Express Yourself!

The word "hero" conjures up images of daring, real-life superheroes putting themselves in harms way for the protection of innocent bystanders or civilians. Todays programs honors the everyday heroes living amongst us. Can you imagine living through the Holocaust? Survivor of the horrendous Nazi death camps of World War II, Anita Schorr, shares her stories with our hosts Youngjoo Ahn and Henna Hundal as she advocates the importance of standing up to injustice, not tolerating bullying, or abuse. Anita's experience is chronicled in the book, Be a Hero, Anita's Piano by Marion Stahl. Techie Talks reporter Caiseen Kelley encourages girls to be leaders in science and technology with her report on how women are breaking the barriers. In Health with Henna, you're given the power to be a hero of your own health, a hero for yourself, a hero who honors your own body by making smart and healthy lifestyle choices. As Anita Schorr states, "Step in. Don't stay silent. Speak out. Be a Hero"

A common thread with the teens of Be the Star You Are! and Express Yourself! Teen Radio is that they CARE-for themselves, for each other, and for total strangers. Co-hosts Alex Lee and Henna Hundal along with reporters Katelyn Darrow and Asya Gonzalex offer numerous tips on how everyone can show kindness every day in small ways. In the Giving of Giving, Katelyn gets excited about "Angel Deeds", doing special things anonymously "just because". Social Responsibiity Reporter, Asya Gonzalez is passionate about visiting nursing homes to give the elderly a listening ear. In Health with Henna, Henna Hundal shares research on the benefits to oneself for being a caring, compassionate, kind individual. Great tips on how to write special encouraging notes, be fair and considerate in on-line conversations, and ways to volunteer with organizations that help you step out of yourself and into another's shoes. The paradox of life is that the more we care for others, the more we care for ourselves. Like happiness, kindness is a choice. Pay it Forward.

Dividing, labeling, and categorizing, in other words, stereotyping. We know it's rude; we know it's insulting; and we know it creates embarrassment. Co-hosts Youngjoo Ahn and Henna Hundal dive deeply into this hurtful, prejudice-driven act. Social Responsibility Reporter Asay Gonzalez advocates for the youth sex slaves that are stereotyped as prostitutes. Educator and the 10th annual Be the Star You Are!® essay contest winner, Pamela Lewis reads her award winner Being American: A Hard-Won Identity while she discusses the brutal road that Afro-Americans have traveled via stereotyping, the ugly offspring of ignorance and close mindedness. Best selling author of forty books, Lisa T. Bergren explores the issue in relation to her fictional character, Andriana, in her newest YA novel, Remnants, while discussing how we can all learn acceptance from reading fiction. In Health with Henna, we discover the negative effects that stereotyping has on our health and well being including higher levels of aggression, a greater lack of self-control, a difficulty thinking rationally, and a tendency to over-eat. It is time that we accept people for who they are, instead of automatically resorting to disrespectful and damaging stereotypes based on color, race, religion, sex, culture, or occupation.

When you hear the words "spring break", lounging on warm beaches and raucous youth comes to mind. Students around the world look forward to this final break before the summer vacation. What is done with this free time is the topic by our Express Yourself!™ teen ladies. Co-hosts Youngjoo Ahn and Katelyn Darrow interview reporters Courtney Cheng and Asya Gonzalez for an entertaining, fascinating, and shocking look at what, how, where, and when we celebrate. Courtney kicks off the show with Book It! taking time to relax, hike, read, watch movies, and enjoy a concert with friends. Katelyn, our Gift of Giving reporter, advocates an alternative spring break of helping others and volunteering locally or abroad. Our Social Responsibility Reporter, Asya, warns us about the dangers lurking when we lose control or trust strangers. More people are abducted in human sex trafficking ventures during spring break than any other time. Youngjoo lightens the load with her Artsy Gift segment on fun activities, including creating poetry T-shirts, experimenting with new food, and even shopping for furniture. Have fun during your break but be safe and constructive.

Being young doesn't exempt you from stress. Between rigorous academics, extracurricular exercises, homework, family, friends, and other activities, teens are not living life on easy street. Co-hosts Youngjoo Ahn and Alex Lee lead a discussion about how young people can find relief from everyday school pressures. Hear about stress in the life of celebrities with our What's Poppin' reporter, Caie Kelley, about the stress technology causes with our Techie Talks reporter, Caiseen Kelley, and the statistics about the deterrent to our health induced by stress when we talk with Henna Hundal, our Health contributor. The teens offer tips to manage the tough times and reduce social anxiety with stress from school and life. No matter who you are or how much money you have, stress knows no boundaries but with mindfulness, it can be controlled. Relax, Sit Back, Breathe

What is cultural diversity and how do you define it? Co-hosts Youngjoo Ahn and Ryan Sim explore the multicultural experience through Ryan's Global Youth Talk report based on data analysis of the multicultural map of the world. The teens engage in an exciting interview with international best selling prolific YA Seventeen Magazine Summer Club author, Amalie Howard who grew up on the Caribbean island of Trinidad, lived in five other countries, and travels the world searching for stories. Amalie discusses her newest novel Alpha Goddess as well as her other books, all with a global influence of integrated cultures. In Health with Henna, Henna Hundal reveals that when a person's sense of human dignity is violated, there are physiological consequences, especially in the teen years. Embrace the cultural diversity around us and celebrate all cultures on the planet. By enjoying our differences we realize our sameness. We are all one. Rejoice!.

One thing is for sure–today's teens are jugglers. They have so much on their spinning plates that they are rapidly learning to prioritize, make lists, eliminate some activities, and constantly be vigilant on the stress meter. Rachel Glass and Youngjoo Ahn co-host this very informative segment on balancing school and life. This is a coveted peek inside the chaotic and busy schedules of today's youth. Book It! Reporter Courtney Cheng is sure that she's read a book or seen a movie that relates to what she is experiencing, but then again, perhaps her life is a film! Social Responsibility reporter, Asya Gonzalez juggles being an entrepreneur with school, sports, and being the founder of a charity that protects girls. Youngjoo compares her life to a circus and Rachel indicates that after years of working out the kinks, she is now ahead of her goals of being to top of things. All of our reporters share important tips and tricks to living healthily and happily as a teen while keeping all the balls in the air.

What do you do to have fun with your family? What kinds of activities do you enjoy? Does spending time together create lasting memories and strong bonds? Host Youngjoo Ahn interviews teens Caie Kelley, Hannah Li, Hart Main, and Henna Hundal to get the inside scoop on the value of familial adventures . What's Poppin reporter, Caie, communicates on celebrity families, Fashion Forward guru, Hannah, shares her experiences having fun when parents are divorced, while athletic Hart hones in on sports as an important family time. Health with Henna hinges on the heart to heart conversations that are critical to relationships to maintain wellness and positivity. One thing is certain, whether you play games, go for walks, cook together, or just relax in the sunshine, our families are our teachers and having a good time together is essential for happiness.

How do you keep active in winter. Do you snowboard, ski, ice skate, snow mobile, bob sled, play basketball, do yoga or pilates. Do splash in mud puddles or sit on the couch and watch TV. Studies show that we burn more brown fat in cold weather. In fact, 15 minutes of outdoor exercise in cold temperatures utilizes calories equivalent to one hour of an indoor work out. Hosts Rachel Glass and Youngjoo Ahn interview Henna Hundal about the health benefits of winter exercise while sports reporter Hart Main discloses the cities who may compete for the Winter Olympics in 2022. In eight years these teens will be adults well on their way to successful careers. Don't pass up the opportunity to work out during wintertime! There are so many ways to engage in fun wintertime activity, from building snow men to surfing to just taking a walk outside. Put down the popcorn, get off the couch, and try anything that keeps you up and out when the cold weather hits. If you want to shave off some extra calories, its time to give winter exercise a shot.

The 2014 Olympic Winter Games awed the world February 7 -23, 2014. This was the first time that the Russian Federation played host to an Olympic event. The Soviet Union hosted the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow. Winter Olympics XXII in Sochi, Russia, boasted 87 countries and featured 12 new events in addition to the skating, skiing, bob sleighing, luge, curling, ice hockey, and biathalon. Host Youngjoo talks about indulging in regional foods and saving souvenirs, Sports Reporter Hart Main provided the back story on how countries and cities are chosen, Nerd Word Reporter Jane Fessenden looks at the history of the Olympics beginning in Greece, and Katelyn Darrow discusses her admiration for the Olympics in spreading joy, peace, and a united world. No matter what country you rooted for, every individual athlete is to be applauded for the dedication, hard work, and athletic prowess brought to the 2014 Winter Olympics. The Olympics is a time for the globe to celebrate our shared humanity alongside a healthy competitive spirit.