Article featured in Avatar - Volume 4, Issue 2 (August 2010). Maintaining Professionalism By Katrina (AppleTini) As we hit our later teenage years, many of us begin to hold job positions at local movie theatres, aquatics centers, restaurants, or stores. Whether you are currently working at your first place of employment for the summer, or have started working full time at your forth or fifth place of employment, it's important to maintain an air of professionalism regarding work at all...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 4, Issue 2 (August 2010). Loved Ones of those Who Harm By Casey (Casey.) Self harm is a very difficult thing to understand. It is scary to find out that your best friend or sibling is harming themselves. It is even scarier to learn that your child is cutting or otherwise hurting themselves as a way to cope. Most people don't understand exactly what self harm is; those who do may not know how to help. Self harm is just what it sounds like. ...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 4, Issue 2 (August 2010). Finding Psychiatric Services By Robin (PSY) Have you ever wanted to get help for your mental disorder or substance abuse, but have been discouraged by the incredibly high prices of medications and rehabilitation programs? How about wanting to talk to someone regarding your depression or self-harm, when you’ve been told that private sessions with a psychologist are out of your price range? This issue is not...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 4, Issue 2 (August 2010). Some Sobering Thoughts By Holly Marie (Rie) and Amy (ShimmeringFaerie) Sex, drugs, and alcohol. They sound like fun, right? But do you know the dangers? While I'm not going to tell you not to have sex, drink alcohol, or take drugs, I won't encourage you either. What I'm going to say is that if you choose to do so, be sure to keep yourself and those around you safe. When you go to a party you never expect bad things to...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 4, Issue 2 (August 2010). Dizzy Feet Foundation By Katrina (AppleTini) Less than a year ago, So You Think You Can Dance producer Nigel Lythgoe shocked viewers around the world with an exciting piece of news: an organization co-founded by Lythgoe, producer Adam Shankman, judge of Dancing With the Stars, Carrie Ann Inaba, and actress Katie Holmes. This organization, of course, was not just randomly announced on So You Think You Can Dance for no reason....

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 4, Issue 2 (August 2010). U.S. Bill of Rights By Casey (Casey.) In the United States, we have the Constitution, and in the body of the Constitution is the U.S. Bill of Rights, which is comprised of the first ten amendments. Many democratic countries have a Bill of Rights, which are the rights that the people of that nation are entitled to. There are ten amendments that make up the Bill of Rights. The first is the most commonly known amendment, but...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 4, Issue 1 (July 2010). Eye Injury Prevention Month & UV Safety Month by Stephanie (Konstantine) Our vision is vital. From seeing your loved ones and your environment, to watching your favourite films, eyesight is something that we use everyday and something that we may take for granted. July is Eye Injury Prevention Month and UV Safety Month, which aim to spread awareness of how to protect your eyesight. A massive ninety percent of eye injuries...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 4, Issue 1 (July 2010). Vitamin Angels By Katrina How many times have you heard Mom or Dad say, "Alright, be sure to take your vitamins!" More than you can count? Yeah, me too. They don't say it for no reason, though. Specific vitamins are vital for immune systems; without them, we wouldn't be able to fight off infections and would always be sick. Vitamin Angels understands the importance of vitamins to children and infants: "Our mission is to...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 4, Issue 1 (July 2010). News that Affects You: June 2010 in Review By Brittany (.Brittany.) and Jes (Asylum) While enjoying summer it can become increasingly difficult to commit time to keeping up with the current affairs of the world. In case you missed the headlines, here’s a glimpse of what people were talking about (or should have been!) in June 2010. Mental Health

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 4, Issue 1 (July 2010). Sun, Sand, Oil? by Casey. We've all heard of the current oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil are pouring into the Gulf daily, which is frightening to many. This is the largest offshore oil spill that has been recorded in the U.S. history, and it's taking a huge toll on the environment. Threatening the endangered coral reefs, it is also upsetting many local fishermen. What really happened,...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 12 (June 2010). Adopting a Pet by Cheyenne (Desert) Pet adoption can have many benefits. Not only can it allow you to give a home to an animal in need, but adopting a pet may also improve your own mood and give you the chance to care for something that will love you in return. If you’re considering adopting a pet and need a few tips, you’ve come to the right place! Choosing a pet can be a challenge. Some people choose to adopt dogs or...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 12 (June 2010). Which School is Right for You? by Brittany (.Brittany.) and Sabrina (Sabrina.) As we approach the end of the year, many of us face a new, and huge, decision: how to choose a college or university to attend in the upcoming year. Choosing a university to attend is not going to be easy, but if you go about things in a healthy way, it also doesn't have to be as stressful as many people make it out to be! Even if you're not...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 12 (June 2010). Faceless International by Katrina No matter who you are, you are blessed with talents that you sometimes don't even know about. This month, I challenge you to look past who you are, on the outside. I challenge you to look within, even if it's just a little bit. Try to find your own talents and your own callings, and think creatively about how you can make a difference! One of my favorite organizations, Faceless International,...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 12 (June 2010). National HIV Testing Day by Marie (Rie) June 27th 2010 is National HIV Testing Day, or NHTD. NHTD aims to increase awareness of HIV and AIDS and to encourage early testing. It is estimated that one in five people in the US are unaware of whether or not they have HIV. Lack of care and the stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS can make it difficult for those in need to get appropriate health care and may discourage others from...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 12 (June 2010). News that Affects You: May 2010 in Review by Emily (bringontherain), Jessie (Asylum), Stephanie (Konstantine) If you’re digging the warming weather (and we know you are) you may have gotten behind on breaking news from this past May. If you missed the headlines, this is what people were talking about in May 2010! Health