When all you see are No Parking signs, don’t give up

Picture this. You’re driving around a parking lot, where there are no empty spots, until out of the corner of your eye you see a vacant space where you will surely fit in. Normally you hate parallel parking, but it looks like you have no choice. After manoeuvring your car into the space, you feel satisfied with yourself.

But then you look up and see it. Suddenly all your hard work is erased and you’re back to square one. Directly beside your passenger door is a sign that says No Parking. Tow Away Zone. Great, now where will you park? You circle the parking lot for what seems like hours, but nothing is becoming available to you. You’re convinced the world is against you.

There are going to be moments when you’re trying to make a positive change in your community and the only signs that seem to appear are the No Parking. Tow Away Zone. It can be so discouraging. I can remember so many times where I was attempting to do good, but nothing but bad was presenting itself.

Here’s an example. After only two weeks of being back at home after eight months of being away at school, I was hoping on a plane to move to Ontario. I had decided where I needed to be for the summer was in Paisley, Ontario working at a camp for intellectually challenged adults. However, instead of landing in Ontario with welcome banners and balloons to greet me, it was one emotional struggle after the next. One week into my stay all I wanted to do was hop on a plane back to BC. I was trying to make a difference, but the world wanted nothing of it.

You’re back in the car. You drive around that parking lot for what seems like hours, and you know what? A spot became available eventually. It might have taken longer than you expected, but it came nonetheless. The same can be said about my move to Ontario. In the beginning it didn’t seem like things were going to get better, but they did. In fact, my summer spent in Ontario has had such a huge impact on my life up to date, and I don’t know where I would be without my experience at that camp.

What am I trying to tell you? Be persistent.

There are going to be moments in your life when you are convinced that the only spots left are tow away zones, but hang in there. Continue to focus on your goal, and reassure yourself of the importance that goal has to you. Eventually your persistence is going to pay off, after all “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” (Dale Carnegie)

Posted by Becky Molly

Stories: Getting Students Active… and Relaxed

A number of researchers, including Dr. John Ratey, who linked physical activity to increased learning capacity in youth and Steptoe and Butler, who found that sports participation improved emotional wellbeing in adolescents, have touted the benefits of sport far beyond mere fitness.

These effects can be seen throughout Canada thanks to the Sogo Active grants, which allow teachers, mentors and community organizers to receive funding for a physical activity project for youth aged 13 to 19.

Diana Clarke, Physical and Health Education teacher at Gravenhurst High School, in Ontario, has witnessed psychological and behavioural benefits in her class since she began working with them in the fall of 2009. Clarke teaches 14 high school students with a variety of developmental challenges such as autism, learning disabilities, scoliosis, foetal alcohol syndrome and Down’s syndrome.

With the grant that she received through Sogo Active, Clarke bought pedometers for the students to wear during gym class, which takes place 75 minutes a day, five days a week. “It helps them to gage how much activity they are doing” she says. It is much harder for some of the students to measure their progress with methods such as heart rate monitoring.

Clarke also takes her students swimming and provides them with yoga instruction. “For many of them, the pressure and the buoyancy of the water are comforting. They may have tense home environments and this is a good way for them to relax.” She adds that yoga has also been a great stress reliever and has given them tools to be calmer, even outside of class.

“I am very grateful for the funding. Not only is it very helpful for them but I appreciate the activities too.”

A small grant can have a big impact. Find out more at www. sogoactive.com.

Posted by Eleonore Fournier-Tombs

2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics Theme - “I Believe” by Nikki Yanofsky

See our ACTIVATE Torch Bearers in a group hug at 3:13!

Rêveurs du Canada: Kara Zakrzewski, athlète de volley-ball de plage

La plupart des gens, quand ils pensent à du sable, pensent à se détendre sur une plage ensoleillée. Pour Kara Zakrzewski cependant, le sable n’est pas un endroit pour se relaxer. Pour elle, le sable est la fondation sur laquelle ses rêves olympiques sont construits.

Zakrzewski, qui habite à Mississauga, a commencé à jouer au volley-ball de plage en 1997, pour maintenir sa forme physique pour le volleyball intérieur. Rapidement, elle est tombée en amour avec le volley-ball de plage. En particulier, elle dit qu’elle aimait « l’athlétisme de jouer à chaque tour ».

En 2006, Zakrzewski gagne le Championnat canadien de volley-ball de plage, une de ses plus grandes réalisations professionnelles. Depuis, elle travaille fort pour se qualifier pour les Jeux olympiques d’été de 2012.

Réaliser ses rêves est important pour Zakrzewski. Depuis les huit dernières années, elle fait des présentations de motivation avec l’Équipe Esteem. Elle inspire les jeunes à la suivre sa philosophie Dream Bigg: « Croyez; Inspirez-vous-même; Identifiez un objectif; et Allez-y! » Zakrzewski est d’avis que lorsque vous suivez ces principes, « vous pouvez réussir à quoi que ce soit dans la vie. »

Malheureusement, le financement présente un obstacle énorme à la réalisation des rêves - que ce soit dans les sports, la musique, ou à l’école - pour beaucoup de ces jeunes. Zakrzewksi le sait trop bien. Il y a beaucoup des coûts associés au fait d’être une athlète, pour l’entraînement, les compétitions et les voyages. Zakrzewski a donc essayé d’obtenir 12 000$ en douze jours en décembre dernier pour appuyer ses rêves olympiques en 2012. Avec l’appui de ses amis, de sa famille, de sa communauté, et des sociétés commanditaires, elle a recueilli 10 000$.

Bien que Zakrzewski regrette que la collecte de fonds prenne du temps qu’elle pourrait passer en entraînement, elle aime passer du temps à inspirer les jeunes. « Si je peux parler à l’enfant qui deviendra le prochain premier ministre, c’est bien plus important que d’aller aux Jeux olympiques», explique-t-elle. Comme le rêve de chaque athlète est de participer aux Jeux olympiques, cette philosophie en dit beaucoup sur la différence que Zakrzewski fait au Canada.

Pour en savoir plus sur Kara Zakrzewski et son programme Dream Bigg, veuillez visitez son site web.

Connaissez-vous un canadien ou une canadienne avec un grand rêve? Nommez-le ou la pour notre prochain profil Rêveurs du Canada. Envoyez un email à Ranita à rmanocha (arrobase) alumni (point) uwo (point) ca.

Partagé par Ranita Manocha

Canadian Dreamers: Kara Zakrzewski, Beach Volleyball Player

When most people think about sand, they think about lazing around on a sunny beach. For 30-year-old Mississauga native Kara Zakrzewski, however, sand is no place for slacking off. It’s the stuff Olympic dreams are built on.

Zakrzewski first started playing beach volleyball in 1997, as a way to stay in shape for indoor volleyball. She quickly fell in love with playing on the sand, however; particularly, she recalls, with the “athleticism demanded from being involved in every play.” The fact that diving for the ball was a little less painful also made the decision easier.

In 2006, Zakrzewski won the Canadian Beach Volleyball National Championship, one of her biggest professional accomplishments. Since then, she has been working hard towards qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics.

Chasing dreams is important to Zakrzewski. As an eight-year motivational speaker with the Esteem Team, she spends a lot of time inspiring youth to follow her Dream Bigg philosophy: “Believe; Inspire yourself; Goal set; and Go for it!” Zakrzewski believes that when you follow these basic fundamentals, “you can succeed at anything in life!”

Unfortunately, finances present a huge barrier to achieving dreams – whether in sports, music, or school – for many of these youth. Zakrzewksi knows this firsthand. There are significant costs associated with being a competitive athlete, such as coaching, training, competing, and travelling. Thus in order to support her 2012 Olympic dreams, Zakrzewski attempted to raise $12 000 in 12 days last December. With the support of friends, family, community, and corporate sponsors, Zakrzewski raised an incredible $10 000.

Although Zakrzewski regrets that raising money takes time away from training, she loves spending time inspiring youth. “If I can talk to the kid who becomes the next prime minister, that’s far bigger than going to the Olympics,” she explains. When every athlete’s dream is to compete at the Olympics, that says a lot about the difference Zakrzewski is making in Canada.

To learn more about Kara Zakrzewski and the Dream Bigg program, visit Kara’s website.

Know a Canadian with a big dream? Nominate him or her for our next Canadian Dreamer profile by contacting Ranita at rmanocha (at) alumni (dot) uwo (dot) ca.

Posted by Ranita Manocha

How to make lattes and become an ACTIVATOR

Every day I go to Starbucks to study and every day I am amazed at the baristas. I will be sitting on the couch studying for a test when a person will walk in and order an outrageous drink. No longer are people ordering a regular latte, but instead a half soy, double shot, with extra water, hold the whip, but add extra foam, and chocolate shavings instead of the chocolate sauce latte. The employee that takes the order never seems to be troubled though, while I sit on the comfortable couch stressing over the drink that I have nothing to do with! Every day I find myself repeating I that could never do their job.

Here’s the thing though.

I could do it. In fact, anybody could probably do the job. The catch is, getting the right training, having a positive attitude, being motivated to make the drink ordered, and believing that you are capable of making any drink a person may decide to order.

I’ll try this concept from a different angle. When people find out that I have been an ACTIVATE delegate, they are stunned that I was one of 40-50 youth chosen to attend such a conference. They quickly assume that they don’t have what it takes to be an ACTIVATOR and continue to applaud me on my efforts. Then, when they find out that I was chosen as a volunteer, they jump off the deep end! Suddenly my accomplishment goes from admirable to astronomical. Again they repeat that they could never do it.

I disagree.

In fact, I could probably write pages upon pages explaining why I disagree, but I’ll leave you with just a couple of thoughts instead. Anyone can do anything they set their mind to. Anyone can be successful if they have a positive attitude and motivation to make a change or perform a simple task. Anyone can accomplish a new task if they are given the opportunity and basic guidance. Anyone can make a half soy, double shot, with extra water, hold the whip, but add extra foam, and chocolate shavings instead of chocolate sauce latte. If the person has the motivation and desire to make the drink, all the person needs is the tools and opportunity to do so.

Anyone can be an activator too. Past delegates aren’t superheroes, or a rare breed of the human race. We are youth that had and continue to have the desire and motivation to make a change. And the ACTIVATE conference gave us the tools and opportunities to explore our ideas further and put them into action.

So here’s the trick: believe in yourself. Believe in your dreams. Believe in your potential and the potential of your community. Seek out the tools needed to succeed, and you will.

Posted by Becky Molly

Attending ACTIVATE: my perseverance paid off

I was walking into Law class, discussing the ACTIVATE application with a friend of mine. As I sat down a girl behind me was curious to know what we were talking about. I explained to her what it was about, and she said that she was going to go home and apply that night. I didn’t dwell on it too much at the time and continued on with my day.

A few weeks later, she came up to me and said that her references were contacted. I was a little taken back because I knew mine hadn’t been contacted. A few days after that she excitedly came up to me at school and said she was accepted for the conference! Soon she was in the town newspaper and was getting a lot of attention due to this amazing accomplishment. I was so disappointed. I started wondering if I hadn’t told her about the conference, would I have been the Port Alberni girl they picked instead?

I remember the day she came back from the conference. My first question was, “what are you going to do for your ACTIVATE in Action plan!?” She didn’t seem as excited as I was. I didn’t understand! All I wanted was an opportunity to learn more, and I didn’t get that. It was so frustrating to see everyone take my chance away from me. Or, so I thought. I continued on with my life, went to university, and made a name for myself at Dalhousie University.

One day I was checking my email and noticed an email from ACTIVATE. It was encouraging me to apply for the 2009 conference. The disappointment that I felt from getting “rejected” definitely came back, but an emotion far stronger took over. Passion. Drive. Motivation. An urge to promote physical activity in the lives of youth. I spent my day on the application and clicked “Submit”. Although I didn’t know if I was going to get accepted, I knew I couldn’t give up. The ACTIVATE conference promotes the idea of pursuing dreams and overcoming adversity to do so, and I was doing just that.

And it paid off.

On a freezing day in Halifax, Nova Scotia I opened my email to see “Congratulations, you have been selected for the ACTIVATE 2009 Conference.”

Don’t give up on your dreams. If you want something bad enough, it’s worth fighting for. I may have not have been chosen the first time around, but I can tell you, it was well worth the wait.

Posted by Becky Molly

Becky was a delegate at the ACTIVATE 2009 National Youth Leadership Conference and was selected as a volunteer for the ACTIVATE 2010 conference.

Meet the Activate 2010 Volunteer Team!

From January 29 to 31, the youth organizers for the Activate 2010 National Youth Leadership Conference taking place in May met in Ottawa to select delegates and plan the conference’s agenda. Here is the introductory video that they produced.

Find out more about Activate 2010!

A behind-the-scenes look at an Esteem Team presentation

Trampolinist Brenna Casey is one the Esteem Team’s most energetic athletes. On January 18, she spoke to children at Meadowlands Public School in Ottawa. It’s never too early to inspire children to follow their dreams!

Learn more about Brenna Casey’s athletic and personal journey!

Photos by James Zhou

Jogging Minds: sports for the brain at Allandale Heights Public School

On Friday, January 8, Motivate Canada supported the Barrie school as it launched a pilot project aiming to improve self-esteem, focus and grades through physical activity.

Find out more

Photos by Mark Sluban