Spartan Youth Radio Fans Boogie at the Mountain
by Spartan Youth Radio staff

UPDATE JANUARY 10, 2012:

Plans are in the works for MUSE 2012 and, again, it will be an entirely FREE event with dinner, desserts, prizes and live entertainment courtesy of the Ministry of Education's SpeakUp! Grant Program!  Stay tuned for details.

LAST YEAR'S EVENT:

Espanola’s Boogie Mountain Ski Hill is usually quiet on a June evening but that silence was broken when almost ninety staff, fans, friends and dignitaries gathered to celebrate Spartan Youth Radio’s fifth birthday during an annual event the students of Espanola High School call “The Muse Coffeehouse”.

Poets, comedians, media artists, musicians and an exceptionally energetic and limber interpretive dancer took to the stage to help in the celebration.  Guests were treated to a buffet dinner of lasagna, meatballs and perogies, a giant cake and assortment of gourmet cupcakes and tons of prizes.  Few left empty handed and none left with empty bellies.

“It was fantastic to see so many current and former students and their families come to this event,” said producer and Espanola High School teacher Jayson Stewart.  “It certainly made us feel like Spartan Youth Radio has had an impact on their lives and I can’t think of a better way to recognize our first five years of broadcasting.”
On hand to celebrate along with the kids were Jason Turnbull, afternoon host for CBC Radio’s Points North, who spoke about the relevance of small community, grassroots journalism.  “You’re leading the way here [with Spartan Youth Radio].  You’re doing what most of the major corporations haven’t done…you’re focusing on creating your own local content and that’s commendable.”

MP Carole Hughes was on hand to present a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the House of Commons.  “Congratulations on this milestone. You are truly trailblazers for student radio.

The event was free for all who attended, thanks to a generous grant from the Ministry of Education’s Speak Up! Program and in-kind donations from Boogie Mountain and Tim Hortons.

Spartan Youth Radio is Canada’s only high school podcast radio and video program and has reached a global audience with fans on every continent, including Antarctica. The group’s mandate is to give a voice to the students of northern Ontario and they have had great success in interviewing guests such as Rick Mercer, Billy Talent, Margaret Atwood, astronaut Chris Hadfield, actress Liane Balaban, the Weakerthans, Mother Mother and more.

You can listen and view Spartan Youth Radio’s program at spartanyouthradio.com or by visiting iTunes, Facebook and YouTube.