I have to pause here to correct an anachronism, an inaccuracy about our name. Though we call ourselves a "radio station" that name no longer truly identifies the growing media conglomerate this student-run enterprise has become! Along with interesting CBC-style radio documentaries and interviews, we also produce award-winning short films, video exposes and even celebrity interview shows. This year, we plan to go back to our roots in radio and into the future at the same time by streaming music and interviews online, 24 hour a day 7 day a week.

Over the past five years, I have worked with hundreds of young reporters, DJs, graphic artists, organizers, activists and thinkers who continue to amaze me with their talents, skills and enthusiasm. Many of these great kids have taken the skills they've learned and gone on to university, college or the workforce knowing that their stories are important and can be heard across the world.

We have shared the stories of our students and staff with the world and have been given the opportunity to interview incredible people like author Margaret Atwood, NDP leader Jack Layton, Survivorman Les Stroud and musicians like Billy Talent, Mother Mother, the Weakerthans, Crystal Shawanda and more. Not being afraid to approach difficult topics we have talked to Oka protestors, wheelchair-bound rainforest explorers, Holocaust survivors and gay rights activists.

The attention has even been turned back to Spartan Youth Radio on occasion. We were most recently the focus of two articles in the National Post about an interview we did with Margaret Atwood last year where she asserted the belief that the moon landing had been faked.

Two of our young reporters cohosted an episode of Spark, CBC Radio's national technology and media show and three others cohosted the morning show for 100.7 FM The Island last fall. The Anishnabek News featured a full-page article about our First Nations content, we are about to be featured on iChannel, the national cable network, and the Toronto Star is working on an article about us. Of course, we have also found consistent and supportive coverage in our very own Midnorth Monitor. Our biggest news from the past five years was when we won $20,000.00 from Best Buy Canada to support the purchase of new technology for the school.

That's all old news. What's coming up this year?

We are heading north and heading south, speaking to researchers working at the south pole and newly-trained midwives working in Nunavut. We're heading into space when, in the late fall, our logo will be on board the final Space Shuttle mission and we will also chat with Colonel Chris Hadfield, the next commander of the International Space Station. We will post stories and video interviews with bands Mother Mother and Abney Park and survivor expert Les Stroud.

We can't predict all all of the stories and people we will be following this year but do know that we will be finishing the season off with a blast from the past! Spartan Youth Radio has agreed to attend the Espanola High School 60th Year Reunion and video the stories of our alumni which will then be posted on YouTube for the world to enjoy.

We will also launch the Spartan Hall of Fame to recognize EHS alumni who have gone on to do interesting things with their lives.

I don't know if, five years ago, I would have thought Spartan Youth Radio would have grown this big, this fast but I do assume that, once we reach our one decade mark we will look back astounded by the changes we have made, the stories we have covered and the lives we have touched.

I am Jayson Stewart and, like my students, I'm All Kinds of Different.