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A14 - Champion Country, Tuesday, August 2, 2005 Welcome to the Milton Mail Idol Contest! n recognition of many talented young singing and music artists in Milton, The Milton Mall is proud to host the first ever Milton Mall Idol Contest. The Milton Mall Idol Contest will be held on August 17 and the 18 to give young vocal musicians a chance to showcase their talents in front of a live audience and judging panel, with prizes to be awarded to the winner. On August 17, the first day of the Milton Mall Idol Contest, registration will be held at 12noon to lpm. There will only be 30 spots available, so interested partic- ipants are encouraged to arrive early at the Milton Mall to enter the contest. Registration will only be offered on a first come first serve basis and the contestants must be between the ages of 12 - 20. Once registration is com- pleted at lpm, the preliminary contest will begin for all 30 contestants. Each contestant will have the opportuni- ty to select one of 400 songs available in the contest and will have the chance to perform in front of a live audi- ence at the Milton Mall. A judging panel will select the 10 best participants for the Final Show and Judging. The Final Show and Judging will be held the next day on August 18 from 7pm to 8pm. The final 10 contestants will have their make-up done by Shopper's Drug mart and will again perform in front of a live audience with the opportunity to be judged by guest vocalist Faith McMillian, a Canadian Idol finalist. The grand prize for the winner of the Milton Mall Idol Contest will include recording time at a Toronto record- ing studio plus a $200 gift certificate from Wireless Wave and more. Peer-to-peer tips help prepare kids for back-to-school (NC) It's almost time to hit the books again! The first day of school can bring feelings of excitement and anxiety to stu- dents, but there are many ways to get kids in gear before the first bell rings. Canada's youngest executives, the Indigo Junior Booklovers are here to help with great tips for preparing for back-to-school, as well as a selection of their favourite books to help exercise kids' minds before the school year begins. Hannah Drew, age 15, London, ON Before the first day of school, I pack my bag with new pens, pencils, notebooks and of course, books! It always feels great to start a school year with new supplies! i also make sure I go to bed early so I'm alert and focused in the morning. If you haven't already, make sure to read Peter Pan by J.M Barrie or The Hobbit by J.R. R. Tolkien. Both books are classic sto- ries, full of imagination and excitement. Reading them will get you ready for school in no time and it'll be like taking your final adventure of the summer! Aaron Martin, age 12, Surey, BC This year l'm entering the seventh grade French immersion, so to prepare for back- to-school, l'Il have to pick up a French- English dictionary, as well as lots of new school supplies. For a great read, I'd recommend Millions by Frank Cottrel Boyce and for heavy read- ers, the entire Pendragon series by D.J. MacHale. Riley Tickes, age 14, Calgary, AS i like to think about what I hope to achieve in the coming year and figure out ways to prepare myself for a new work- load. It helps to do this a few weeks after school has started, and Ive gotten to know my teachers and classes then i can really figure out the best way to accomplish my goals. For mature readers my favourite classic book is The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton it's very powerful and thought-provoking. For younger readers, Hatchet by Gary Paulsen will always be one of my all-time favourites. Katina Skiepowiicf age 15, Winnipeg, M Going back to school is always exciting for me! I pretty much have the same rou- tine every year by making sure my books and supplies are in order. i also pack plen- ty of snacks since sitting in a cassroom can make you hungry when you're used to being outside ail day. For children, i recommend Amanda's First Day of School by Joan Elizabeth Goodman. Older kids and teens will love C.S. Lewis' classics, Prince Caspian and the Narnia series. Megan Stewart, age 17, Charlottetown PEI i try to cram as much fun and excitement into my summer vacation as possible! I also like to go and buy my school supplies and some new clothes to start the year off in style! One of my favourite books as a child was The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery. It's a beautiful story about the dif- ference between the worlds of grownups and children. I think everyone should read this book when they're young. ýF 1 reO MILTON foto source