Cover Story: Chino on fame, Jamaica and music p.8

Contents

Movie review: The Hunger Games p.4

Exam study tips p.3

7CHOICES Career & Education Expo p.7

Healthy weight loss tips p.11

Being happy single p.12

How to get the perfect summer job p.6

Young people are leaders of today and tomorrow p.13

Five game apps worth downloading p.14 4

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From the Editor

any of you are gearing up for examinations, while others have already started. To ensure that you do well, it is important to create a study routine that

allows you to spend maximum time understanding the material on your syllabus or course outline. School is an important part of your life and how well you do in exams will determine your next step.

When studying, ensure that you read to understand rather than remember. It might not seem like a huge difference, but remembering the information doesn’t necessarily mean that you are in a position to apply it. This is why understanding the content is so important. When you understand, you are able to not only explain the information to others, but also make important linkages with other topics you’ve learned.

Also, ensure that you ask your instructor questions. Don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t know something. If you’re not grasping the information being presented about a particular topic, don’t hesitate to raise your hand and make that known

to your teacher. This is better than leaving the classroom con-fused, then trying to find answers on your own or from your peers, who might not fully understand the information, either. Your teachers are there for a reason.

It is crucial that you also make time every day to review your notes after each class. This is important because it is at this point that you will identify troublesome topics that need clari-fication and you will be able to follow up with your teacher the next day. If you do this, you will find that you are cramming less as exams approach.

Everyone’s study routine isn’t necessarily the same. Some peo-ple study well with loud music while others prefer to sit in a qui-et corner with no distractions. There are no study rules written in stone; however, strive to cover all the topics and ensure that you understand the content. All the best in your exams!

Have a productive week.Keresa

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Exam study tips

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idterms are finally over and I don’t know about you but I couldn’t be happier, at least until final exams

come around. Anyway, in light of the joyous occasion, I decided to treat myself - although I hardly ever need a reason, but it’s nice to have an excuse to justify my movie addiction. This week, I went to see The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games tells the story of Katniss Everdeen ( Jenni-fer Lawrence), a girl who lives in the future dystopian world of what used to be North America. Following the punishment and reminder of a rebellion that happened 74 years prior, the capitol city of Panem forces one girl and one boy from each district of 12 to compete in modern Roman gladiatorial games called the Hun-ger Games, where 24 go in and only one comes out. Katniss, who

is from the lowest and poorest district, offers herself to compete in the games in echange for her sister. She embarks on a journey where she finds the courage not only to fight for her life, so that she may return home, but the will to stand up and fight against the status quo that says there can only be one winner.

Based on the first book of the same name in a trilogy of novels by Suzanne Collins, which by the way I am now trying desperately to get my hands on, the movie marks the beginning of Katniss’ journey, a girl with a stubborn streak and slight antisocial disposi-tion, but who has the heart of a warrior. This movie was truly unlike any other I had seen in a while and I can’t say that I was on the edge of my seat this much since Transformers 3: Dark of The Moon.

MoviE REviEwby Alana Gardner

ThE hungEr gamEsPg-13

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Entertainment

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But the thing that separated it from the usual science fiction movies was the level of familiarity the storyline brought to the audience. Although set in a world that I pray never exists, there was not at least one aspect to the movie that the audi-ence could not relate to. The movie depicts modern day slavery and although the characters don’t wear chains, they are really stuck in the world of the have and have-nots. Lawrence, who played her part beautifully, shows a girl that is tired of the way things are and shows the beginning of her journey to break the ‘chains’ that bind her people. The Hunger Games was everything that I could have hoped for in a movie. It gave me, action, adventure, romance, comedy and tragedy, which is very hard to do, but surprisingly director, Gary Ross and Suzanne Collins, who co-produced managed to pull it off perfectly. This would probably explain why the film has beaten teen favorite, The Twilight Saga in the box office and Lionsgate Films has already an-nounced that they will be releasing the sequel, Catching Fire, to theaters next year November. I promise you I will be first in line to see it. The Hunger Games is an action-adventure drama film from Lionsgate Films and director, Gary Ross earning itself full five stars. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz and Stanley Tucci.

T e e n S p i r i tw w w . e z i n e s l i m i t e d . c o m

Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth in a scene from The Hunger Games.

5

Career

by Ava Gardner

T e e n S p i r i tw w w . e z i n e s l i m i t e d . c o m 6

How To GET THE PERfECT SuMMER Job

n top of having an amazing summer holiday, a size-able amount of teens also want a great job. Finding one can be difficult, especially when firms have cut

down on their staff and business activity to save money. Teen Spirit has some tips to help you in your search:

What do you Want to do?Do you want to wake up early in the morning? Work at nights? Be in the office all day in air conditioning or be outside? Dress formally or casually? What do you feel more comfortable do-ing? What kind of experience are you trying to acquire? How much do you want to earn? These questions all need answers. Here is where you should write a list of all your demands and answers and try to match them with job positions suitable to your qualifications.

tiMe is MoneyIf you haven’t started looking for job vacancies, you better start now! Time wasted is money and opportunities wasted. Don’t think you’re the only one looking for a particular job. There are other teens out there probably going after the same job you want, probably with better qualifications.

netWorkThere’s a quote that says, “It isn’t what you know, but who you know.” Knowing people in the business arena who have

influence can be key to you getting a job. So get out there and start networking! Get to know business people that you can communicate with and receive mentorship from, and who have knowledge of your work ethic; they can help you get employed. Let the people in your circle also know that you are looking for employment. They can be your very own personal cheerleaders in business settings.

résuMéNothing is better than a good résumé, since they are almost as important as the air you breathe. Get help writing your résumé to ensure that you include exactly what employers are looking for. Also, it’s best that you always walk with a copy of your résumé, since you never know where you’ll meet a possible em-ployer. Walking with a résumé will also show an employer how serious you are about working.

Be the ideal eMployeeIf the firm you want to work for makes bread, you have to know your bread! You’ve also got to show that you can be both Mary Poppins and Popeye. You have to exhibit that you have what it takes to do any task. Employers don’t want to hire someone with very limited skills. They want to hire someone who takes initiative and is willing to learn.

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news

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STudEnTS bEnEfiT fRoM CaREER & EduCaTion ExPo

HOICES Career Advice recently held their 12h annual Career & Education Expo at the Alfred Sangster auditorium at the University of Technology. Held under the theme ‘Find a path to your success’, the expo saw secondary-level students, teachers and counsellors from across the island being exposed to career-related information. Here are some highlights.

C

aniel “Chino” McGregor is one of Jamaica’s most talented and gifted acts, seemingly set from the very beginning to etch his place in Jamaica’s popular cul-

ture and to forge a name for himself as a Jamaican music legend. As the son of reggae icon Freddy McGregor, he has big shoes to fill. The challenge has obviously been accepted as Chino has been rolling out hit after hit ever since his very first song.

On thing that stands out about Chino is his eloquence in con-versation. He has been around for a rather long time, getting his start around the time of his final years of Wolmer’s Boys’ School. “I have been professional since about 1999. Outside that, that’s pretty much my whole life, in terms of being around musicians and being involved in the industry,” he said. “I had my first hit single in high school, Leggo di Bwoy with Kiprich, so that increased the popularity aspect, but it never really changed my high school experience. I was always pretty laid back.”

Being a part of the Big Ship family, one would think high school would have been a bit different. But this wasn’t the case. “Peo-ple were usually exited about it, but I was personally laid back; if you didn’t know me or the family background, you wouldn’t know as I wouldn’t be the one to tell you.”

He’s matured significantly since then as an artiste, and Chino has cemented a name for himself in the dancehall arena. He recently released a video for his new single Hustler, which has been mak-ing waves. With popular songs such as Pon Yu Head and Never Change as well as tours across Europe and Asia, Chino and the Big Ship family are sailing into stardom.

It seems like it’s almost impossible to not note the family influ-ence in the McGregor name. After all, his father is a legend, his brother, Stephen, is one of dancehall’s hottest and most in-demand producers and his sister, Shema, is an artiste in her own right. However, he is quick to dismiss any thoughts of sibling rivalry.

“People ask this all the time, but no. Never. We work as a team, as a family, so there has never been an issue. We are basically on the same page with the same objectives for success, so that never really occurs,” he said. “For obvious reasons, my father was not opposed to me wanting to be an artiste. My mother, though, was more of a nine-to-five person, a nurse to be exact and was skeptical at first as she knows the negatives involved with the industry. Over time, however, this changed, and it has paid off, as you can see.”

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Chino McGregoron fame, Jamaica and music

by Micheal Farquharson Photos by Warren Buckle

Cover story

8T e e n S p i r i tw w w . e z i n e s l i m i t e d . c o m

9T e e n S p i r i tw w w . e z i n e s l i m i t e d . c o m

“Can’t see myself doing something

not related to music, such as being

around a desk working a nine-to-five

job or something of the sort.”

passionate about music

Chino absolutely loves music and would not see himself doing anything else. “Can’t see myself doing something not related to music, such as being around a desk working a nine-to-five job or something of the sort. Anything else I do would have to be music re-lated,” he said.

After releasing a self-titled album last May, it looks like the sky is the limit for this local star. He however, is not oblivious to the problems of our country. With the 50th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence com-ing up, Chino has this to say: “People need to step up. Need more opportunities for the youth to avoid the backlash of crime. Where a youth, with a gun in his waist, with too much time on his hands, baby mother on his case and children to feed, he is going to do what he must to take care of his family. As the saying goes, the devil finds work for idle hands. And there lies the problem. Jobs and vocations, where they can see progress in their lives is what is needed.”

Chino was also asked about his views on the cur-rent state of dancehall. “It’s growing. There is a lot of room for improvement though, and a lot of slacking up is going on, and if it isn’t dealt with, it could be a problem,” he said. “There are too many artistes who, and no disrespect to anyone, aren’t in the industry for the right reasons or just don’t have what it takes, producers and artistes alike, and their actions give the industry a bad name.”

On that note, Chino also gave advice to those young artistes who are looking to make a name for them-selves in the industry. “Don’t come into music be-cause of the perks, such as jewellery, cars, women and the like. Come in because of the love of the craft. Make sure to study the industry. Music is not a game, music isn’t a hobby, and music isn’t a joke. It’s some-thing you commit to. Don’t be afraid of criticism. There is nothing wrong with going back to the draw-ing board and starting over. And most importantly, have humility. To be successful, humility is key. Suc-cess is really 30 per cent talent 70 per cent humility and patience.”

Healthy weight loss tips

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health

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by Dervin Osbourne

T e e n S p i r i tw w w . e z i n e s l i m i t e d . c o m

wo years ago, I was preparing myself to sit CSEC ex-aminations. With my exams came long hours of study,

less time at school and sadly, more eating. In the space of four months I went from 140lbs to 150lbs. I paid no attention to the small weight gain because the summer was approaching and I had convinced myself that I was going to use the summer to exercise. I clearly didn’t get the memo that you work on your summer body before the actual holiday. Well, at the end of summer 2010 and into 2011 I was at 165, my highest being 170. I’m 5 feet 6 inches by the way. You do the math.

In 2011, I was told by my doctor that I had to lose some weight. It really started to play with my health. At 18 I was recording high blood pressure, which was not normal for someone my age. I took it seriously. So I dedicated the summer of 2011 to losing weight. And yes, this time I actually lost weight. Here’s how you too can control your weight:

Try To exercise ofTen. If you have no time, then don’t worry, power walking around your school campus or taking the stairs instead of the elevator is just as good.

eaT less. This doesn’t mean you’re going to stop eating the foods you love, just eat a portion less. And mix it up. Throw in a salad somewhere in the mix. Not only is it healthy, but it makes

you look cool. Treat yourself to a slice of pizza or burger or something like that once a week

Make sMall goals. Set a weekly goal or even a monthly goal. Make sure it’s reasonable. You can’t safely lose 10 pounds a week. You’re only going to set yourself up for disappointment. However, there are times you feel and look different, but the scale says otherwise. Don’t pay that any attention; just continue.

Make iT fun. Mix up di likle exercise man! Try dancing for one week and kickboxing another week. Invite your friends to join you. My mom eventually joined me and we had a lot of fun losing weight together. And take pictures! I love looking at my before and after photos; they motivated me as well.

Drink a loT of waTer. Water really helps you. Espe-cially if you feel hungry when you know you shouldn’t be. For example, after just eating a meal, water will come in handy.

I did all this and I lost 25 pounds, I’m at 145 pounds which is five pounds more than where I started. Love yourself and remember, being healthy doesn’t mean being a size two. Society sometimes has some crazy perception of what “sexy” or “hot” is. What’s important is that you are comfortable with you.

Being happy single

o you just got dumped or you broke up with your partner and you’re confused about how to act and what to do with yourself. Sometimes couples get back

together because they’re lonely being single, but relationships should move forward, not backwards, so that should definitely not be your reason. Plus, you’ll possibly end up breaking up again if that was your only reason, so to avoid that, here are some tips of how to be happy single:

Love yourself totallyRemember that you don’t need someone else to make you happy. Think about the things you love about yourself and why you’re so awesome. This might be very hard because you spent so much time with your partner, but you weren’t with this per-son for you whole life and always remember, everything hap-pens for a reason. Move on. Hang out with friends and familyI’m not saying use your friends to get over your ex, but they are your friends for a reason. Usually when someone gets into a re-lationship they aren’t very close with their friends anymore, so use this time to catch up with them and start being happy again. In no time, you’ll forget about your ex.

Get a hobbyWhen you find something else to occupy your time, your ex will be the last thing on your mind. You won’t be lonely; you’ll be busy having fun with whatever you chose to do. Do something fun or crazy that you couldn’t do while you were in a relation-ship. You’re single and free to do whatever you want (with your parents’ permission, of course). focus on schoolThis might seem boring, but I can gurantee that if you put all the time you spent talking on the phone and texting your partner into your school work, you’ll achieve way more than you ever thought you could.

Bad relationships can hinder you from your goals. So fucus on you and your life before you decide to get into a new relation-ship. Allow yourself to heal and learn to love yourself and be happy single before you try to love someone else.

P.S. Everything happens for a reason, so if you and your partner do get back together, there’s nothing wrong with that.

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by Kandice Moncrieffe

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relationships

any leaders and protectors of the ‘old-guard’ habitu-ally spew clichéd epithets about youth development at political rallies and during Youth Month, which

serve to alienate and debase rather than integrate and inspire young people. Two of these catch-phrases that have attained universal renown are: “you (youth) are the leaders of tomor-row” and “youth are the future”. Of course, the essence of these is the same and millions have accepted it sine grano salis.

Most youth activists appear to miss the underpinning message of the exclusion of youth from high-level political and social de-cision-making processes that are entrenched in these epithets. To confer young people with the crown of tomorrow’s leader-ship is in effect robbing them of their potential, their ability and responsibility to be leaders and ideators of today.

It is to subject and condemn youth to a state of passivity, apa-thy and intellectual servitude to the established order. Critics and cynics often rant misguidedly about how apathetic Genera-tions X and Y are, but say very little about the extent to which most political and business leaders go to keep young people uncritical and incurious. In which country has there been a com-pelling and effective charge to make these phrases anything but platitudinous and deceptive?

I overheard a friend from Sri Lanka telling one of our colleagues at a youth leadership conference in Rwanda that young people are not only the leaders of tomorrow but of ‘today and tomor-row’. Today’s unquestioning information consumers cannot be tomorrow’s critical and innovative leaders. This is antithetical to the virtues of sustainable development; it is an affront to ardent nation builders and is a seething recipe for further lead-ership crises globally.

If leaders fear the free-spirited nature, exuberance and tech-nological savoir-faire of young people, the judicious thing to do would be to engage them positively -- to provide them with avenues of expression and civic engagement. Failing to do this will give rise to their greatest fear: social bedlam evinced in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Syria or future leadership crises seen in scores of countries across the world.

There are no perennial benefits that can be garnered from condemning youth to silence. To do so is to place the future on columns of straw. “Participation,” wrote Steve Burkey, “is an essential part of human growth -- that is development of self confidence, pride, initiative, creativity, responsibility …cooperation -- this process whereby (young) people learn to take charge of their lives and solve their own problems, is the essence of development.” Any country that fails to or desists from adopting this approach will produce generations of man-nequins and frantic recidivists.

Our leaders should begin seeing youth as a distinct group of people with skill-sets and abilities rather than a temporary bio-logical stage in human growth. What we take to market is what we shall have to sell!

Have something to say? Email us at keresa@joinemedia.com

Juleus Ghunta is a Jamaican social activist, ‘Dreamrighter’, transfor-mational speaker and creator of the D.R.E.A.M.R.I.G.H.T acrostic. He was nominated twice for the Prime Minister’s Youth Award for Excellence is Service. Contact him at rightmotivation@gmail.com dreamrightmotivation@gmail.com

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have your say

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by Juleus Ghunta

T e e n S p i r i tw w w . e z i n e s l i m i t e d . c o m

young people are leaders oF today and toMorroW

fivE GaME aPPS woRTH downLoadinG

couple issues ago, some apps were mentioned that are generally worth having and easy to use. This time, we will talk about games. Lets face it, with your smart

phone, it’s not like you are going to be productive all the time. There are going to be times when you are just generally bored. Fret not; here is a list of some games that will help you pass the time. This list contains games for BlackBerry, iOS and Android devices, so please enjoy.

Copter: BlackberryIt doesn’t get much simpler than Copter’s pixel-based anima-tion, where you use your space bar to keep a helicopter from crashing. That’s pretty much it. But it’s that simplicity that keeps you playing. Trust me, you’ll be at this for a good while, as the intensity increases and your skills are pushed.

angry Birds: android and ios (apple)The person who invented Angry Birds is a genius, as it is one of the most downloaded and played video games - ever. From the original to Angry Birds in Space, take it from me when I say hours of your life will be put into this game. Load the birds into the catapult, aim and fire. That’s it. Or is it?

pac-man: BlackberryThe classic yellow dot has been ported to the BlackBerry, and it must be said that its conversion does not fall short of the original experience, and it is truly a tribute to the original. The classic design has been used and an authentic hectic experience is still present in the design. Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde are still after you; all you need to do is survive.

Fruit ninja: android and iosWho knew slicing fruit would be so addictive? The game takes full advantage of the touch screen capabilities of these devices, with your finger strokes being the weapon of mass slicing. Look for the bonus fruits, avoid the bombs and master the ancient art of the slice.

Me-Boy emulator: Blackberry and other java-enabled devicesIf like me you miss the days of the classic GameBoy and Game-Boy Colour, this app is for you. Many batteries have been pil-fered in the never-ending quest to power the Gameboy, from remotes, clocks and anything that ticks. From Super Mario World, to the different versions of Pokemon, turn your phone into a nostalgic trip into the past.

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Tech

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by Micheal Farquharson

T e e n S p i r i tw w w . e z i n e s l i m i t e d . c o m

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