and Performing Arts at SUNY New Paltz, we wanted a program that would enable us to share the school’s strengths and resources with the sur-
Maddy Performing Arts. However, it is the K-12 students, who come to the program every Saturday, who are the real creative force of the program.
rounding communities.
Who is behind it?
Veronica Page 40 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
There are many people involved in the program who contribute in different ways. I coordinate the program, Art Education faculty supervise undergraduate students who teach in the program, and community artists also teach in the program. The program is supported by and housed in the School of Fine and
Sonora
Books
Long Story Short
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hoenicia Library, 48 Main Street, is offering a 6-session short story class Thursdays 5-8 PM starting July 23rd and ending August 27. Taught by JD Louis, English teacher at Woodstock Day School, this class will cover planning and writing a short story. Students are expected
“Each person will submit their work for publication.”
Library Calendar Gardiner Library: 133 Farmers Turnpike Tue: 9:30-1045 & Wed: 1:30-2:30 Story, Th: 5-6 Group Guitar Th: 5-7 Teen Tech Tutors Th: 7-8:30 Knitters 845-255-1255 or gardnerlibrary.org Kingston Library: 55 Franklin St. Mon: 4-5 Bookmaking club Tues: , 10:30 Toddler Story hour Wed: 10:30 Story Hour Thur: 3:30-5 Teen Art Club Call 845-331-0507 x7 or kingstonlibrary.org New Paltz Elting Memorial Library: 93 Main St. : Mon 6:30 pm Chess. Wed 4:00 Knitting kids Fri 6:30-7:30 Movies call 845255-5030 or eltinglibrary.org Olive Free Library: 4033 Rt 28 Shokan Mon: 5-6 4-H Girls,Tues: 10-11 Story Hour. Activities for children, teens call 845-657-2482 or olivefreelibrary.org Phoenicia Library: 9 Ava Maria dr. Mon 3-5 Homework help, Sat: 10:30-12:00 Event programs, Sat 1-2:30 Art hour. call 845-688-7811/ or phonecialibrary.org Poughkeepsie Library: 504 Haight Av.Teen Room Open: Mon/Tue2-6, W/Th 2-8 Fri/Sat 2-5. Reading Buddy Program. 845-454-9308 or poklib.org Rosendale Library: 264 Main st Wed evening events 7:00. sept 14 Freedom Gardner Horticulture, Oct 17 The American Crow, Nov 14 Climate Change at Mohonk. 845658-9013 or rosendalelibrary.org Saugerties Library: 91 Washington Ave. Mon: 6:30-7:30 Lego Club, Tue & Wed 3:30-4:30 Teen Club (video & crafts). call 845-246-4317 Ann Van Damm
Illustration by staff member Christian Lockwood
Stone Ridge Library: 3700 Main st. Sat: 10-12 Knitters, Film Fridays call 845-6877023 or stoneridgelibrary.org West Hurley Library: 42 Clover st. Mon: Pre-school story hour 10:30, Weds: Knitting Group 6:00-830, Movie every 4th Monday Call 845-679-6405 or westhurleylibrary.org
at each session. By the end of the class, your completed short story will be bound, we will hold a reading, and each person will submit their work for publication. For students in or entering high school. Please send an email to apply to director@ phoenicialibrary.org telling your age, what school you go to and what town you live in by July 15th, earlier the better. Limited to 10 people. Sponsored by the Hudson Valley Foundation for Youth Health.
Woodstock Library: Tue: 4:00 Story time Wed: 10:30 story time.Thur: 4:00 Lilliput Players Sat: 10:30 Family (stories/performers). Call Lesley Sawhill 845-679-2213 or email: Woodstock.org Catskill Library : 1 Franklin Street Catskill, NY . Mon :Art Club 4:00 pm Tue:Tiny Tots @ Lego Club Phone:(518) 9434230 catskillpubliclibrary.org The GoodLife Youth Journal is now distributed throughout the Mid-Hudson Library system!
Animals
For Love of the Equine
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By Cassandra Hastie, age 21
n Saturday, June 21, 2014, I attended “EQUINE! EQUINE! EQUINE! Annual Equine Festival” at The CENTER for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck. I was asked to do a report on this event by the organizer and founder of the event, Jeffrey Alan Cella. When he first asked me, I immediately said I would love to attend and write about his festival. What I did not know was how incredible and meaningful the festival actually was. June 21 was a beautiful day, and when I pulled into the lot, there was not a cloud in the sky. Around me I saw an abundance of horse ven-
“The horses at LOHR are used for a variety of things, but are mainly used to help children.” dors and heard the sound of lively music. I began to walk around and saw everything from horseshoe art to horse jewelry. During this time, I met Jeffrey and he told me I should check out the Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue (LOHR) booth. He said that money from the festival goes towards this organization and that LOHR could tell me more about the purpose of the organization. On my way over to the LOHR booth, a couple of alpacas caught my attention. These alpacas came from a farm called Crimson Leaf Alpaca Farm. At Crimson Leaf the alpacas’ fur is used to make clothing and there is a store with this clothing at the farm. The owners were incredibly kind and were even selling some of their products at the festival. When I finally reached the LOHR booth, I spoke with four of the organization’s volunteers (Dawn Isaacson, Tori Isaacson, Ker(Above) Jessica Lynn will perform at the festival. ry Hamilton, and (below right) LOHR volunteers at the booth. Dee Mancuso). These four women told me that they have 47 horses at LOHR and that they provide a forever home for the horses. The horses at LOHR are used for a variety of things, but are mainly used to help children. The horses, which are all rescues, are used in summer camps, therapy programs, birthday parties, and anti-bullying workshops. They help children build confidence and serve as therapeutic resources. LOHR specializes in EAGALA. EAGALA is equine therapy that helps address mental health Page 42 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
and human development needs. This equine therapy helps with suicide prevention, disabilities, and anti-bullying. LOHR is completely dependent on donations and grants and is 100% run by volunteers. Because of this, many vendors opted to donate a portion of their profits to LOHR. Jeffrey told me that these vendors voluntarily made this decision because they support the LOHR cause. Additionally, a beautiful pencil drawing of a horse was raffled off and the proceeds went to LOHR. LOHR is always looking for both volunteers and donations. Check out the LOHR website at www.luckyorphanshorserescue.org. Fortunately, the Equine Festival happens every year and next year is planned to be even bigger and better. Jeffrey said that this festival started as a small art show, but has turned into so much more. This year he is working toward holding the festival at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds Sept. 19 from 10-6. I encourage all of you to support this festival and to support the Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue organization!
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 43
Music
Let the Voice be Heard
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Photos by Roger Yerdon
he Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice can be difficult to sum up in words. It is expansive, collaborative, selective, and inclusive. I had a conversation with one of the founders, Maria Todaro, and three young people who will be performing with world-class artists in this year’s festival: Jack Warren-Burke, Brandon Sawhill-Aja, and Alexandria Bailey. Maria Todaro, a world-renowned opera singer, first came to Phoenicia from New York City to record an album with her friend Randy Fredrix and her husband, Louis Otey. She fell in love with the area. Todaro and Otey became “full-timers” 6 years ago after they offered to stage an “Opera Under the Stars” concert in the summer of 2009 to raise money for playground equipment in Parish Field. The concert became an annual event, and it has grown into a full festival featuring 30 shows in five days. “We entrust responsibilities to kids that are 19... and it’s great! It’s awesome to work with youth ––– they’re indefatigable and super creative. The youth will take the place of the older people as they grow,” said Maria Todaro. The festival helps young people by providing internship opportunities. It involves them in every aspect of the event while connecting them with world-class artists and musicians. These connections can lead to spectacular friendships and working opportunities. Maria says she always thought young people would be involved in the festival: “What’s the point if we are not inspiring the youth?” Local young singer Brandon Sawhill-Aja said that he had no previous interest in or knowledge of opera before he got involved with
By Shannon Meyers, age 20
Maria Todaro with the participating kids, Jack Warren-Burke, Brandon Sawhill-Aja and Alexandria Bailey.
the festival. It has inspired a new fascination with opera such that he now listens to opera while driving… willingly. Alexandria Bailey, a 13-year-old singer who will be performing in Robert Manno’s “Do Not Go Gentle”, said that when younger children see older children
Music participating in opera, it becomes cool. Jack Warren-Burke, who will perform in Gian-Carlo Minotti’s “The Medium”, said, “It’s been cool to watch the Festival bring all of these people to Phoenicia,” and that he is excited to work in a different setting. This is the first year these young people will be performing in the Festival. Maria Todaro described the festival’s mission: “We want to change the perception of this ‘elitist’ art, and to help people know that you can appreciate it without knowing everything about it.” The Festival brings opera to the “humble people of Phoenicia, New York”. The people of Phoenicia are also very eager to get involved and help make the ideas a reality. “It is always fascinating to me, and I would never take that for granted, but this community is remarkable and a huge [part of our success is that the people of Phoenicia] house artists, feed them, usher, park, etcetera,” added Maria.
“What’s the point if we are not inspiring the youth?” When asked about the most rewarding aspect of the Festival, Maria replied: “To see the light in the eyes of people, kids, [and] teens when they discover for the first time how healing, uplifting, [and] lifetransforming opera can be. We are not [only] a classical music festival. [And] knowing I am making a real difference and enriching my community... economically, emotionally, culturally… [it] is priceless.” This year’s festival will take place from July 29th to August 2nd. The theme this year will be “America!”, highlighting American pop, folk, Iroquois, Sioux, Inuit (who practically sing mouth-to-mouth), and the Polynesian culture of Hawaii. It will feature such performers as The
An armonica, invented by Ben Franklin, is a type of musical instrument that uses a series of glass bowls or goblets graduated in size to produce musical tones by means of friction.
Cambridge Chamber Singers and Voices of Gotham as well as local youth. From July 22-26, there is also an intensive program for children ages 8 to 12 called “Working with the Masters”. It will be held at the Emerson Resort. This is a program to educate and inspire youth who love to sing about the music of other times and places. The Phoenicia Festival of the Voice is still seeking volunteers and interns for this year’s events. For more information on this year’s Festival, getting involved, or the Masters Intensive program, visit www. phoeniciavoicefest.org. www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 45
Memories
Butterfly Coloring Contest
M
araleen Manos Jones was interviewed in Spring Issue 2014 . Her answere to how can we help save the Monarchs: “I pledge not to use pesticides or herbicides. I pledge to plant some milkweed. I pledge to not use plant GMOs. I pledge to plant some native flowers, shrubs or trees.” That’s it.
Her web site: http://spiritofbutterflies.com Her Petition: http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/stopspraying-pesticides?source=s.fwd&r_by=13084968 In memory of a special person in your life, color these butterflies as you wish and send a picture of it and your dedication to GoodlifeJournal@gmail.com Submissions will be used in this section next issue and we will send you a free a seed pack of Milkweed Seeds. Please plant seeds and ensure their survival. One seed can change
the world, Monarchs reproduce wherever they can find enough Milkweed to feed themselves and their young. Send a high-res photo of your art work to Goodlifejournal@gmail or use the website GoodlifeYouthJournal.com Submit section. Entries must be received by August 9th.
TBT: Thomas on my Norton
I
picked up this bike in London, 1972, and toured up to Amsterdam through France and Belgium. That was another lifetime and another story. The Norton sat in my garage for about 10 years, and I decided to put it up on eBay. This photo sold it! The buyer sent me a $2500 certified check from a Connecticut bank account and mailed it from China. He picked the bike up about a month later with a rented van. He was delighted with the Norton, and brought it back to China to cycle around the mountains. He was so pleased that he even gave Gael a string of pearls as a gift. — Nick Alba (with Tom Alba)
This journal is dedicated to the memory of Tom Alba and friends
Page 46 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 47