Limelight - Summer 2011

T H G I L E LI M sum mer 201 1

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The wanted In s id e t h e m in d s of th e Pr inc es of Po p!

F e s t iv a l F a s h io n

ch ec k o ut th e ho t ne w lo o ks !

M a y o r o f L o nwd!o n

ex cl us iv e in te rv ie

Interested in Finding Work?

Editor’s Letter Thanks for picking up the long awaited second issue of Limelight, which is finally out, as suggested by the thing in your hands! Inside the magazine are some truly inspiring articles about some amazing young people including Eliza Rebeiro, the founder of Lives Not Knives and teenagers who set up businesses that went on to make millions (see page 12).

Also in the magazine is an interview with Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, a festival inspired fashion spread and for all you teenage girls out there, we’ve got a treat you’ve always wanted (literally!) on pages 7-9.

Limelight has unfortunately been affected badly by the recent cuts, meaning that Croydon Council has pulled out its funding. So if you love Limelight, want your name to grace these hallowed pages and have a few quid lying spare, why not donate?

You can find out how to do this on page 27.

A tragedy that hit Croydon recently was the sad passing of Tobi Adeyemi, a good mate of mine. He was one of the people who has really inspired me to become the person I am and will be sorely missed. For further information about him and the charity that has been set up in his name see page 24.

Finally, anyone wanting to work for Limelight, please email limelight@risemedia.org.uk.

And remember always try to be modest and be proud of it!

Are you 16 – 19 and Not in Education, Employment or Training?

programme Then join our FREE training and get job ready.

What you can expect:

ties to enhance l 30 hours of fun activi nce your team skills and confide with inroads l Supported job search to work oy new l Make new friends, enj skills experiences, discover your on, Advice l Personalised Informati ly team and Guidance from our friend

What young people say about BELS...

‘I come because I want to not because I have to’ 19 years old Mikey were set ‘The tasks we explore allowed me to have’ the capacity I ars old Rebecca 17 ye

‘Wkd!’ (Wicked) Greg 18 years old

Call our friendly team on 020 8726 0700 Email: info@bels.org.uk Address: 3rd Floor Surrey House, rey, CR0 1SQ Scarbrook Road, Croydon Sur

We are here to listen and are there for you - and remember - working with us will not affect your benefits.

Take care, Jamie D’Costa

Photograph by Jodie Davies

Find out how we can help you create your positive future

Contents 4 NEWSFLASH News you can use 6 STARS OF CROYDON In the limelight 7 all time high Limelight gets the lowdown on The Wanted 10 CROYDON COLLEGE Education for the future 11 LIVES NOT KNIVES Find out about the campaign 12 HOW TO MAKE MILLIONS WITHOUT A DEGREE Entrepreneur tells how 14 question Time Interview with Boris Johnson

16

The Ultra Girls

16 NEW GIRLS ON THE BLOCK The Ultra Girls’ interview 18 BOY BAND BLISS Interview with Twenty Twenty 20 SPORTS special Success Circuit 21 FESTIVAL FASHION Limelight’s hot summer looks 22 DVDS IN THE LIMELIGHT Best and Worst 24 special TRIBUTE Tobi Adeyemi Editorial Team Editor: Jamie D’Costa, Deputy Editor: Kassall Nsudoh, Assistant Editor & Reviews Editor: David X ShuiJezierski, Chief Sub Editor & Advertising Manager: Micah McDonald, Celebrity & Careers Editor: Nadine Kellman, Music Editor & Advertising Co-ordinator: Kelsea Sellars, Acting Fashion Editor: Deborah Torr, Sports Editor: Terrelle Iziren, PR & Advertising Co-ordinator: Karina Sellars, Editorial Assistants and Fundraisers: Barbara Bielecka & Roxana Hall, Writer: Nicole Bonnick, Photographer: Jodie Davies.

Web Designer: Obaid Khalid Limelight Founder: Journalist Adeline Iziren. External Contributors: Jade Hurley (fashion), Lauren Emmett(fashion), Richard Serunjogi (editorial)

Editor Jamie (back row, middle) with some members of Limelight

Disclaimer Limelight is a lifestyle magazine for young people aged 12-25. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted in any form, without the permission of the publisher, Rise Youth Group Limited. The views within the maggazine are not those of the publisher, but of the individual writer or contributor. All information in Limelight was correct at the time of going to press.

Limelight is published by Rise Youth Group Limited, a social enterprise for young people in Croydon. limelight 3

News you can use New course for pregnant teens

Baby to Briefcase is a new course for expectant teens, teaching them essential parenting and employability skills.

The course is free for pregnant girls aged 16 to 19 and is being held at Havering College, in Essex, over 10 weeks. At the end of the course expectant mums will receive a Level One certificate in Parents to be and Parenting.

Havering College runs the course on behalf of Prospects, the education, training and guidance service provider.

Prospects operations director, Judith Denyer, said: “The course shows them how to be good parents. What’s more, they come away with qualifications they can use to find work or secure further study after they’ve given birth.”

After enrolling on the course last year, Jess Humphries, 19, learnt a range of skills including paediatric first aid and job skills.

She said: “This course has shown me that I can make a great life for me and my baby.”

For more information ring Havering College on 01708 462 801.

By Deborah Torr

Jess and her baby

4 limelight

Global accountancy firm launches largest private sector work experience programme

Prince’s Trust to run fun summer project

The Prince’s Trust is looking for 11,000 16-year- olds to take part in an eight week residential course this summer.

Called National Citizen Service (NCS), the course will give young people a chance to learn new skills, challenge themselves and make a difference in their community.

Young people will design a project to benefit their local area as well as go on a five-day team-building trip, taking part in activities such as mountain biking, kayaking and rockclimbing.

Twelve projects will run across England this summer for teenagers.

NCS is a Big Society initiative run

by The Prince’s Trust on behalf of the coalition government.

For further information visit www.princes-trust.org.uk/ncs.

By a Limelight reporter

Free degrees open new possibilities

A lifeline for young people in Croydon

Volunteering - the route to employment

Aged 14-19? Not in education, employment or training? Vigor8 is a service run by Lifeline and can offer support in skills training, CV writing and interview skills.

The centre manager, Susan Fowkes, commented: “If you need help with finding work we will mentor you until you get a job. “We don’t only specialise in helping young people apply for a job, we also help people obtain retail qualifications, get involved in football courses, music courses and much more. “If you want help applying for work experience, an apprenticeship or any of the other services offered by Lifeline, don’t hesitate to call!”

Lifeline is based at 2-3 Dingwall Road.

For more details contact Susan on: 020 8667 1313 or 07896 800 820.

By Nadine Kellman & Deborah Torr

Volunteering may seem pointless, but in fact, it increases your chances of finding a job, while helping you give something back to society.

The Community Volunteering Qualification (CVQ) offers this opportunity to all young people (aged 1425), regardless of their qualifications.

The scheme helps young people achieve skills useful to employers such as communication and presentation, plus the ability to solve and tackle problems. The CVQ even helps young people to gain UCAS points. Achieving this qualification can lead to many opportunities, such as managing charities or becoming team leaders.

This scheme is clearly a great way of boosting future job prospects, no wonder why 500 schools have already signed up to it.

For more information, contact Tim Leaman or Cathy Marsden on 0117 941 1126. Alternatively, visit www.asdan.org

By Roxana Hall & Barbara Bielecka

Does a debt free degree sound too good to be true? Well it isn’t, because if you’re under 25 and earning less than £16, 845 a year, you can do a degree for free at the Open University. What’s more, you can get course books, grants, and laptops thrown in for free too.

Not surprisingly, more school leavers are choosing Open University degree courses than ever before – 17,255 students in 2009 compared to only 15,052 in 2008. Students love the Open University as it ranks No 3 for having the most satisfied students in the country, coming right behind Oxford and Buckingham.

Sarah Rotondo Fergusson, 25, was offered a place at Cambridge University but turned it down for the Open University instead.

While studying she worked as a nursery assistant and now she’s managing her own nursery. Meanwhile, her friends who attended traditional universities are struggling to find work.

Want to know more? Ring 0845 3006 090 or visit: www.open.ac.uk

By Barbara Bielecka & Roxana Hall

Training courses for fun-loving teens Are you interested in music, money and media? Then SEEP – the school, education and enterprise programme is for you. Organised

by PJ’s Community Service, the SEEP programme is an alternative curriculum to education offered to schools, PRUs and colleges. The training courses help young people build self-esteem, raise their aspirations and develop self-worth, while having fun. Sounds good?

Then tell your teachers or call for more information on 020 8239 6911. Alternatively, email admin@pjsgroup.co.uk For more information on PJ’s Community Service visit: www.pjsgroup.co.uk

By Kelsea Sellars

Over 700 places on a range of work placement and summer internship schemes have been announced by global accountancy giant, Ernst & Young. These are aimed at sixth form students, undergraduates and postgraduates to nurture the best talent in the country.

Ernst & Young head of recruitment, Stephen Isherwood, said: “Whoever you are we can offer you a tailored work experience programme. The key to success is being able to demonstrate to a potential employer that you are equipped with skills for the work place.”

These internships are an excellent opportunity to give young people a chance to get ahead in their careers, this is especially important at a time when students are struggling to find work.

Like to find out more? Then visit http://ukstudentstories.ey.com/fasttracks/

By Nadine Kellman & Nicole Bonnick

stars of croydon Croydon teen visits Uganda

Raising the tempo

Richard Serunjogi,19, visited Uganda last March as part of a research project funded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

Here Richard shares his experience with Limelight

An event designed to inspire young people in Croydon to pursue a career in the world of music took place in the borough earlier this year.

Over a hundred people poured into 16 Katharine Street for the all-day event. It was organised

by Up The Tempo an informal network group designed to help young people build a career in music. G Frsh, Nu Brand and Yasmin were just a few of the artists the event attracted. DJ Yasmin said that her rise to stardom wasn’t easy and that people laughed at her, as no one thought she could make it as a DJ. She proved them wrong, of course. Croydon artist G Frsh, told the audience that a

“In Uganda 1 in 6 children are disabled. Many disabled children are born perfectly fine, but develop illnesses such as malaria which, if untreated, can lead to serious health problems that destroy their ability to live and think independently. When given the right support and opportunities these young people are statistically many more times likely to stay in Uganda and make a contribution to the nation’s economy.

Our government must support efforts in developing countries to improve access to education and prevent disease, especially in expectant mothers. As an individual you can play a part by supporting campaigns such as Comic Relief or purchasing Fairtrade products, which ensure that families get a fair deal for their work and can feed all their children, regardless of their abilities .”

Edited by Terrelle Iziren & Micah McDonald

Got a story for this page?

If your achievements or the achievements of someone you know are worth writing about then please contact us.

Email your story in no more than 300 words to limelight@risemedia.org.uk Don’t forget to leave a number and we’ll get back to you.

6 limelight

music career is not all glam and doesn’t last long.

Music Production, Vocals, DJing and MPC demos were the workshops young people tried out. They were followed by open mic sessions which were enjoyed by everyone. When the event came to a close many people were excited and inspired to pursue their dream.

By Barbara Bielecka & Roxana Hall

Limelight writer wins top award Terrelle Iziren, Limelight’s sports editor, has interviewed rapper Professor Green and Mayor of London Boris Johnson. He also wrote up a profile on Crystal Palace striker Sean Scannell.

As a reward for his inspirational work, Terrelle,13, was presented with a Jack Petchey ‘outstanding achievement’ award, plus £200 spending money. Terrelle, who was 12 when he picked up his prestigious Terrelle with gong, said: “It was a privilege to have won his ‘outstanding this award and I hope to produce better achievement’ award things for Limelight in the near future.”

For the record Terrelle hopes to interview a top Premier League player in the next issue... watch this space. By Kelsea Sellars

Photograph by Jodie Davies

Richard highlights the plight of Uganda’s disabled children

G Frsh

Croydon North MYP outlines her plans When I spoke to Melissa Owusu, the new Member of the Youth Parliament (MYP) for Croydon North in February, she told me that her main priority is to get in touch with police to arrange schemes designed to, ‘change their attitude towards young Melissa people in Croydon’.

Owusu Since then Melissa has had two regional meetings with MYPs and she is now looking at different ways to achieve her goal in both the borough of Croydon and London as a whole.

Melissa, an 18-year-old A level student became a MYP in February, after winning 900 of the 6, 722 votes cast.

By Micah McDonald

LI MELIG HT

the wanted

limelight 7

Limelight get the lowdown on...

the wanted

The Wanted are the hottest new boy band in the UK and are setting the hearts alight of female fans across the nation with their amazing talent. Limelight got a chance to quiz The Wanted’s Siva about his journey in the band so far

By Micah McDonald, Nadine Kellman, Deborah Torr & Barbara Bielecka

Limelight: How did you feel when you were told you had a place in the band?

Siva: Jay and I came in after three months of auditioning. The selection process was so long that we felt exhausted by the time we were told we were in the group, but we were so happy.

Limelight: How did you come up with the band’s name?

Siva: We had 5,000 names in our heads and one morning, as we were coming out of a hotel, Nathan said ‘what about The Wanted?’ and all of us said ‘yes’, together. So it was all down to Nathan.

Limelight: How did you feel when All Time Low went to No 1 in the charts?

Siva: Mad. We were at Radio 1

Jay 8 limelight

when they announced it. We broke down and cried a bit – we finished after about 15 minutes. Max carried on for about 2 hours – once he gets going, he can’t stop!

Limelight: How did you feel when you heard Gold Forever was selected as this year’s official Comic Relief single?

Siva: Honoured and scared.

Limelight: You’re signed to Def Jam Records in the US, when are you going to release a single there?

Siva: It would be nice to release a single in the US, but we don’t know when that will be yet. We are concentrating on building a fan base in the UK and Europe before we move on to the US. Limelight: What was it like working

Nathan

quiet kid, but every one knew me – must be my naturally tanned skin!

with Taio Cruz?

Siva: Amazing. Guy Chambers is really blunt and serious, but Taio is the most quietly spoken man in the world, everyone has to listen carefully because he’s so quiet.

Limelight: Tell us about your time performing on The X Factor?

Siva: We were asked two weeks before we went on and the week we performed, 18 million people watched the show. The weekend before we went on, was boy band weekend and when we asked Simon Cowell why he put us on the week after, he said, ‘you’re really hot at the moment’ and we thought, ‘wicked, thanks’.

Limelight: Which boy bands inspire you?

Siva: Take That, Blue and The Back Street Boys – I can’t get enough of The Back Street Boys.

Limelight: What were you like at school?

Siva: I was the teacher’s pet; I didn’t do anything wrong. I was also a

Tom

Limelight: What were your goals growing up in Dublin, Ireland?

Siva: I did a bit of modelling in Dublin, and then I did acting and singing. After all that I realised the thing I really wanted to do was sing.

Limelight: Where do you all live?

Siva: We lived in a massive old house in Putney, south London until fans found out where we lived. There was no way of stopping them from getting to us because they were waiting outside our house, knocking on our door and so we decided to move to north London. We now live in a gated community in Barnet.

Limelight: Your lives must be so hectic – do you have time for girlfriends?

Siva: Max and me each have a girlfriend. The rest of the lads

are single and happy to be single.

I lived with my girlfriend before joining the band. She’s a shoe designer and pops over all the time.

My room is always immaculate, so that she has a haven to come to.

Limelight: Who is the messiest?

Siva: Tom puts a lot of food on the floor, like meat and potatoes and we find ourselves stepping on it; it annoys the hell out of us.

Limelight: Who takes the longest to get ready?

Siva: Nathan. If we have to leave the house at 10, he’ll get up at 9.15 and I’ll get up at 9.45. When I’m ready to go, he’ll say, ‘one second, one second’ and I’ll have to wait about ten more minutes before we leave the flat.

Limelight: Whose the grumpiest in the morning?

Siva: When I’m saying ‘Nathan, hurry up, hurry up,’ he’ll say, ‘stop telling me to hurry up’ or ‘chill

“If things get hard, just believe in yourself. You’ll always find where you are meant to be”

Max

out, chill out’ and I’ll say, ‘I’m not arguing with you, I just want you to hurry up’.

Limelight: Who is the loudest?

Siva: Jay with music or Tom who talks very loud.

Limelight: Who is the most sensible?

Siva: The lads will say I am, because I’m the most cautious.

Limelight: Finally, What advice would you give to young people?

Siva: Don’t take life too seriously.

If things get hard, just believe in yourself. You’ll always find where you are meant to be, don’t stress about it.

Quick fire questions with Siva Manchester or London London Premier League or La Liga La Liga Strawberry or raspberry Strawberry Fish or chicken Fish Usher or Justin Timberlake Justin

Siva limelight 9

Croydon College

21st century education

Campaign

Lives not knives

The campaign’s award-winning team

By Deborah Torr

Croydon College has undergone extensive refurbishment over the past few years. The most recent addition to its capital investment project – a landmark extension to the College has just been completed. This is not a facelift; Croydon College is serious about providing its students with the very best facilities and resources to ensure their current and future success.

The project provides some of the best facilities in London and enables the College to continue delivering the training needed by both residents and businesses in South London at every level: from Entry to Postgraduate.

There has been a complete refurbish-

ment of the third and fourth floors and a considerable extension to the Fairfield building. This new space provides a state of- the-art Learning Resource Centre and more social and learning space designed to encourage more self-directed and group study opportunities for students. The new facilities also enhance the learning experience for students of the performing arts with the provision of a new performance hall and industry specification recording studios.

The initial phase of the refurbishment saw £15 million spent on the development of shared facilities such as a new refectory for students and staff;

industry standard hairdressing and beauty salons; a new suite of construction and engineering workshops and the opening of Chefs Restaurant and Bar, with the best training kitchens available, where the public can sample the culinary delights prepared by the students.

With over 13,000 students choosing to study with the College each year, Croydon College is one of the largest providers of Further and Higher Education courses in the South East. It offers more than 350 qualifications.

For more information please contact 020 8760 5914 or go to www.croydon.ac.uk.

www.facebook.com/croydoncollegeofficial 10 limelight

@croydoncollege

What’s it all about?

Lives Not Knives, aka LNK, is an anti-violence campaign launched in 2007 to teach young people about the dangers of knife crime and gangs. The campaign is fronted by its co-founder, 17-year-old Eliza Rebeiro, from Croydon. In 2010, LNK received funding of £30,000 from Croydon Council.

Achievements The LNK team won two awards in December 2010 - a Philip Lawrence Award and a Diana Certificate of Excellence - in recognition of their success in the community and ongoing work to educate young people on knife crime.

“Lives Not Knives is working to prevent young people getting involved in gang culture, so giving us something like this will inspire them to do other things with their lives,” Eliza said.

Recent activities A team of 20 mentors from LNK visited primary and secondary schools to share experiences of gang culture and reduce its appeal.

Eliza was also involved in Battlefront, a 9 month-long project, on Channel 4 to raise the profile of LNK. LNK recently held a youth seminar called Putting the Record Straight, which gave young people the chance to express themselves on stage through singing, poetry and art.

The campaign group went beyond Croydon with a music event at the Tabernacle in Notting Hill, with Roll Deep headlining.

Future plans LNK’s dance, theatre and music production, Kim cos Tim, is at Fairfield Halls, Croydon, on June 27 2011.

Proceeds from the production will allow LNK to visit primary schools to educate pupils on the consequences of joining a gang and carrying a weapon.

For more information visit: http://livesnotknives.org

Eliza Rebeiro Eliza works in her family retail business as a sales assistant and also works part-time on the LNK campaign.

She was inspired at an early age to campaign against gang violence and knife crime.

“After being kicked out of school for disruptive behaviour, I realised that everyone leads a different lifestyle and that my lifestyle was easier than the lifestyle of many of the young people I was hanging around. Some of them had been stabbed or been to prison.

“It was after one of my friends got stabbed in front of me, that I decided to set up Lives Not Knives,” said Eliza, adding: “I was so shocked and felt strongly that something needed to be done to stop the stabbings.”

Eliza’s advice to other young people who want to make a difference is: “If you have an idea, put it on paper and start taking action.”

limelight 11

Careers

how to prosper without a degree

By Nadine Kellman

Young people who have succeeded without a degree Scores of people have made it big without so much as stepping into a lecture hall and some of these people are even teenagers! These young millionaires are living proof that not going to university is not the end of the world......

Blake Ross

launched Mozilla Firefox, when he was 19, with his business partner, David Hyatt.

Although he started university, he didn’t complete his degree and now he’s worth £120m.

Sky high tuition fees and intense competition for places means that going to university is not an option, for many young people. But for some, university is not even on their agenda. Take Simon Dolan for example. He was expelled from school at 16 and got a job. Over 20 years later he’s a top entrepreneur, with a business that makes £70 million a year! Simon reveals the secrets of his success in How To Make Millions Without A Degree…

“The funny thing is, while I’m proud of the way things turned out, and while it is a business success tale by any measure, it’s not a remarkable story.”

This modest introduction to How To Make Millions Without A Degree, sums up Simon’s view of how it is possible to get by in life without a degree and how hard work and commitment can lead to great achievements.

“None of the successful entrepreneurs I’ve met went to university and every single one that I’ve spoken to, without exception said they don’t 12 limelight

look for degree holders, they look for people with skills and experience.”

Simon’s book does not only feature his success story, but the stories of millionaires and even billionaires who have made it big without a degree.

In the book, Simon also offers advice for those wanting to start a business and even lends advice to parents who may not be keen on their own children entering into the ever changing world of business. How To Make Millions Without A Degree’, is an inspiring, informative book and so well worth reading!

Kevin Rose, the creator of

Digg, is another university drop out. He’s now worth £31m.

Ashley Qualls, created

WhateverLife, a website which provides free Myspace layouts, at 14. She’s now worth over £9m.

Question time for

“Croydon has an incredible future and should be a city”

the Mayor of London A cold December’s evening, the atmosphere was tense, and not just because Limelight had forgotten to buy its Christmas presents. It was the day that Limelight met Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London. After a brief interview with the Mayor at St Mary’s High School, Limelight managed to sneak onto the school bus with him for a quick chat, before arriving at Croydon Voluntary Action Resource Centre, where he led a talk on how to tackle youth violence in the borough…..

Limelight: What can be done to tackle youth violence and create a better community spirit?

Boris Johnson: I fully support any scheme where there is mentoring or passing on of communal information.

I am a huge fan of schemes such as the Scouts, Girl Guides and cadets. I also particularly like peer mentoring and feel that is a good way to combat youth violence.

Limelight: What is your view of youth violence, not only in Croydon, but the whole city?

Boris Johnson: It is a real concern to me. However, it is vital that we don’t get hysterical and we don’t demonize young people, but equally we should examine what is happening and work with the community to try and find the best solutions.

Boris shares a joke with two Limelight writers

14 limelight

Limelight: What solutions do you propose? Do you plan to use knife amnesties given the success of them in the past?

Boris Johnson: We regularly do knife amnesties and like you said they have proven themselves to be very successful in terms of getting knives off the streets.

However, there are still knives on the streets, and even one knife can take a life. In the first few months of 2009, 26 people died on the streets of London, that’s 26 too many. The Met Police regularly perform stop and search and these deter people from carrying knives by sending a clear message that if you carry a knife it’s highly likely you will be caught and go to prison.

Limelight: What do you think about student protests?

Boris Johnson: I think it’s a good thing that the students are taking a genuine interest in their lives. I fully respect their right to non-violent protest, however the violence incurred is wrong and should be punished.

Limelight: What’s your opinion on Croydon’s bid for city status?

Boris Johnson: Croydon should be a city.

I am totally behind the bid and I think Croydon has an incredible future. Don’t forget, it was President Sarkozy of France who said to the people of Paris that he wanted outer Paris to be like Croydon. He’s got an advanced case of Croydon envy and I don’t blame him.

Limelight: How do you think the people of London will benefit from the Olympics given that ticket prices are so expensive?

Boris Johnson: I think the Olympics will be a great experience for them as they will be able to watch the best athletes in the world, right on their doorstep. In reference to ticket prices, there is a very good chance that you and your mates will be able to pick up tickets, thanks to our pay your age scheme for under 16s. Also, the old folks shouldn’t be too worried as they will only have to pay £16.

Limelight: How disappointed were you to lose the bid for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Boris Johnson: I was disappointed, however, we still have a lot to look forward to in other sports - the Rugby

World Cup this year and the London Olympics next year. London remains a great city for sport.

Limelight: You were once a journalist for The Daily Telegraph and Spectator.

What advice would you give to those thinking about careers in journalism?

Boris Johnson: Keep writing and don’t be discouraged if your copy is changed.

Limelight: Can you give us your opinion on Limelight, and a message for the future?

Boris Johnson: It is a very professionallooking product and I wish it all the best for the future.

By Jamie D’Costa, Terrelle Iziren, Micah McDonald, Barbara Bielecka & Kassall Nsudoh limelight 15

Interview

Fun time for The Ultra Girls

the ultra storm

Have you heard of The Ultra Girls? If you’re a fan of The X-Factor then you’ll probably remember them as Project A on the show two years ago.

Since then they’ve toured with the amazing Kylie Minogue and now they’re set to make it big in the charts. The Limelight team caught up with them for a quick chat. Could they really be the next Girls Aloud?

Limelight: What was it like shooting the video for your debut single Girls Will Be Girls?

Lucy: Really good! It was a dream to do this video and really exciting for us.

Limelight: So how would you describe your sound?

Amy: It’s fun, catchy pop, something you can just dance around to.

Limelight: Is it hard for up and coming artists to make it in the music industry?

Amy: It’s a very long process, success doesn’t come overnight.

We’ve been together for about three years. We were really good friends

Lucy

16 limelight

before we formed the band and then we started singing at each other’s houses, before auditioning for The X-Factor. After that we spent lots of time with managers and producers.

We just can’t wait to get out there now we have the single and the video done. We really feel like we’re at a stage where we’re just really ready for it. We can’t wait!

Limelight: How did you come up with the unique name, The Ultra Girls?

Amy: We had a name at first called Project A, which we weren’t happy with. The Ultra Girls sums us up really well. We love the name.

Lucy: We grew out of the name Project A as we discovered what we were about. We decided to

Amy

Lucy: I really like pop music Rihanna, Kylie and all the old Madonna stuff. change it and The Ultra Girls seemed perfect.

Limelight: What is your message to your fans, aka, The Ultra Army?

Amy: Just be you. We did a tour of schools and promoted that message because we feel strongly that people should be individual, come together and just have fun as friends. That’s the strong message that we have really.

Limelight: What kinds of music do you like, Lucy?

“Just keep pushing and striving if you want to achieve your dreams... anything is possible if you put in the hard work” Lauren

Limelight: Have you had stage fright in the past?

Lucy: We always get nervous before we go on stage but I never fear that any of us will have actual stage fright. I got it before I went on stage with Kylie, though, because that was like a whole new level of anything I’d ever done before.

It was a lot of pressure, but you have to get thrown in at the deep end if you want big results.

Limelight: Which bands, past and present, do you like?

Lauren: A past band definitely has

to be The Spice Girls for their energy ,fun, the whole girl power thing and friendship. For present I’d have to say JLS. They have a very similar vibe to us and they always put on a big performance.

Limelight: What advice would you give to young people who have dreams they want to achieve?

Lauren: Just keep pushing and keep striving. When we started out we never thought we’d end up going on tour with Kylie. We feel like we’re proving that anything is possible if you put in the hard work.

Quick fire questions with Lauren Apple or orange?

Orange Pizza or pasta?

Pizza Pop or rock?

Pop Up north or down south?

Up north

Limelight: Laura, what’s your favourite food?

Laura: Pancakes Limelight: What are your plans for the future?

Laura: To keep on singing and touring with The Ultra Girls.

Limelight: What’s your favourite soap?

Laura: Coronation Street Limelight: If you weren’t part of The Ultra Girls, what would you have been?

Laura: I would love to have been a hair and make-up artist.

Lauren

By Nadine Kellman, Kelsea Sellars, Deborah Torr, Terrelle Iziren, Roxana Hall & Barbara Bielecka

Laura

limelight 17

Interview

limelight strike 20 out of 20 Limelight’s Kelsea Sellars and Deborah Torr grabbed Twenty Twenty for a quick chat before they went on stage at Hammersmith Appollo - ahead of The Wanted Limelight: How did Twenty Twenty form?

Jack: Sam and I are brothers Sonny: Well, it all started when I was finishing off my A levels Jack: We all knew we wanted to do something with music and a friend put us in touch with Sonny and it just worked straight away.

Limelight: How did you come up with the name Twenty Twenty?

Sonny: We were trying to come up with names for the band and it was twenty past eight.

Jack: It was a 24 hour clock and it said: 20:20, so we settled on that.

Limelight: What’s it like working with big stars like The Wanted and The Saturdays?

Sam & Sonny: It’s cool, it’s amazing!

Jack: It’s weird ‘cos you see all these bands on telly, so it’s really strange when you play with them!

Limelight: Of all the bands you’ve met, who has been your favourite?

Jack: We were a bit starstruck when we played a show with McFly, they’ve been a massive influence on us.

18 limelight

Limelight: Do any of you get nervous before you go on stage?

All: We all do!

Limelight: Do you do anything to calm your nerves?

Sam: We all pace around, jump up and down.

Jack: I start panicking that something will go wrong, and I run around checking everything is switched on, but as soon as you walk on that stage, it’s all gone!

Limelight: What advice would you give to other young people trying to make it in the music industry?

Jack: You’ve got to be committed to it.

You don’t get big over night, it takes a lot of work and you have to put in time. Apart from that, I’d say have fun, really!

Limelight: What job would you be doing if you weren’t in the music industry?

Jack: Fishmonger! Seriously, I’d probably be doing something related to design, because that’s what I was studying at university.

Sam: Um , carpet cleaner for me!

Sonny: I’d probably be in property

development, but my dream job would be an astronaut!

Limelight: Which bands have influenced your music?

Sam: When we were like 16, 17 we listened to Blink-182 and Green Day. Now we listen to lots of different stuff – Mcfly, Jessie J and Katy Perry.

Limelight: How do you handle the attention from your female fans?

Jack: From the beginning we’ve always said we’ll try and do as much for our fans as we could.

Sam: It’s getting much more difficult now, especially with security, which is really annoying for us because we get a bit stroppy when we’re not allowed to see them.

Sam: We do a lot online with Twitter and Facebook, though.

Limelight: Where do you hope to be in five years?

Jack: Headlining in a venue like Hammersmith Apollo.

Limelight: Does being on tour all the time wear you out?

Sam: It’s great while we’re on tour, but literally the first few days after touring, we just sleep.

Twenty Twenty’s new album Small Talk is out now.

“We were trying to come up with names for the band and it was twenty past eight.

It was a 24 hour clock and it said 2020, so we settled on that”

Sam Jack Sonny

Quick fire questions

Samsung Tablet or iPad? All: iPad. Cricket or Football? Salt or Pepper?

Sonny: Football All: Salt.

Pink or Yellow?

Black or White?

Sam: Pink Sam: Hmmm, I think they Hot or cold?

Jack and Sam: Hot complement each Windows or Mac? other very well, [but] I think I’ll All: Mac! go with black, Blackberry or because black is iPhone? very classy.

All: iPhone.

Jack: I’ve Justin Bieber or definitely got a Rebecca Black? lot more white All: Justin Bieber clothing.

Food or Drink?

All: Food.

Limes or Lemons?

Jack: Lemons Fame or Money?

Jack: I’ve always thought you can’t have one without the other.

Right, that’s the end of the interview.

Jack: Yeah, we’d best be off, we’ve got our massages and champagne waiting! limelight 19

Festivals are the perfect excuse to buy a new summer wardrobe, so whether you’re camping out at Glastonbury or rocking out at V Festival, you can find the perfect look.

Deborah Torr checks out some festival essentials for 2011 al top, £6, Primark/

Anim Jade Black crochet waistcoat, £8, Primark/own . Lauren white printed

20 limelight

At last, the day I’d been waiting for had come, I was excited, but nervous.

We all know Streatham for different things: from the bus station to the ice rink and from the residents to the schools; but take a guess at the south London suburbs most exciting attraction? It’s Playscape - a place where

dreams can come true.

With modest prices, an amazing track and fast karts, Playscape is the place to be for motorsport. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Playscape and I’ll definitely be back there soon.

For more information about Playscape, please call: 020 8677 8677.

Models, Jade Hurley and Lauren Emmett.

We would like to thank Croydon Council for letting Limelight use Park Hill Park for our fashion shoot.

e Davies

For some, hopping into a kart and slipping a helmet down your face for the first time is an exciting experience.

Can you imagine what Lewis Hamilton’s reaction was when his dad first presented him with a kart? Now look at him!

Not once in my life have I thought of taking up motor racing professionally, although a ride in a go-kart was something I’d been eager to do for months.

Everytime I would ask myself: “When are we going, please let it be this week?”

“With modest prices, an amazing track and fast karts, Playscape is the place to be for motorsport”

k/ Denim et, £8, Primar ck ja t in pr k. opard Lauren (left) Leark/White ruffled top, £8, Primar£9, s, im rt Pr Sho shorts, £8, £10, Primark/ Denim shirt, ) ht ig (r k Jade Primar w trilby, £3, Primark/Stra

Photograph by Jodi

By Terrelle Iziren

Photograph by Jodie Davies

model’s Denim shorts, £8, Primark/Boots, £3.99, H&M/Boots, model’s own t, top, £3, Primark/Bright pink skir

s

Terrelle in the driving seat

Summer festival fashion

by Jodie Davie

The Circuit Of Success

Fashion

Photograph

Sports

Lauren Tribal pattern to p, £8,Topshop/Whit shorts, £8, Primark.

Jade White top, £8, Prime belt, £1, Primark/Denim ark/ Shorts, mode l’s own limelight 21

The Best and Worst DVDs

Album Review

A scene from Dragon War

the best

The Shawshank Redemption 5/5 Finding the best movie for me was incredibly hard. The choices included Lion King, Inception and The Dark Knight. Top of my list was The Shawshank Redemption.

For those of you who have never seen this movie or, God forbid, even heard of it, it’s about a man, innocent Andy Dufresne, who is sent to Shawshank prison over the murder of his wife. There he learns to respect his fellow prisoners, one of whom is Red (Morgan Freeman) and sees that there is hope in such a desolate place.

It may not sound like the best movie in the world, but it will keep you in your seat. You will want to know what’s going to happen and how. It’s one of those rare movies, which sends goosebumps down your back for the simple reason, that it’s just so good. You follow Andy with his emotions and you will actually want him to succeed unlike in most movies where you probably think,‘gosh I hope the good guy dies.’

I will leave you with one of my favourite quotes from the film spoken by Andy Dufresne: “On the outside, I was an honest man, straight as an arrow. I had to come to prison to be a crook.”

By David X Shui-Jerzierski 22 limelight

the WORST

Dragon War (AKA D-War) 0/5

Contenders for the worst movie of all time were Eragon, The Last Airbender and The Avengers. If I had the time and the space, I would tell you how terrible these movies were. However, Dragon War came up top. It was so horrible, I almost mistook this ‘fast-paced action fantasy film’ for a comedy.

Based on a Korean Legend that mythical creatures will one day

return to the world, the story had potential. In the film a boy turns out to be the reincarnation of a hero back in the days of the legend and some girl the reincarnation of his love. They grow up, not knowing each other and within moments (literally) of just seeing each other, it’s as if they were never apart. They then team up to try and kill the evil dragons (yes, there are good dragons).

Unfortunately, I cannot tell you the disgraceful flaws in the film without revealing the main plot, but I will tell you that it moves so fast, it becomes confusing and you find yourself asking, ‘what on earth is happening?!’

I’m up for movies with dragons, but why do these dragons have cannons? I fear that too much was packed in here. I really don’t know who to blame, the director or the writer, but in fairness, everyone involved with this film should be blamed. I invite everyone to buy a copy of this DVD - overpriced at around £1.50 - and watch it, because a jolly good laugh is guaranteed - it’s that bad.

By David X Shui-Jerzierski

Twenty Twenty Small Talk 4/5 New kids on the block Twenty Twenty released their new album Small Talk in late April this year. After listening to the album, I immediately liked the band, especially their song The Puppeteer and instantly had it on replay. The album’s first track Love To Life has a catchy beat and the chorus is addictive, while the track, Jamie’s Girl, is not your ordinary love song, but the lyrics are just remarkable.

This album is definitely a floor filler, yet also contains songs for you to belt out to in the shower. If you listen to acts like The Wanted or McFly then you’ll Love Twenty Twenty.

Favourite Track: The Puppeteer

Concert Review

THE WANTED

Hammersmith Apollo 3/5

A scene from The Shawshank Redemption

Hammersmith Appollo was taken over by The Wanted in early April and I (and Limelight’s Debi Torr) got the chance to watch the live show with hundreds of shrieking fans.

After watching the night start with warm-up sessions from Twenty Twenty, upcoming group Lawson and singer Starboy Nathan, the crowd were more than ready to watch The Wanted, who began their show from behind bars (in case you didn’t know, a track on their album is entitled, Behind Bars).

The Wanted boys had the crowd screaming the whole time they were on stage and even between costume changes. The crowd especially went crazy for

The Wanted the group’s medley of songs by singer/songwriter Taio Cruz, which included the songs Dynamite and Higher.

The guys showcased their natural talent when they played their own instruments and performed a new song called Lightening from their second album. Judging by the crowd’s reaction, we can tell it’s going to be a hit!

After 90 minutes of non-stop

singing and shouting from the audience, the boys finished their set with their Comic Relief charity single, Gold Forever and their first ever chart topper All Time Low. The overall experience was astounding. Having said this I would have enjoyed the concert more if I were under 15. Debi, Limelight’s 17-year-old fashion editor felt the same way.

By Kelsea Sellars limelight 23

A special tribute to

Oluwatobi Adeyemi

INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT DAY DAY SCHOOL SCHOOL FOR FOR BOYS BOYS AGED AGED 10–18 10–18 INDEPENDENT DAY SCHOOL FOR BOYS AGED 10–18

OPEN MORNING OPEN MORNING SATURDAY SATURDAY 24 24 SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER SATURDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 9.00am to 1.00pm

By Jamie D’Costa

It’s often a cliché to write, why do the good die young? But sometimes clichés are all you can write because no amount of words can do justice to how you feel. You try desperately to delude yourself that what has happened isn’t real. It’s too strange, and when you submit to accepting what has happened, has really happened, you feel so numb inside.

Oluwatobi Adeyemi died in Epsom Hospital on March 5 2011, after collapsing at his home in Kingswood, Surrey. Tobi, as he was known, was one of my best mates and an exceptional student. Few boys were as outstanding as he was in one field, let alone the five things that I’ll always remember him for – his basketball skills, his academic ability, his ability on the drums and the cello, but most importantly of all, he was the nicest person I ever met.

Adrian Norris, head of sixth form at Whitgift School, described Tobi as ‘a first class academic intending to study maths at Oxford’. The best thing about Tobi’s academic ability was that he shared it with everyone. He was always willing to lend a hand whenever you needed it and mentored the school’s younger boys.

I’ll never forget his ability on the drums or the cello, which he played on numerous occasions for the school. In particular, I’ll always remember him for basketball, which 24 limelight

9.00am to 1.00pm 9.00am to 1.00pm

Whitgift School is a member of the Whitgift Foundation, registered charity No. 312612 Whitgift School is a member of the Whitgift Foundation, registered charity No. 312612 Whitgift School is a member of the Whitgift Foundation, registered charity No. 312612

Thank you to all our advertisers, partners & supporters, including:

was his passion.

Whitgift held a concert and memorial basketball game for Tobi, so through doing what he loved we may remember him.

The crucial thing about Tobi is that he was such a warm and nice person. I have never known such a generous person, who would always be there for you. His spirit lives on through all who remember him.

No person has ever touched the lives of so many and been taken so

soon. Tobi was an amazing individual and to those who knew him, he was a brother. He was our mate. See you soon Tobi, at heaven’s gate.

R.I.P. Tobi Adeyemi In remembrance of Tobi, a charity has been set up in his name. Tobi wanted to be an investment banker and to set up a charitable fund for those less fortunate than himself.

If you would like to donate please contact Sutton Christian Centre on 020 8642 8117.

Business and Education London South (BELS), The Croydon Advertiser, The Croydonian, Croydon College, Croydon Commitment, Croydon Guardian, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, notgoingtouni, PJ’s Community Service, Primark, The Magazine Printing Company, Troublemaker Associates (design), Waitrose (Croydon), Whitgift School

limelight 25

editing

writing

design

Sales

social media

PR fundraising Are you good at any of the above?

Then Limelight wants you!

Limelight is a new lifestyle magazine for young people aged 12 – 25. The first issue flew off the shelves in libraries, shops and schools across Croydon. Want to know why? Limelight’s young dynamic team produced a top quality magazine featuring celebrity interviews, film reviews and fashion. What’s more they got a chance to develop team work and communication skills – the kind employers love! Sounds like a winning team? Then join it. You can do so by sending an email to: adeline@risemedia.org.uk 26 limelight

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Then please help Limelight survive and thrive by making a donation or placing an advert.

Limelight is more than a magazine.

It’s a community interest project which aims to give young people (12-25), an opportunity to have fun while developing skills employers need such as team work and communication.

If you agree with these aims then please make a donation. You can send a cheque to Rise Youth Group Limited, 74-94 Cherry Orchard Road, East Croydon, Surrey, CR0 6BA. For more information about Limelight or to request a media pack for advertising rates please call: 020 8654 4235 or 07950 255 389. Alternatively email: adeline@risemedia.org.uk Limelight is part of Rise Youth Group Limited, a Croydon-based social enterprise set up by award-winning journalist Adeline Iziren.

n o d y o r C College CROYDON COLLEGE OFFERS FULL AND PART-TIME QUALIFICATIONS AT VARIOUS LEVELS: • Access to Higher Education Diplomas • Apprenticeships • AS/A Levels • BA (Hons) Degrees • Bespoke courses for businesses • BTEC Certificates and Diplomas • CACHE Diplomas • ESOL qualifications • Foundation Degrees • HNCs • Learning in the workplace (Work-based NVQs) • LLB (Hons) Degrees • NVQs • Postgraduate Diplomas • Pre-entry Level/ Entry Level qualifications

The Final Countdown

By Summer 2011 we’ll have: • An amazing new extension bringing more light into the whole building.

• New industry standard recording studios.

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• Specially designed social and study spaces.

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Croydon Sixth Form College, Croydon Skills & Enterprise College and Croydon Higher Education College form Croydon College.