“When I grow up， I want to be...”

    Almost all of us have thought about，or been asked to think about，our future careers. Our answers may differ greatly. Even now your aspirations(志向，抱负)may have changed from when you were in primary school.

    However，it seems that career choices aren't only based on personal taste. In a survey carried out by Teens， doctors，lawyers，and bankers were some of most popular careers that people said they hoped to follow. This is similar to a survey carried out in the UK in May 2016 by job website—Co.uk，in which medicine was the top choice among UK teenagers aged between 13 and 17.

    Medicine and law are two of the oldest and best known professions. Their prestige (威望) may come from the fact that doctors and lawyers are much­respected members of society，and they make good money. What's more， these professions are often seen as a sign of upward social class.

    It is equally unsurprising that banking is now one of the most common career choices. Youngsters worldwide think of banking and see the money rolling in. Wealth is increasingly becoming one of the most important indicators(标志) of a successful career.

    However，not every child has the makings of doctor， lawyer， or banker. They are those who see achievement and happiness in other areas. As the Teens' survey discovered，a variety of unconventional(非传统的) jobs—coffee shop owner，waiter at a fast food restaurant—are among teenagers' career choices. They can be equally interesting and rewarding jobs.

    With every choice comes responsibility and challenge，and all career paths require specific education and training，you have to learn to balance optimism(乐观主义)and confidence with being realistic about your particular talents and skills.

    Macao is only forty miles from Hong Kong and it is easy to reach. You can get there by sea. It is an interesting place and it has a long history. Macao is part of China and most people living there are Chinese.

    The first Europeans in Macao came from Portugal. More than four hundred years ago the Portuguese went there to trade with China. Some settled and made their homes there. They built strong forts（要塞）to guard the city and the harbor. They also built churches, schools, hospitals and other places. Slowly the city grew. People from many other countries came to live and work in Macao.

    Today many people live in Macao. Some only go there to watch dog-racing or motor-racing or to gamble（赌博）with their money. But Macao is a quiet and peaceful place. It is pleasant just to walk around and look at the old buildings and forts. You feel you are back in the old days. Of course，some of the buildings are now in ruins. The Church of St. Paul has only the front wall with many steps leading up to it. But it is still interesting to see.

    When you are hot and tired, there are small cool gardens to rest in. When you are hungry, there are good restaurants with many kinds of food. Nearby are some islands, which are also nice to visit and are easy to get in. There are certainly a lot to see and to do in Macao.

    Summer School for Effective Leadership 2014

    The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups （HKFYG） partners with 2 world-class universities, The University of Hong Kong （HKU） and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology （HKUST） to offer you the best international summer schools in town! This year the Summer School for Effective Leadership （SSEL） is divided into the HKU Chapter—An Overture to Global Leadership, and HKUST Chapter—The Art of Public Speaking. Please find out more from the introduction below:

    HKU Chapter—An Overture to Global Leadership

    An Overture to Global Leadership, now in its seventh year, is cooperation between the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and the University of Hong Kong with the aims:

    1 To nurture youth leaders with solid fundamental knowledge and intensive leadership skills;

    2 To strengthen their critical thinking skills, interpersonal skills and problem solving abilities;

    3 To reinforce their willingness to serve the community;

    4 To further develop global perspective and promote intercultural awareness amongst participants.

    Date

    Between 18 July 2014 （Friday） and 26 July 2014 （Saturday）.

    Full attendance is mandatory for the 9-day-8-night programme. Shared-room accommodation in the University dormitory is required.

    Application Deadline

    Non-residents of Hong Kong: 6:00 p.m., Friday, 16 May 2014 （Hong Kong Time）

    Non-residents of Hong Kong may need to apply for a student visa, please visit the website: http://121.hkfyg.org.hk/ssel/hku/overview.html for further details.

    For application, please visit: http://121.hkfyg.org.hk/ssel/hku/application.php

    HKUST Chapter—The Art of Public Speaking

    The Art of Public Speaking is a new collaboration between the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology with the aims:

    1 To enhance the leadership skills and public speaking skills of participants;

    2 To allow youth leaders and speakers to learn from one another, and encourage cultural exchanges;

    3 To demonstrate how public speaking skills can be used by leaders to communicate to the public;

    4 To allow outstanding student leaders to serve and understand the local community.

    Date

    Between 14 July 2014 （Monday） and 19 July 2014 （Saturday）

    Full attendance is mandatory for the 6-day-5-night programme. Shared-room accommodation in the University dormitory is required.

    Application Deadline

    Non-residents of Hong Kong: 6:00p.m., Friday, 9 May 2014 （Hong Kong Time）.

    Non-residents of Hong Kong may need to apply for a student visa, please visit the website: http://l21.hkfyg.org.hk/ssel/hkust/overview.html for further details.

    For application, please visit: http://l21.hkfyg.org.hk/ssel/hkust/application.php

    Two friends have an argument that bleaks up their friendship forever, even though neither one can remember how the whole thing got started. Such sad events happen over and over in high schools across the country. In fact, according to an official report on youth violence, "In our country today, the greatest threat to the lives of children and adolescents is not disease or starvation or abandonment, but the terrible reality of violence". Given that this is the case, why aren't students taught to manage conflict the way they are taught to solve math problems, drive cars, or stay physically fit?

    First of all, students need to realize that conflict is unavoidable. A report on violence among middle school and high school students indicates that most violent incidents between students begin with a relatively minor insult (侮辱). For example, a fight could start over the fact that one student eats a peanut butter sandwich each lunchtime. Laughter over the sandwich can lead to insults, which in turn can lead to violence. The problem isn't in the sandwich, but in the way students deal with the conflict.

    Once students recognize that conflict is unavoidable, they can practice the golden rule of conflict resolution (解决) stay calm. Once the student feels calmer, he or she should choose words that will calm the other person down as well. Rude words, name-calling, and accusation only add fuel to the emotional fir On the other hand, soft words spoken at a normal sound level can put out the fire before it explodes out of control.

    After both sides have calmed down, they can use another key strategy for conflict resolution; listening. Listening allows the two sides to understand each other. One person should describe his or her side, and the other person should listen without interrupting. Afterward, the listener can ask non-threatening questions to clarify the speaker's position. Then the two people should change roles.

    Finally, students need f. consider what they are hearing. This doesn't mean trying to figure out what's wrong with the other person. It means understanding what the real issue is and what both sides are trying to accomplish. For example, a shouting match over a peanut butter sandwich might happen because one person thinks the other person is unwilling to try new things. Students need to ask themselves questions such as these: How did this start? What do I really want? What am I afraid off As the issue becomes clearer, the conflict often simply becomes smaller. Even if it doesn't, careful thought helps both sides figure out a mutual solution.

    There will always be conflict in schools, but that doesn't mean there needs to be violence. After students in Atlanta started a conflict resolution program, according to Educators for Social Responsibility, "64 percent of the teachers reported less physical violence in the classroom; 75 percent of the teachers reported an increase in student cooperation; and 92 percent of the students felt better about themselves". Learning to resolve conflicts can help students deal with friends, teachers, parents, bosses, and coworkers. In that way, conflict resolution is a basic life skill that should be taught in schools across the country.

    My daughter Kelly is a cautious person. She needs to warm up to situations, and is hesitant to try new things. When with close friends, she becomes a leader who laughs loudly and chants, "Girls rule, boys drool." But when that comfort zone is not around her, she is shy and nervous.

    This has been challenging for me at times. "Shy" is not a word that I think has ever been used to describe me. But this has been a year of firsts for my girl that has filled her with a new sense of confidence. This year she moved to lap lane in swimming where she was preparing for a swim team. This year she learned to ride a bike without training wheels. And this year she completed her first kids' triathlon(三项全能).

    On Saturday, with a thunderstorm coming soon and my son's birthday party later in the day, we all went out in the dark of the morning for Kelly to participate in her first triathlon. We practiced transitions from swim to bike to run with her, we got all the equipment she'd need, and we kept talking about the race. But as we waited the two hours for the older kids to finish before her turn, she held my leg a little harder and told me she loved me a few too many times. She was nervous but trying to keep it together.

    And then it was her turn. From the second she jumped into the water, my heart soared. My daughter transformed into the most confident human being I had ever seen. She dominated that swim, crushed that bike ride and ran to the finish with the biggest smile on her face.

    I can honestly say that I never felt so proud of someone in my entire life. It wasn't because she did a sport or anything like that. It was because she was afraid of something and conquered that fear with confidence and a fire I hadn't seen before.

    All day I would find myself just looking over at her and smiling. She might be wearing the finalist medal but I felt like I won that day. I won the chance to see my girl shine.

    Shine on, sweet baby.

    Seventeen-year-old Sariah Estrada didn't expect to receive anything in return when she saved a drowning man on Marianne Beach in Blanchisseuse earlier this year.

    However, for her random act of kindness, Estrada was awarded the Hummingbird Medal-Bronze for her bravery, loyalty and devotion to Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, September 24, when the country celebrated its 42nd year as a republic. President Paula-Mae Weekes presented the national award to her.

    In July of this year, Estrada along with two friends went to the Marianne Beach to relax. Upon leaving the beach, Estrada and her friends noticed a man struggling in the water. Immediately, she and her friends sprang into action. The teens borrowed a body board from some people on the beach and swam to the man's rescue.

    She said when they reached the man, he was already unconscious and they dragged him out of the water on the body board. Estrada remembered what she learned during a life-saving course the week before and quickly started pumping the man's chest. After several attempts，she was successful and the young man's life was saved.

    In an interview with LoopTT, the teenager said while she is grateful for the award, she wasn't expecting anything in return.

    "This award was never expected because I thought of helping someone as an act of humanity and never looked for anything in return, but the award is well appreciated. As I reflect on the action I took, I felt as though I could help this person as I have the proper training. The week before the incident I participated in a basic life support-training course offered by the North Central Regional Health Authority." Estrada explained. She said she intends to continue assisting people.

    The national award receiver also had this message for the youths of Trinidad and Tobago.

    I would like to encourage the young people of Trinidad and Tobago to strive for excellence, never sell yourself short by believing that you cannot do what you desire, all things are possible and hard work surely brings success."