HURRAY !!!!!!

Presenting to you, the MAIDEN EDITION OF PRIME YOUTH MAGAZINE!  
 

At just #500 only, Ask Your Vendor For A Copy! 

Prime Youth crew at the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria Awareness week ’10.

Prime Youth team was present at the DSAN awareness 2010 week seminar held at the Grange School, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos. The theme of the event was :

“Just One Chromsome … Give Me a Chance.” Various secondary schools were present in an event that was full of information and entertainment.

The event was anchored by Ahaoma Kanu, a journalist and witnessed the attendance of several distinguished personalities like, Dr Reuben Abati, Chairman, Editorial Board, The Guardian newspapers. Also in attendance were, Mrs. Rose Mordi (National president, DSAN), Mrs. Penelope-Ann Green (Director, Down’s Heart group, UK) and Dr. David Mulligan (SMEDAN, Abuja).

The distinguished guests spoke on various topics that answered questions on mysteries surrounding Down Syndrome. Presentations were also made by kids from the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria.

Prime Youth also extended its hand of philanthropy by giving over 100 copies of its digest free. If last year was wonderful, then 2011 promises to be the bomb as the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria plans to hold another series of events this year.

Pics from the event showing PYMC representatives, DSA officials, Students, Keynote speakers at the event and the special children performing at the event.

Book Review: 17 Secrets Of High Flying Students by 'Fela Durotoye

‘’Lessons learnt from yesterday equip you for today’’

That’s the bold title that hovers around the 14^th secret of a high flying student. A personal favorite it is, as it sums up the whole idea of the book by using soft stories to teach valuable lessons in the most subtle manner.

Have you ever thought of what your life would look like after finding a treasure chest, not just anyone filled with old maps and pirate hats but one filled with gold coins, rare gems and other princely treasures? Hmm…I can imagine too, the posh cars, expensive yacht, castles, some would even buy all the video games in the world including the prototypes. 

Now I want to let you into a secret, I have just found a treasure chest ssshhhh!!! Don’t tell anyone! The chest is hidden in a bookshop near you and it is titled 17 secrets of high flying students. The book is written by Nigeria’s foremost motivational speaker and youth ambassador ‘Fela Durotoye and it is focused on the students in secondary schools all over the country with a view to raise excellent leaders that would sure lead the country from the phase of being a country full of potentials to a genuinely great country.

After going through the book, one cannot help but notice how important and essential each of the secrets is to the all round transformation from being a normal student to being an exceptional A⁺ student. Even if you are currently top of your class, the book is still for you as your classmates are sure to give you a torrid time after laying their hands on the book and it’s never a bad thing to score a full 100% you know.

What a perfect gift it is to give to a child on children’s day or on his/her birthday, as it is sure to bring about a life changing impact in the life of the reader.

Now you can get the book from any bookshop close to you. What a perfect way to start the new term!

 Here is a list of the bookstores where you can pick your own copy of this book

List of bookstores around the country where you can buy your copy of 17 secrets of high flying students

Help! She might just be Nigeria's Serena Williams in the making!!!

With reference to an article by Mr. Tunde Fagbenle in The Punch Newspaper dated 02 Nov, 2010; ‘’she stands at 5ft 5ins; the legs are steady, with a slight bow that speaks of probable athleticism. There is a bit of restlessness about her as she darts, no slithers, hither and thither rather evasively around the club house. She is 13 and she lives in Ibadan with her parents. But she is no ordinary school girl, she is a tennis prodigy’’.

By far the best player of her age group in Nigeria, she ranks number 3 in Africa in the 14-and-Under Circuit of the Confederation of Africa Tennis (CAT), with a total point of 418.5 (facts gotten from the CAT’s ranking of 04 Jan, 2011 on their official website – www.cattennis.com). She is indeed making Nigeria proud as no other Nigerian is listed in the top 100.

In an interview with her, conducted by representatives of PRIME YOUTH at the Ibadan Recreation Club on 08 Jan, 2011, she recalls how her dad imposed tennis on her at age six. She was forced to play against her own wish, as she sometimes cried to show her lack of interest. This was short-lived as she in no time, started loving the game.

Ibadan isn’t exactly a big tennis town, indeed no place in Nigeria could be said to be one. As competition for girls of her age group is non-existent, she at ages 8-10 had to play in age grades far above her level, playing against 14 to 18 years old girls and whipping them. By age eight, she entered her first tennis tournament, played at the Ibadan Tennis Club, sponsored by Fan Milk, she won by beating 14-year old Irene Dongo. A happy moment it was for her and her dad.

In 2009, she played in the popular CBN-sponsored annual tennis tournament, entering in the 18-and-Under category. She lost in the quarterfinal to Linda, who of course is many years older than her. Losing is not something she enjoys and when she met Linda in 2010 at another tournament, Supreme Sports Tennis, in Ibadan, she got her own back, beating Linda and winning the cup in the competition; she recalls that encounter with relish and an impish smile.

Necessarily, her tennis prowess has not escaped the notice of the Nigerian Tennis Federation (NTF), poorly run and ill funded as it is. And, thanks to the CAT that manages to organize some different age group tournaments all over Africa for which the NTF has her to showcase, she has been having some (even if inadequate) exposure: in the CAF organized West & Central Africa Jr. Circuit played in Senegal, July 2010, she was the winner in both the singles and Doubles events; earlier in April, 2010 she participated in the Africa Jr. Championships and lost in the Round of 16 – something she attributes to poor condition of her health; earlier in January 2010 she was the finalist in the West & Central Jr. Circuit held in Winneba, Ghana. Just last December, she was titled the ‘’NNPC Under 18 Girls Champion 2010’’ when she defeated 16-year old Victoria Peters in the finals at the 2010 NNPC Junior Tennis Championship”, held in Lagos.

                     

Tennis is a very expensive sport requiring a lot of money to kit nicely, train rightly, and participate in competitions adequately. Her participation in competitions is very limited: she has schooling to contend with and funds are not there to get her sufficiently around.

Tennis Academies like the world-renown IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida and the International Tennis Academy (ITA) are ready to take her in and turn her into a star as they have done to the Andre Agassis of this world. To attend such academies and also complete her high school education, she would need about $70,000 a year. In another two or three years she would move to college (university) and from thence consider going pro. It’s a tough and expensive road.

Would she like to go to America to continue her schooling and tennis? “Yes,” she says, again with that smile, this time and a little frown at the ridiculousness of such a question. “I am ready,” she enthuses. Her father also accepts it as inevitable consequences of the prodigy he has nurtured so far. Like Richard Williams the father of the Williams sisters – Venus and Serena – Mr. Dapo Adegoke has singlehandedly coached her. Now that is not enough, not anymore, not in Nigeria.

Nigeria has in her the real potential of producing her own Serena Williams, something that will bring unquantifiable glory and huge financial benefits to the country. There is no encouragement from the government of Nigeria, she exclaimed! Scholarships from the governments would be nothing compared to the millions being frittered away daily and will yield great dividends. She also offers profound sponsorship opportunities for serious private sector companies, like Mike Adenuga’s GLO, or the CBN, etc, to help Nigeria produce her first world tennis champion.

Academic-wise, she is an SS1 student of St. Louis Secondary School, Ibadan. She made credits and distinctions in her Junior School Certificate Examination, 2010. Her best subject is mathematics as evidenced her A-grade in the examination. She describes herself to be the cool and easy-going type. She is not always free as she immediately finds her way to her training court, immediately after school, on a daily basis.

She dedicates her achievements both in sports and academics to God and her father who doubles as her coach on court and her personal teacher/tutor at home, helping her go along with school work. She also aspires to become a computer engineer. She advises young Nigerians to against all odds, chase their dreams while praying for God’s divine intervention.

The Adegokes express their appreciation to Mr. O.A. Alakija, chairman of ‘’Wayne (West Africa) Limited’’ for his financial support so far.

As concerned citizens, we at Prime Youth on behalf of this tennis prodigy, solicit for all forms of support and sponsorship from individuals, corporate bodies and governments of Nigeria.

Her name is ADEGOKE “SARAH” ROMOKE!!!

Cultivating Positive Attitude

Working with energy and the power of the mind is the most powerful way to make changes in your life. The principle of the Law of Attraction is based on this and is being used by people from all over the world. It is a simple concept however making this principle work for you can be harder than it seems.

Using Positive Thoughts to Create Change

Positive thinking does work. You will attract back to you the kind of energy that you put out. For example if you thinking angry thoughts then you will attract anger back to you. Once this concept is understood you can begin to control your daily experiences by controlling what thoughts go through your head and what energy you are putting out there.

Believe it or not you are using this principle every single day. The problem comes in when you realize you are not necessarily attracting all of the things that you want which could mean you are not projecting the right kind of energy or thinking positive thoughts.

Not as Easy as it Seems

Thoughts become very habitual and it is not always so easy to change them. You may not even be aware of the thoughts you are thinking half the time. Often when people begin trying to implement positive thinking into their life there are times when they feel like a failure. However I have learned that it is important to stick with it. Once you become fully aware of your thoughts and your energy you will become better and better at learning to control it and work with it.

It Takes a Lot of Practice

Using positive thinking to your benefit does take a lot of practice. It is not just a quick fix as many would like you to believe. It is a way of life and consequently takes a lifetime of continuous practice.

A Little Help Along the Way

There are several ways to improve your thinking habits and energy. The most popular way is to simply make a point of being aware of every thought that goes through your head.

Meditation practice is another great way to incorporate positive energy into your life. Binaural beats are a type of brainwave audio that is also extremely helpful and have made a big difference for me. By incorporating these practices into your habits and your life you will create a new reality that just keeps improving as you get better and better at projecting positive and beneficial energy.

It can be very rewarding to work with your own energy and to realize how much control you have over your own life. I would only suggest that you be patient with yourself and if you need a little help along the way... get it.

YESSSSSSSSSS!!! Behold The First Issue of Prime Youth Digest!!!!

Featuring wide range of captivating articles,. Want to learn how to speed read or do you even know what your C-Factor is? Its all in the vol. 1 of prime youth digest.
Coming to a school near you  your school very soon!!
Watch out!

Do You Feel You Set Your Goals Too High?

The beauty of goal setting is that it helps expand your imagination. Setting a goal should stretch you in terms of dreaming big but not break you. There's a difference between dreaming big and dreaming the impossible.

Its amazing  how many times students say, "I seem to set my goals too high and then I'm never able reach them." Have you ever felt that way? Are your goals just out of reach?

Setting a goal means that you now have something to aim and work toward. You can now focus your time and energy toward something you want to achieve - you are now focused on the future. Dreaming big should be motivating, not discouraging.

The purpose of a goal is to give you focus and direction. A well-written goal will help you aim at those things that are productive, empowering and exciting. A goal is too high if:

• The time in which you decide to achieve it is too short and/or unrealistic.
• It is physically, emotionally or mentally impossible to achieve.
• You do not believe you are worthy, deserving or able to achieve it now or in the future.

A huge part of goal achieving revolves around belief - belief in yourself and the ability to stay the course to make your personal and professional wants and desires reality.

Have you taken a good hard look at your goal achieving belief system:

What do you believe about your ability to finish what you start?

What do you believe about your ability to step outside of your comfort zone and try new things?

Do you truly believe that you are a worthy and deserving of achieving and enjoying the good things in life?

What do you believe about being successful and enjoying the rewards of success?

A goal is not too high if:

• You believe in yourself,
• It is within the realm of possibility to reach,
• You have a burning desire to achieve this goal and,
• You work toward achieving it consistently and in positive ways!

A well thought out and well written goal takes your big dreams and gives them the ability to become reality. This quotation by Ralph Vaull Starr probably says it best:, "Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal."

So You Think You're Not Creative, And You Dont Care ?

OK, hang in there for a minute with me... just a minute...

What does the word 'creative' mean and why does it matter? One definition of creativity from dictionary.com is "resulting from originality of thought, expression, etc." This definition is just perfect because  it means everyone is creative; everyone has original thoughts and ideas. Where people get hung up is during the expression of those thoughts and ideas. Expressing the idea can take many forms, from speech-making to painting a picture to composing music to putting together our own unique style to cooking a new recipe to painting your bedroom bright orange...you get the picture!

Why is all this important, especially to women and girls? Besides being fun, one very important reason is because there is an innate connection between creativity and intuition. How do these two connect in a meaningful way? Being able to express our creative idea in a manner that stays true to our original idea is an exercise in self-esteem building. Learning to rely on our intuition is a key element to building self-esteem. And all this starts in the brain, specifically in the right side of our brain. Our culture, indeed our world, values left brain thinking (logic, structure, verbal skills, fact-based decision-making). Therefore, from an early age, our right brain (creativity, perception, visual, spatial), gets ignored and over time, becomes figuratively 'flabby' from underuse, if not stimulated. Our educational system focuses almost entirely on left brain functions in math, science, and language. Due to the need to increase or maintain student scoring in these areas, as well as a lack of funding, the focus on 'right-brain' curriculum such as art and music is greatly reduced or eliminated all together.

So, how does all this work? Well, the right brain comes up with an idea; the idea can be related to a DIY project, solving a problem at work, the arts, how to resolve a conflict, etc. If you are inspired to action by the idea, the brain then comes up with way(s) to express the idea. The brain also edits the different ways it might express the idea, as well as the actual expression of the idea, to make sure the end product really does convey the original idea. As we work through this process, we unconsciously store the experience of the process in our knowledge bank where it can be recalled later, partially through intuition, in another idea expression experience.

Consciously choosing artistic ways to exercise creativity and intuition puts both into overdrive! Now, you may be saying "but I can't even draw a stick figure"! I say forget that internal negative voice and go with the flow! If you don't know where to start, you can begin with something as simple as a doodle coloring; you know, the thing you did when you were a kid where you drew connecting squiggles all over the paper and then chose your favorite colors to color in each area? Yeah, that one! First, draw the squiggles all over the paper. Now, consciously choose your favorite colors and begin to color in the areas. While you're doing this, think about how nothing you do in this exercise can be 'wrong'; connect with your 'inner child' and let it flow! When you're done, put your picture in a prominent place...on your desk, on the front of the fridge, anywhere you can see it and continue to reconnect with the experience.

A Youth's Time out With God !

Although you've blessed me

with a heart full of good intentions

I know there have been times

when I have disappointed you


At times I have acted selfishly

At times I have been judgmental

At times my pride got in the way

allowing precious moments to slip away

untouched by my sense of compassion


Thank you for blessing me

with a heart full of good intentions

and for the strength to recognize

I have received far more than I have given


I vow to try harder

to think before I speak harshly

to show my softer side more often

to share laughter and catch falling tears

to accept others for who they are

to live honestly and completely

to love myself and to make you proud of who I've become

What Your Handwriting Says About You!

Handwriting analysis is truly an intriguing concept. It is a technique (similar to body language) used to interpret

human behavior in areas such as achievement/work habits, thinking styles and even social skills. You

 can also analyze doodles, drawings, paintings and sculpture. This skill can be used for many purposes including: recruiting, marriage compatibility, career guidance, child development, etc.  Sylvia Friedman, a certified Handwriting Analyst in Chicago,  in a recent interview talked about how the process works.

Sylvia explains, “Your handwriting is the blue print of your brain. How you think, feel, behave- your personality- comes through in handwriting. Many companies use me for the hiring process. HR can interview someone and they are pretty intuitive, but there are a lot of things they can’t see. When I do an evaluation for a company, I give the pros and cons after a candidate submits 3 pages of “their story” to me. I write a report on whether I think the person is a good fit for that particular job. Handwriting is a very powerful tool!”

Try it out on yourself or a friend! In cursive, write a 1 page letter about your life. Compare your handwriting to Sylvia’s criteria and see if it unlocks any secrets… According to Friedman: HANDWRITING ANALYSTS LOOK AT A NUMBER OF THINGS…

SIZE

·         Small handwriting- research-oriented, good concentration, methodical, not always social

·         Large handwriting- people oriented, outgoing, outspoken, love to entertain and interlock Right in the middle- you like to be with people, but value your own time

·         SPACING Good deal of space- you need your freedom, to do things in your own time, don’t like to be overwhelmed or crowed.

·         Very little space- it shows a tremendous about of irritability and constant pressure on yourself HOW LETTERS ARE SHAPED

·          Rounded letters- indicates creativity, artistic abilities (writing, painting, acting, etc.)

·         Pointed letters- shows you are more aggressive, intense, very intelligent, curious

·         Connected letters- you are logical, systematic, make decisions carefully LOOPING Loopy handwriting- very social individual, huge imagination, sensitive to criticism

·         Not loopy- more isolated, reclusive, within themselves

·     

            DOTTING YOUR I’s

·         Right over the I- attention to detail, organization, emphatic in what you say or do

·          High over the I- shows great imagination To the left- procrastinator

·         Circle your I’s- visionary,

·         child like Slashing it- overly self-critical, don’t have a lot of patience for inadequacy or people that don’t learn from their mistakes, irritation

CROSSING YOUR T’s

·          Right in the middle- you are personally safe Short crosses- shows a lack of determination

·         Long crosses- great determination and enthusiasm, can be stubborn

·         Very top of T- you’re an idealist, ambition, good self-esteem

·         Cross downward at the top- you dominate your environment, authoritative nature O’s Open- you are talkative, social, able to express your feelings, have little secrecy Closed- you are very personal, limited sharing of your personal feelings, introvert

LEAD IN’S OR EXCESS FLOURISHES

·         Lead in’s (or excess flourishes) - shows family orientation is important to you

·         Lack of lead in’s (or excess flourishes)- you tackle problems in a direct, practical way, unhampered by sentimentality

 MARGINS

·         Writing all over the page- you can’t relax, constantly thinking

·         Left hand margin- you live in the past

·         Right hand margin- you are always looking towards the future

PRESSURE

·         Tremendous pressure- very intense, may have some evil qualities, aggressive, blow up easily

·          Average or light pressure- laid back, go with the flow

DOODLES

·          Boxes- you need structure, stability and order

·         Flowers- idealistic, romantic, creative Triangles- perfectionist, structured, people that feel stuck- don’t risk easily

·         Circles- dreamer, creative, takes thinks personally, visionary

·         Smiley faces- illusionary, wanting life to be beautiful, optimistic

·         Color inside the box or shape- you are very intense, serious, worrier, can suggest sign of temper because of tension or frustration

PUNCTUATION MARKS

·         Lots of exclamation marks- ego is involved, you want to be understood, passionate

SLANT

·          If you write upward- you tend to be optimist, hopeful, honest, ambitious, motivated

·         If you write downward- you tend to be negative, slightly depressed, dishonest

·         SPEED

·         If you write things quickly- you are impatient, dislike delays or time wasters

·         If you write slowly- more organized, more methodical, more self reliant

SIGNATURE (this is your public self image!)

·         Legible- shows integrity, confidence, leadership, open to show your true self

·         Not legible- very private person, hard to read or understand.

Now check what those things you continually scribble on paper realy mean