Josefin Svedberg
Rossland News
Youth Week is a provincial celebration of youth held annually during the first week of May.
“It is a week of fun, interaction and celebration intended to build a strong connection between young people and their communities, as well as to profile the issues, accomplishments and diversity of youth across the province,” explains Rossland’s Youth Act Network Co-ordinator Mike Kent.
This week marks the first Rossland Youth Week. As Kent explains, week is about celebrating youth but it is for everyone. Most happenings during Rossland Youth Week don’t have an age limit and he encourages people to come out and see what Rossland’s enthusiastic youth can achieve.
During the primary Youth Action Network meeting last September, the idea of Youth Week was formed with 35 youths. They wrote a Columbia Basin Trust grant proposal and received funding for what has now become Rossland Youth Week. The daily events have been planned by Youth Action Teams consisting of young people working together to make the events happen. For instance, Rossland School of Motion have been putting in extra time to practice and has brought in expert instructor Chad McDonald from Alberta for a coaching seminar to improve the skills of the instructors before this week.
The Youth Week Variety Show is put on to showcase the talented youth of Rossland. There will be dancing, singing and more. The Rossland Art Gallery has been filling with art made by two different age groups, Grade 6-9 and Grade 10-12. The artists are excited to show their art; it is for many their first public showing. Come show your support to these talented adolescents and vote for the People’s Choice Award.
Other activities include graffiti artist Bryn Stevenson teaching at Rossland’s First Legal Graffiti Wall during the weekend and a free bike shuttle that will be running for youth.
The Seventh U19 Film Festival is being held with open film contributions by young filmmakers that will be filed into different categories. There are five judges who will select a winner in every category and an overall People’s Choice Award.
On Tuesday, May 6, the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty will be shown in partnership with Rossland Council for Arts and Culture at the Miners’ Hall.
The week will wrap up with RED Talks, Rossland’s version of TED Talks. Jonny Coleshill, who is one of the brains behind RED Talks, explains “the idea is to use the TED Talks format and approach, and we wanted to provide a venue for excellent local people, both youth and adults, to share their ideas, stories, inspiration, research, talents and anything else!” The theme for the talks is “Life Path” and there are ten guests bringing up several intriguing topics.
Rossland Youth Week will be an eventful week with activities for youth and the community.
Rossland Youth Week
•Variety Show – RSS Auditorium May 1, 6:30 p.m.
•The Rossland Youth Art Show – Rossland Art Gallery May 2 - 11. The opening Night Gala Friday, May 2, 7 p.m.
•Graffiti Art Workshop – Rossglen Bike Park May 3-4, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
•The Seventh Annual U19 Film Festival – Rossland Miners’ Hall May 3, 7 p.m.
•Free Bike Shuttles for Youth – Pick up at Warfield Community Centre to the Mining School May 4, 1-5 p.m.
•Free Art of Movement by Rossland School of Motion – RSS Auditorium May 5, 6-9 p.m.
•The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – Rossland Miners’ Hall May 6, 7 p.m.
•RED Talks: Ideas Worth Shredding – Rossland Miners’ Hall May 7, 7 p.m.