Who Am I?

Day 0

59 days until The 2010 Olympic Games.
I figured that if you're going to be following my journey to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, you'll probably want a little background information on who I am.

My name is Emily and I am a sixteen year old aspiring journalist. I was recently chosen to be a member of a program called Students Live, which will be taking 24 student reporters to The Olympic and Paralympic Games this year. I'm also a member of a the Sharing the Dream Team, which produces webcasts surrounding Global Citizenship and the spirit of The Games.

I like to think that I'm an ambitious and empathetic learner. I love meeting new people, taking on new challenges, and experiencing foreign and dynamic environments. Through Students Live, I am given the opportunity to do all these things.

I applied for Students Live via video (see below) but my true passion is for writing. Since I learned to speak, I've been infatuated with words, and I hope to continue this relationship into my future. I'm currently a writer for a youth magazine called Youthink, which is distributed in Western Canada, and I'm also a Junior Journalist for The Toronto Star and Free The Children. Nothing excites me more than learning about and exposing stories, and then sharing them with my world.

My second loves are global issues and social justice. I am part of the Global Issues Club at my school, as well as a Free The Children club called Rapid Change. As previously mentioned, I'm a Junior Journalist for Free The Children, so all of my articles for them revolve around humanitarian issues. I also am the co-founder and organizer of a local basketball tournament called REBOUND! which runs every year and donates proceeds to a local charity. Lastly, I volunteer at a cold/wet weather mat program in my community, which provides shelter and meals to the homeless during Vancouver winters.

My ultimate dream is to become a journalist and write about these global issues. I see the upcoming Olympic Games as an opportunity to experience a variety of cultures and take part in one of the few events that truly brings global unity. I'm more than excited to begin the experience.