An Open Invitation To Young Writers

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Young Spurs at the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference meet with biographer James McGrath Morris.

Last year, we at YJI met George Getschow, a tremendous journalist and writing coach, at the national conference of the Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. We learned from him about a phenomenal opportunity for young writers and journalists: the Young Spurs competition at the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. We attended the conference and were blown away by its welcoming community of writers (known as "the tribe") and the awesome chance to learn from some of the best in the business. We give this contest and conference YJI's highest recommendation.

Read what YJI reporter Katie Lothrop wrote about her own experience at the Mayborn.

youthjournalism.org

Young Spur and YJI reporter Katie Lothrop with biographer 

James McGrath Morris at the 2012 Mayborn conference.

The Young Spurs contest, which is on now, awards 10 high school or community college students the chance of a lifetime: to travel with a teacher, parent or mentor to Dallas and spend a wonderful weekend in a small group learning about writing and to have work published in the venerable Dallas Morning News. All travel, food and lodging and conference expenses for winners within the United States are covered. Read on for a letter of invitation from Mr. Getschow:

I am writing to invite students with an interest in non-fiction writing to enter the third annual Mayborn National History Writing Contest. This exciting contest aims to nurture the next generation of storytellers and journalists, and is part of the University of North Texas’ Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. The Education Department at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum Education Department, Big Thought and Biographers International partner with UNT’s Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism to host the competition.

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YJI co-founders Steve Collins, left, and Jackie Majerus, right, with journalist George Getschow, who started the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction conference at the University of North Texas.

“The competition,” says Pulitzer Prize-winning author Debby Applegate, “offers aspiring biographers a remarkable opportunity to hone their craft, spend time with established writers, and gain recognition for their work. It could make a world of difference in a young writer’s life.”

Ten winners, along with the teacher or mentor of their choice, will be awarded scholarships to the 2013 Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference, which will be held July 19 – 21 at the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center in Grapevine, Texas. Winners will be recognized during the conference’s Literary Lights dinner on July 20, and the winning narrative histories will be published in The Dallas Morning News. The winners will also attend a daylong writing workshop with Ron Powers, author of “Flags of Our Fathers,” a much heralded narrative history of World War II.

To enter the competition high school and community college students, between the ages of 14-25 years old, are asked to write a narrative account of an historical event and the key character or characters involved in that event, living or past, , who left a deep and lasting legacy in his or her community. The narrative history should be less than 5,250 words. Complete rules and more information are available at:

http://journalism.unt.edu/sites/default/files/Mayborn_NHWC_app.pdf

Regular conference attendee and journalist Lee Hancock conceived the initial idea of the competition to involve young people in the conference, and looks forward to the national writing contest’s continued success.

“Last year it was tremendously exciting to see a group of kids so engaged and so changed by their experience at the Mayborn Conference, and we’re hopeful that will continue this year with more submissions and more interest,” Hancock said. “We’ve known for a long time how successful the Mayborn is at inspiring and encouraging all ages of writers, and we’re looking forward to seeing what this year’s group will do.”

This is a remarkable opportunity for aspiring young writers in that it rewards the winners with a chance to sharpen their skills working with some of the nation’s best writers. In connecting the new young writers with the seasoned older pros, this competition plays an instrumental role in creating the next generation of storytellers.

To read the stories by and about some of our past winners in The Dallas Morning News, go to:  http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/books/20120511-mayborn-read-all-10-winning-essays.ecen bulletin boards.

If you read these stories, I have no doubt you’ll want to become one of our nationally acclaimed Young Spurs winners. Deadline is June 8. So don’t procrastinate.  I want to celebrate your achievement at our national conclave in July. 

Sincerely,

George Getschow

Writer in residence

The Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference

If Ever A Wonderful Wiz There Was, This Film Tells The Tale Starting Long Before Oz

By Yvette Hong

Junior Reporter

Youth Journalism International

SEOUL, South Korea – Oz the Great and Powerful. But was he always so great and powerful?

Director Sam Raimi’s adventurous prequel to the original 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz shows a story of how one small-time magician becomes king of the magnificent Emerald City.

Oscar Diggs, who goes by the name of “Oz” on stage and is played by James Franco, dreams of one day becoming someone great, like his heroes, Thomas Edison and Harry Houdini. However, he works as a sideshow magician in a traveling circus with the help of his loyal assistant Frank, played by Zach Braff.

Oscar sounds like any other protagonist, the kinds with big dreams and a selfless heart. Yet because of his feelings of inadequacy and failure, he turns out to be more selfish than selfless. The “great” Oz is more of a womanizer, using some sob story about his grandmother’s music box to seduce women, then leaving a trail of broken hearts.

These lies and his trusty flirtation technique one day leads to him messing with the wrong person. The girl he happens to flirt with turns out to be the wife of the circus strongman, and he chases Oscar.

Luckily, Oscar manages to escape on a hot air balloon. Then bad luck comes kicking right back. A tornado comes and sucks him in, transporting him to the beautiful, vibrant Land of Oz, where he comes to be known as the prophesied wizard/king who will save the kingdom.

In the magical land, he meets the three witches. Theodora, played by Mila Kunis, turns into a green, big-nosed witch – possibly super terrifying to younger kids – out of the overwhelming feeling of betrayal. Her sister, Evanora, played by Rachel Weisz, is a manipulative witch with evil flying monkeys as pets. The two evil sisters reign over the terrified kingdom.

Finally, there’s Glinda the Good, played by Michelle Williams. She’s a princess-like witch who cares for the good people of Oz.

At first, the three are skeptical that Oscar is the mystical Wizard of Oz that has been told by the prophecies. He’s greedy for gold and takes things too easily. However, with the help of loyal friend, Finley, also played by Braff, the flying monkey in the bellhop suit, courageous China Girl, played by Joey King, and Glinda, he transforms and changes for the better, becoming the king everyone was waiting for.

Although this year's Disney movie was not as magical as the 1939 original The Wizard of Oz, it was still entertaining with great characters. It's unfair to ask Finley and China girl to fill the legendary shoes of Scarecrow and Tin Man, but Franco plays an excellent Oz as he sporadically thinks of schemes to keep his prophecy alive.

The film was a little ominous and there were numerous pop-up scenes, making it somewhat frightening for younger kids to watch. Not to mention Theodora and her awful seaweed green make up. The feud between the witches also got a little confusing because the background story of the witches was vague.

Director Raimi wittingly made it modern with a lot of artistic ideas, while keeping the classic feel of its old sequel. Oz the Great and Powerful is a fun and great family movie that can be enjoyed in 3D.

Eagerly Casting My Ballot In Pakistan's History-Making Democratic Election

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YJI Senior Correspondent Waleed Tariq shows off the purple ink on his thumb that indicates he voted in Pakistan's elections today. 

By Waleed Tariq

Senior Correspondent

Youth Journalism International

KARACHI, Pakistan – National elections are today in Pakistan and it will be the country’s first transfer between two elected, civilian governments.

Karachi, like many other parts of the country, is witnessing large number of young people going to exercise their vote for the first time. Similarly, I voted for the first time today and it felt amazing!

After paying attention and getting informed about the candidates all these years, nothing felt better than to walk across to the polling station, use the stamp and vote.

Pakistan is a federal republic where parliamentary elections take place every five years. We have national and provincial assemblies, and the party with the majority of seats is invited to form the federal government at the center and choose the prime minister. 

Out of 272 National Assembly seats, a ruling coalition has to have a simple – more than half of the seats – to form the government. 

Voting is on till 5 p.m. today, and unofficial results will start coming in as soon as the counting begins.

It's so empowering to know that your voice is counted.

I hope everyone takes time out to vote in Pakistan.

Editor's note: Election Day in Pakistan has been marred by violence, including a morning bombing in Karachi that killed at least 11 people, according to The New York Times. The paper said the attack followed the Taliban's threats to send suicide bombers across the country.

Summer Camp! YJI Teams Up With Environmental Learning Centers Of CT

Anyone living in Connecticut looking for a summer day camp opportunity for a young writer, artist or photographer should check out two camps at Indian Rock Nature Preserve in Bristol.

Youth Journalism International is excited to be providing the educational component for two camps in July: Environmental Reporting and Photography, and Capturing Nature in Words and Pictures.

The camps are for students entering grades seven, eight and nine and are held at the 280-acre, idyllic Indian Rock Nature Preserve on Route 69, which is part of the Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut. The camp day is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Students enrolled in the Environmental Reporting and Photography camp will work with a teacher from Youth Journalism International, learning about interviewing, reporting, photography and writing about environmental issues. Using the same tools as real journalists, including both video and still cameras, they’ll chronicle the construction of a Native American wigwam, finishing with photos and stories for publication.

Those enrolled in Capturing Nature in Words and Pictures will use cameras and journals to record their thoughts, observations and ideas as they study the natural world. A teacher from Youth Journalism International will help them emerge with a collection of images and writings that will be a personal keepsake and, possibly, for publication.

As with all camps at Indian Rock, participants will have a chance to swim in Indian Lake and relax in a natural setting. The Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut has a stellar record of offering a nature-based, education experience at an affordable $215 for a full week. Here's a link that will take you to the camp brochure.

]The Preserve's resources include the pristine nine acre Indian Lake with two swimming areas, a farm, a fleet of canoes & kayaks, miles of trails upon which to explore the forest, and many indoor program areas.

The camp director and full time staff are environmental education professionals who, along with our summer staff, encourage and facilitate discovery and exploration through hands-on experiences. The camp is licensed by the state of Connecticut.

We’re going to have a great time this summer. If you’re the right age and lucky enough to live in or near Bristol, come join us!

A Ducky Day In Forestville: YJI Marks Ninth Year At Connecticut Community Festival

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YJI Senior Reporter Yelena Samofalova, right, painted a tiger face on this happy boy before her own Batman mask could be finished.

youthjournalism.org

Jean Letourneau with his daughter, YJI alum and dancing banana, Danielle Letourneau.

Youth Journalism International is feeling incredibly ducky to have spent a glorious Sunday in Forestville.

At our booth at the annual Duck Race on the Pequabuck River, YJI greeted many old friends and made plenty of new ones.

With superb help from YJI students Yelena Samofalova and Mary Majerus-Collins – as well as amazing alums Danielle Letourneau and Hila Yosafi – YJI offered free face painting, temporary tattoos and henna art to all comers. We made many, many children happy, and quite a few adults, too.

Dressed in her banana costume, Danielle even danced in the street with Bristol’s many pageant queens in front of our booth beside Nuchies restaurant.

Hila’s always supportive mom, Zarmina, pitched in, too, even applying some henna. YJI is lucky to have her as a friend.

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YJI Senior Reporter Mary Majerus-Collins paints a duck on a boy's hand.

youthjournalism.org

A ducky bit of painting

on a boy's hand

The Duck Race, an annual tradition that we’ve participated in all nine years it’s been around, brought a large crowd to the Forestville section to see 5,000 plastic ducks float down the Pequabuck River. We hope everybody had as much fun as we did.

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YJI alum and Ambassador Hila Yosafi-Lehman and her mom, Zarmina Yosafi

Thank you to everybody who stopped by our little booth and to all the hard-working folks who organized the event for the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce and Forestville Village Association. We’re so glad we could again be part of this terrific community gathering.

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From left, Noah Lehman, his mom YJI alum and Ambassador Hila Yosafi-Lehman, YJI students Yelena Samofalova and Mary Majerus-Collins and unparalleled alum Danielle Letourneau, who cheerfully goes bananas for YJI at every festival.

Democracy Is Slowly Coming To Malaysia

Evangeline Han

Reporter

Youth Journalism International

MELAKA, Malaysia – The internet – with its news sites, social media and partisan blogs – is helping to spur change in government here and, I hope, will eventually bring true democracy to my country.

Yesterday, Malaysians over age 21 went to the polls and elected a new government for the coming five years.

As the culmination of months of campaigning – labeled by some as one of Malaysia’s dirties elections ever – it proved a pivotal moment in the nation’s history.

Since Independence Day in 1957, Malaysia has been governed by only one political coalition, the Barisan Nasional, or National Front.

In the last decade, however, thanks to the internet, people have become more aware of the corruption and dirty politics played by the National Front.

In the general election in 2008, the National Front lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament and since then, it’s been harder for the coalition to pass unfair laws.  Internet blogs can take credit for that.

Since the government announced the date of this year’s general election, allegations of corruption and vote-buying are on the rise.

The last straw was when the opposition, Pakatan Rakyat, or People’s Alliance, claimed that the government has been paying and flying in thousands of foreigners from Bangladesh, Pakistan and other countries to vote in Malaysia’s elections.

When I first read about it, I felt angry and helpless. I am a 19-year old Malaysian and I cannot vote in my elections but somehow a Pakistani can vote in my elections. Where is the justice in that?

Other charges levied by the opposition against the government make me mad. They claimed their supporters were beaten by the National Front’s hooligans and that the police did nothing, and that Malaysians living outside the country had trouble casting their ballots by post.

It seems to me that the National Front was doing everything it could to ensure victory at any cost.

Election officials didn’t announce the final results until after 2 a.m. today. Never before in Malaysia’s election history have the voting results been so late, but that didn’t surprise me, either.

To my great disappointment, the National Front remained the federal government of Malaysia, but the small bit of good news was that the opposition won seven more Parliamentary seats than they did in the last elections in 2008.

These seven seats, won in East Malaysia, proved that the People’s Alliance is making inroads in two states that have long been considered government strongholds. Also the results proved that for the second time in Malaysian history, the National Front failed to retain a two-thirds majority.

I stayed up until 1:30 a.m. to watch the live election updates online. While watching, I read reports of some brave Malaysians who tried to prevent voter fraud, even forming human barricades in some places, because police were of no help.

It is these courageous people who give me hope.

When I saw that the National Front had retained a simple majority to form a government, I cried. I love Malaysia and it saddens me to see my country being destroyed by the very people who are supposed to protect her.

But despite my feelings of disappointment, anger, sadness, and disillusionment, I take hope in the fact that democracy is a journey, a process. It doesn’t happen in 10 years.

We might have lost because of dirty politics, but the government can never silence our voices. We have Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites that were greatly used by the young people in this election.

We will continue to speak and we will continue to fight for a clean electoral list, for leaders who are not corrupt, and for fair elections.

A defeat cannot weaken us; it can only make us stronger.

Kampala Youth Volunteers Work Together To Improve Ugandan School For The Deaf

Bwette Daniel Gilbert / youthjournalism.org

Iryn Ikkomu from Early Life Radio painting the classroom block

By Bwette Daniel Gilbert

Senior Reporter

Youth Journalism International

KAMPALA, Uganda – With a youth population of almost 70 percent, Uganda is one of the youngest nations in Africa.

Last week, as part of Global Youth Service Day, young people from many organizations worked together to make improvements at a school for the deaf.

Under the umbrella organization Generation Change, youth helped paint classrooms at the Uganda School for the Deaf in Ntinda, a short distance outside the capital city of Kampala. They planted a tree in the school garden and took part in interfaith prayers.

In Uganda, a massive influx of youth from the rural areas is moving to Kampala. The Kampala City Council Authority is stretched with the growing burden of sheltering and feeding this population as well as trying to keep the city and suburbs as clean as possible.

Getting youth involved in responsibilities and letting them know how important it is to keep the city clean, as well as other things like planting trees has been one of the toughest jobs city authorities have had to learn to live with.

But with the emergence of joint youth-led organizations such as Generation Change, the job has started to become easier.

Bwette Daniel Gilbert / youthjournalism.org

Generation Change team leader Wakib 

Bunya 

briefing

the youth.

Now, youth come out voluntarily to take part in cleaning the city. But is it truly Generation Change? Why do young adults trust it so much, to the extent of rendering their services and time for the benefit of the society?

Bwette Daniel Gilbert / youthjournalism.org

Kisirisa Mohammed leading the youth

in planting trees

Ahmed Hadji, one of the team leaders, explained.

“Generation Change is an international, interfaith, joint organization dedicated to young leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators for the purpose of sharing new ideas and information; networking and celebrating a new generation of change-makers in Uganda that is powered by the U.S. Embassy of Kampala,” said Hadji.

Another Generation Change team leader, Wakib Bunya of the Open Space Forum, said young people want to make a difference. The National Resistance Movement, Uganda’s current government, Bunya said, “neglects development made by other regimes,” including that the school for the deaf was built during the regime of former dictator Idi Amin.

Bwette Daniel Gilbert / youthjournalism.org

Joseph Opio from Green Light

Movement works with others to

clear the garden.

"But the development is in a sorrowful state, so as youth we have decided to complement the work of government by giving back,” said Bunya, in the form of renovations to classrooms, planting a fruit tree in the school garden and more.

Global Youth Service Day, a campaign of Youth Service America, an international leader in the youth service movement, is celebrated each year in more than 100 countries, with young people working together on important issues and to change their communities.

In Kampala, youth came from various organizations such as Uganda Youth Advisors to Washington, secondary schools and Rotary Interact clubs, Muslim Student Associations, university debate clubs, Rotaract clubs and other university organizations, the Bavubuka Foundation, Students for Global Democracy, Green Light Movement with additional help from the Uganda Muslim Youth Development Forum, Open Space Centre and African Youth Development Link.

From Saudi Arabia, Boston Born American Muslim Grieves Marathon Bombing Victims

By Nawall Hassan

Junior Reporter

Youth Journalism International

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – Tragedy is the unavoidable menace that walks among us, striking at the most unexpected of times.

On the gloriously clear-skied day of April 15^th, 2013, children and adults alike in Boston – my hometown – left their homes with the intention of spending a memorable day at the famed Copley Square with loved ones. No one was anticipating that they would soon be the victims to a dreadful, heinous act of terrorism.

Growing up in a city like Boston can leave a profound mark on a person, as I know quite well. Though my family is now living in Saudi Arabia, I was born and raised in Quincy, the Boston suburb that was home to one of America’s Founding Fathers, President John Adams and his family.

Yelena Samofalova / youthjournalism.org

After the bombing at the 

Boston

Marathon, the 

streets around

the finish 

line at Boylston Street,

where the bombs were 

placed,

were enclosed 

with barricades. 

Patriot’s Day afternoons passed with my family in downtown Boston were the paramount moments of my childhood. Upon hearing of the bombing, my thoughts first drifted to who could have the heart to pollute something as sacred as a lifetime of memories.

My second response was to hope and pray we didn’t share the same faith.

As a young American Muslim, it isn’t hard to get lost within two oceans of culture. It truly is a calamity when a race, nation, or religion is persecuted for the actions of misguided members.

The residents of Boston sought a festive gathering of society to promote health and well-being, but were instead confronted with the disturbed belief that justice could be taken into one’s own hands. As said in the Holy Quran, [Chapter 5, Verse 32] “… that whosoever killeth an innocent human being ... it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind.”

In this part of the world, some people are enraged.

“How dare they cause such a large commotion over three deceased Americans while hundreds die in Syria daily?” some said.

Yes, attention should be given to the genocide, war, and starvation claiming lives around the world. But death is death. Whenever a guiltless human being ceases to exist, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, gender or age, it becomes a tragedy that deserves immense mourning.

The world we now live in is divided and lacks the mutual understanding between diversity, culture and beliefs. Bridging these gaps would lead to a more socially interconnected planet, and, ultimately, a more peaceful one.

Making Smokey, Sweet Syrup From New England Maple Trees And A Backyard Fire Pit

Kiernan Majerus-Collins / youthjournalism.org

Here, two maple trees are tapped at once, with tubing from each tree leading to the same sap-collecting bucket.

By Alan Burkholder

Junior Reporter

Youth Journalism International

TERRYVILLE, Connecticut, U.S.A. – If you've ever had pancakes or waffles or french toast for breakfast, then you probably have a good idea of what maple syrup is.

If you've ever gone to buy some real maple syrup at the store, you also probably have a good idea of how expensive it is. Here's a hint: VERY.  So, it's little to no wonder why someone would take it upon himself to make his own batch.

That someone is Terryville resident Paul Mantoni, who has been making his own syrup for three years.

As the maple sugaring season came to a close early this spring, Mantoni took time out to show a visitor exactly how it works.

Kiernan Majerus-Collins / youthjournalism.org

After drilling a hole in the tree, Paul Mantoni uses a hammer to insert the tap into the tree.

Syrup making, Mantoni said, is a “very simple process” which is also “very easy to get started.”

The syrup making is mostly done towards the end of winter, when the day is above freezing and the night is below freezing. The production period ends in spring, when the weather turns warmer.

"Once you see red buds," Mantoni said, "you're finished."

He has plenty of maple trees to work with, and collecting the sap from the trees is the simplest part of the process.

Kiernan Majerus-Collins / youthjournalism.org

An overhead view of the route the sap takes through the tubing to the bucket below.

First, Mantoni drills a hole into the tree and attaches a tap and a tube to let the sap flow into a nearby bucket. After letting it pump for about a day, he removes the tap and plugs up the hole using a round stick of wood.

Job well done, right? Well, not exactly.

The sap of the maple tree, in its raw state, is not very sweet, due to being mostly water. There is a taste of sugar, but the sap requires a lot of time to boil before it starts looking and tasting like syrup.

According to Mantoni, it usually takes about eight hours.

Kiernan Majerus-Collins / youthjournalism.org

Aaron Mantoni carries firewood from an outdoor shed to the fire pit, where the sap is boiling.

To boil his sap, Mantoni, with the help of his sons Owen and Aaron, has set up a basic fire pit in the backyard. He pours a new bucket of sap in about every 40 minutes.

His method, Mantoni said, is a “very rough way of doing it,” since the pouring of sap is usually controlled in a more steady fashion.

Kiernan Majerus-Collins / youthjournalism.org

A wood fire, enclosed by cement cinderblocks, blazes beneath a shallow, open pan of sap. There are chairs around the fire pit, and in the yard behind the fire pit is some antique playground equipment.

Standing near the fire, it was possible to detect a hint of sugar to the smoke coming off of the fire pit.

Between the hand-built fire pit, the flocks of chickens and ducks running all over the yard, and an antique collection of playground equipment, it is clear that Mantoni and his family are running a very humble operation, not particularly done with profit in mind.

Kiernan Majerus-Collins / youthjournalism.org

Maple sap boils in a shallow, uncovered pan over a wood fire. Sometimes a little ash from the fire gets into the sap, and Mantoni uses a strainer to remove it.

Aaron, an eighth grade student at Eli Terry Jr. Middle School, helps his father with boiling the sap, and clearly thinks of this as more of a hobby than anything.

Kiernan Majerus-Collins / youthjournalism.org

Father and son Paul and Aaron Mantoni,

each holding a bottle of their homemade

maple syrup, enjoy the time they spend

together boiling sap over the fire.

“I do it for fun,” Aaron said when asked about the process.

He wasn’t the only one thinking of this operation as a hobby that yields something sweet that can be shared with friends.

“The best part,” his dad said, "is giving it away."

It seems odd how such a labor-intensive task can be viewed as fun, but in the end, it's like when you cook your own dinner for the first time. It may not be as easy as ordering it, and the results may vary, but there is definitely something rewarding about doing it yourself.

If you have maple trees and plan to try something like this at home, Mantoni recommends starting with a small batch on the stove, preferably with a fan on.

Who knows? You may feel a heightened sense of self-satisfaction the next time you have pancakes.