Olivia Wolter

                                      Free the Children Poster

If I were to create a poster for The Free the Children organization, I would use this photo: 

I think this photo is a perfect example of what Free the Children is all about. It truly captures the children and the poor conditions they are living in. The children are smiling despite their lack of shoes or clean clothing, and the dirt on their legs and feet. The home behind them gives you an understanding of the type of environment they live in. The roof falling apart, holes instead of windows, and dirt and mud on the walls, makes you feel that there must be something done to help them. The two men standing beside them have such caring looks on their faces, that it gives a sense of relief. This photo would be a good poster or ad for the Free the Children foundation because when people see this photo, they automatically feel the desire to help.

On June 29th 2007, I said an emotional goodbye to my family and set off on a two and a half month exchange trip to Finland.

My family had always been accustomed to having exchange students around the house. Through the Youth For Understanding Organization (YFU) we were the host family to over 6 exchange students. With YFU it is common to have a student stay with you without the "exchange". Some of the girls came from countries such as Japan, Denmark, Germany, Brazil, and Finland.

I had always wanted to travel somewhere as an exchange student but the minimum age was 15. In 2007 I turned fifteen on July 3rd but was only fourteen for my first four days in Finland. I left Toronto at 7pm and made a stop in London and Norway. It was amazing to travel across the ocean and experience two new cities (even if it was for such a short time). I arrived in Turku, Finland and met 19 other exchange students. All of the students were from America and enjoyed commenting on my "canadian accent". After a few days I travelled to Helsinki the capital of Finland, to meet my host family. Both of my host parents were really interesting people (and luckily spoke english) they also had a boy and two girls, one was my age. I learned a lot about their traditions and family cultures as well as some interesting things about Finland.

In Finland it is very common to leave for a summer house or cottage for a few weeks in the summer. Unlike Canada, almost every Finnish person leaves for their cottage in the summer that most businesses close down for a few days/weeks. Another cultural difference is the use of saunas, a Finnish sauna is something very few people get to experience in their life. Most families own a sauna in their home as well as their cottage. At my host family's cottage we would sit in the sauna then jump in the cold lake. It was such a great feeling!

Something I truly enjoyed in Finland were the many old churches and castles. I toured many of these buildings and learned a thing or two about the place. Most churches were still in use but the castles were mostly tourist attractions. One building I found especially interesting was the Savonlinna opera building. This building used the be a castle but was now a spectacular opera house. I saw the opera Carmen there with my host family. It was a beautiful place and the opera was incredible. During my stay in Finland I also had the opportunity to travel to Estonia. It is a very interesting but small country. There is plenty of historical areas and buildings to discover. The shopping there was amazing and I picked up a few souvenirs to bring home.

My exchange trip to Finland was truly life changing. I came home with a lot of souvenirs, pictures and memories. :)

Hi my name is Danielle Fink and I am Miss Teen Airdrie-World 2009. I am very honored to be representing my city in the Miss Teen Canada-World pageant. 
   
Welcome to Airdrie Alberta, a community of opportunity.

Just 5 minutes from Calgary and 30 minutes from the foothills and Rocky Mountains, Airdrie gives you all the opportunities you need.

   With a population of 38,091, my little city’s population is still expanding. Actually, it is said that Airdrie is the fastest growing community in Alberta. Airdrie has been a community since 1909, making this year our centennial year! There are many exciting things planned to celebrate our 100th birthday. For example, on September 10th, there is a huge birthday party planned at City Hall. There will be cake, historical artifacts, speeches, art galleries and a singing of our centennial song.

Also, from July 23-26, Airdrie is hosting the 2009 Alberta 55+ Summer Games. The games will consist of many athletic events including track and field, golf, tennis, swimming and cycling. All citizens of Airdrie are very proud that our city is the host city this year.

Airdrie also has many other opportunities for everyone. Every year, from June 27-July 1, the Airdrie Pro Rodeo is held. Competitors from all over North America come to compete. Also, every December, Airdrie holds the largest outdoor light display in Alberta called the “Festival of Lights”. There are also 3 talented dance studios here as well as a thriving theatrical community in the Bert Church Live Theater.

Airdrie gives you the comfort of a small town with all the luxuries of a big city.

My Show would be called "Everyday Survival" I would be the host.

Everyday Survival:
A show helping women survive large and small emergencies!
Ordinary women compete in challenges based on everyday life, as well as some more out of the ordinary challenges.

Purpose:
The purpose of the show is to teach the competing women as well as the viewers at home about preparing yourself everyday for the unexpected. Women can feel safe knowing that they can face any challenge big or small.

The Challenges / Sponsors:
Every week, (without knowing the challenge of course) each woman must prepare themselves and their purses with their choice of Carry Clean products (you never know when dental floss will come in handy)! These products can easily fit in the competitors purse and can be very handy in many situations.

Some of the challenges require some extra help, acting students from the Toronto Academy of Acting School will take part in the action by portraying robbers, angry subway passengers, even simply passers by.

In the final competition, there is a twist. Rather than choosing their regular Carry Clean purse contents, the final two competitors must use the knowledge they have picked up over the competition and answer a series of questions designed to test their “Everyday Survival” knowledge. This portion of the series helps the viewers at home to learn some new tricks and tips.

The Prize:
The winner of “Everyday Survival” wins an original jewellery piece crafted by hand from Fantasy Gemart. As well as a year supply of helpful products from Carry Clean.

Throughout my time as Miss Teen Durham there have been many opportunities to participate in events and introduce myself, my platform, and the pageant. Here are a few photos of some of the appearances I have made.

My platform supports the Canadian Cancer Society. Every April the Canadian Cancer Society volunteers sell daffodils for $3 to raise money for cancer research. The daffodil is the Candian Cancer Society's symbol of hope. to support the cause I volunteered to sell daffodils outside of the Oshawa SuperCentre on Saturday, April 4th from 9-11am. It was a great opportunity to introduce myself and support the Canadian Cancer Society by selling Daffodils.

The grand opening of the Aspen Springs Animal Hospital, I received the grand tour of the new facility. There were a lot of really cute and friendly dogs, even a few breeds I haven't heard of. I was able to introduce myself to several local councellors and the business owners. I even had the honour of holding the ribbon while mayor Abernethy cut the ribbon!

more photos to come...

Visit www.missteencanadaworld.com

During the pageant you will be able to vote for me! With the most votes I would win Peoples Choice Award which would automatically send me to the top 20! Be sure to become a VIP and check your e-mail for the activation. Might end up in your junk mail.

Also, Tickets will be available for sale on June 24th. I'm hoping to have a huge cheering squad so don't forget to buy your tickets! The show will take place in the John Bassett Theatre at the Metro Convention centre in Toronto on July 25th.

..While your on the site, check out my profile and biography.

One of my tasks before the pageant is to raise money for the Free the Children Foundation. 

Free The Children is the world's largest network of children helping children through education. The primary goals of the organization are to free children from poverty and exploitation and free young people from the notion that they are powerless to affect positive change in the world.

The night went well and it was so much fun to watch someone get so excited when they won an item that someone I know, or I made.  When the night was over, a lot of money was raised and the audience went home with a special handmade outfit.

The models for the show were simply students at my school, they volunteered and were an excellent help.

As part of the Miss Teen Canada- World pageant the delegates must raise money for the Free the Children foundation. Of course a fundraiser is going to happen!

The local maple fest was coming up on May 2^nd, it is a very popular event and almost everyone from Bowmanville (my hometown) attends. It takes place downtown Bowmanville and many stores and fundraisers set up booths in hopes of raising money.

This was the perfect opportunity to raise the money. I wanted to think of something I could sell that people would buy. My idea was waffles! Which sounded like the perfect plan, I bought tons and tons of boxes of waffle mix and couldn’t wait to start.

Unfortunately there was a miscommunication and the waffle idea didn’t turn out to be a very clever one after all, mostly because of health regulations and all that jazz. The night before the fundraiser I found out the waffles were a no go and had to think of something quick. (ahh!)

In the end I traded in the waffles for cupcakes, my family members and friends helped me bake and decorate about 400 cupcakes. They were absolutely perfect, best looking and tasting cupcakes around! The day went on beautifully (except for the rain). I raised some money for the foundation and had a great time. At my next fundraiser I will definitely try to be more flexible!

My platform is Skin Cancer prevention.

This topic is very important for teens, as well as those in the pageant industry. It is also topic that has a personal impact on my life.

Since I was young I knew my grandpa had skin cancer but never understood what it was. I only assumed it was something you got from getting sun burned too much. I later learned it is a serious and painful condition but usually a preventable one.

I hope to teach people about the many ways you can protect yourself from skin cancer and melanoma.

It has been proven overexposure to ultra violet rays during childhood can cause melanoma skin cancer later in life. The amount of exposure and type of exposure also play a role. It is not only important to teach people about the harmful affects of artificial tanning, but also daily sun exposure. When participating in outdoor activities it is important to stay in the shade and wear sunscreen or sunblock to prevent over exposure.  If detected early, skin cancer and melanoma can be curable. That is why it is essential to understand the warning signs of skin cancer.

I try to do my part to prevent others from over sun exposure by carrying sunscreen and warning someone when they are starting to burn.

The canadian cancer society website has more information on being sunsafe.

http://www.cancer.ca/Ontario/Prevention/Use%20SunSense/Preventing%20skin%20cancer.aspx?sc_lang=en

:) Hi Friends!

My name is Olivia Wolter, I am 16 years old.

On December 7/2008, I was lucky enough to be one of the top 16 girls chosen from Ontario to compete in the Miss Teen Canada – World pageant. I will be representing Durham Region and am currently Miss Teen Durham - World 2009. Prior to this I had absolutely no experience in the pageant scene, but I had always dreamed of becoming a beauty queen. I feel that being Miss Teen Canada- World would give me the opportunity to inspire my peers to follow their goals dreams.

When I'm not making appearances or preparing for the Miss Teen Canada- World pageant, I am a grade 11 high school student. 

Dance is also something that is a part of everyday life. I have been dancing on and off since I was about four years old. I have taken many forms of dance: tap, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, modern, and ballet. Recently however, I have been sticking with mostly ballet. It has truly given me some lessons for pageant competition. Being judged on grace, poise, and confidence is common in both ballet and pageants.

Travelling is also one of my favourite past times. I have been to many different places but I always feel the need to explore even more. I went on a 3 month exchange the summer of 2007. I travelled to Finland, but made a few stops in some other exciting places. It was a truly life changing experience. I hope to make similar memories in my future travels.

Stay posted for some interesting stories of my life as Miss Teen Durham – World 2009!

Check out more about the Miss Teen Canada-World pageant and some more about me at :

http://www.missteencanadaworld.com