This is the ninth year The Catholic Register’s Youth Speak News team will bring readers stories with a youth perspective from across the country.
This year’s writers range from ages 16 to 22, and come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and regions in Canada. Half our writers hail from the Greater Toronto Area and the rest reside in various parts of the country, including: Coquitlam, B.C., Calgary, various parts of Ontario, Dartmouth, N.S., and Summerside, P.E.I.
This Catholic journalism ministry for senior high school and university students teaches students writing skills and fosters connections between writers from coast to coast.
Over the next eight months, the students will write articles and columns stemming from events and issues in their area of the country.
This year’s group is culturally and ethnically diverse, representing the changing face of the church in Canada.
Two of our writers are international students. Nicole Lau, originally from Hong Kong, studies history at the University of Toronto, while Carine Lee spent her summer back home in Singapore working for an accounting firm.
“As a Singaporean now living in Canada, I believe I would bring to the paper and its readers a fresh perspective of the culture and beliefs of youth today,” said Lee, a communications major at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C.
“I believe the invaluable experience at Youth Speak News would propel my faith to the next level as I bundle together my passion for Catholicism and journalism.”
Youth Speak News also welcomes Sr. Hosea Rupprecht, FSP, to the team as its spiritual guide. As a member of the Daughters of St. Paul, a religious community dedicated to evangelization with the media, Rupprecht said helping people better understand the liturgy of the church using popular media as a starting point is closest to her heart.
Youth Speak News continues its long-standing partnership with Salt + Light Television, Canada’s Catholic television network that focuses a portion of its programming on young Catholics. The writers will gain insight on how broadcast media works from Salt + Light producers.
The team will meet once during the course of the program for a weekend retreat in Toronto.
 Amy Crofts Home: Calgary Studies: biology at University of Calgary Age: 17 |
 Carine Lee Home: Coquitlam, B.C. Studies: communications at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C. Age: 21 |
 Christine Thibeault Home: Dartmouth, N.S. Studies: philosophy at Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, N.S. Age: 19 |
 Daniel Telech Home: Mississauga, Ont. Studies: theatre, philosophy at York University, Toronto Age: 18 |
 Dylan Robertson Home: Pickering, Ont. Studies: Grade 12, at All Saints Catholic Secondary School, Whitby, Ont. Age: 16 |
 Elena Feick Home: Sarnia, Ont. Studies: general studies at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy, Barry’s Bay, Ont. Age: 19 |
 Lauren van Vliet Home: Summerside, P.E.I. Studies: Grade 12, Three Oaks Senior High School, Summerside Age: 17 |
 Leila Wang-Ko-Nang Home: Etobicoke, Ont. Studies: graduate theological studies at the University of Toronto Age: 22 |
 Minu Jose Home: Scarborough, Ont. Studies: chemical engineering at the University of Toronto Age: 22 |
 Nicole Lau Home: Toronto, Ont. Studies: history at the University of Toronto Age: 19 |
 Nisheeta Menon Home: Mississauga, Ont. Studies: Christianity and Culture at St. Michael’s College, Toronto Age: 21 |
 Peter Grbac Home: Etobicoke, Ont. Studies: Grade 12, St. Michael’s College School, Toronto Age: 17 |
 Rebecca Ryall Home: Toronto, Ont. Studies: journalism at Carleton University, Ottawa Age: 18 |
 Vanessa Baker Home: Amherstburg, Ont. Studies: journalism at Carleton University, Ottawa Age: 18 |