8--The Canadian Champion, Tuesday JuIy 8, 2003 Vsitu a jI I wwkarensf lowershop. com Ij !~,78-881 'IllI New magaziedesined to get teens takg Second edition of ~~ youth group-run t Allusion now out i By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion G oto any book store and you'I find many carbon copied teen magazines fea- turing fashion tips, advice columns, pages and pages of advertisements and mostly American up and corners. Fip through the pages of one of the newest teen magazines around town, and you may be sur- prised with what you'll find - substance as well as a good dose of witty humour. Some articles provoke rather deep questions and may even leave the reader pondering the meaning of life. And some are just for a good iaugh. Not the usual teen fare. Best of ail, not only is Allusion magazine Canadian, it's an endeavour Milton can eaul its very own, written and produced by local youth. Raîher than complete "fluf," the magazine's full of the stuf teens really want, said the maga- in's co-editor, Alexandra Culver, 19, a recent graduate of Milton District l-igh School. "We want to, have an impact of some sort,- she said. The first Allusion magazine- aptly titled because of the indirect way it addrcsses their faith - was pioduced last year. This second edition was printed just a few weeks ago and the 3,500 copies were distributed to local high schools, mails and skate shops. Chris Jones, the youth director at Canipbellville's St. George's Anglican Church on Guelph Line, is one of the visionaries who stant- cd the bail rolling. Mr. Jones, along witb Ryan Munn, started the non-profit company Frecdom Generation, wbich is designed to rcacb out to the community. One of the primary projecîs Frcedom Generation's invoivcd with is starting a coffce pub/dance club - called 'he Zion Project- for youth in Milton. Since that project is moving slowly as Freedomn Gencration waits for the fund- ing and fis out govemment applications, Freedom Generation decided to start Allusion magazine in thc mean time. Youth from Mr. Jones' cburch wcre the ftrst I0 work on the magazine. and a number of students at Milton District High School - wbere Mr. Joncs' father is the principal - quickly joined in. Mr. Jones said the purpose of the magazine is to, Alexandra Culver (left) and Chris Jones show off copies of their Iatest Allusion magazine. gel teens talking and thinking. "W'rc trying t0 (provide) a forum for kids to have discussions about life," said Mr. Joncs, 28. He added that some articles are intense, like the article in this issue on anorexia, while othcrsjust cater to teens' interests- such as Uic article on surfer Ci I-obgood. "lt's a forum 10 be ourselves," he said. He addcd that the mix of scrious and fun arti- cles makes for an authcntic representation of most teens. "We lookcd at our own lives. Wc askcd. 'Who is Alexandra?' Sbc's sometimes serious and sometimes fun. It would be cheese if if's ail seri- ous, because that's not who wc are.' The magazine is designed 10 compete with any other you'd sec a teen rcading, and ils flashy design is thanks 10 graphic designer Scott H-unt. Although the magazine is fundcd by Multon's Christian community and Mr. Joncs clcarly pro- fesses bis own Christian faith, the purpose of Allusion isn't Io "force- students 10 conform to bis beliefs, he said. "It's lcss us îelling thcm what 10 find. than us belping themn ask the right questions," he said. Writers don't have 10 agree with Mr. Joncs' beliefs, he said, and be and Ms Culver said they invite any Milton teen 10 submit articles or ideas. "More writers should usc the gifts tbcy have," Ms Culver said. The magazine bas minimal advertising, Mr. Joncs said - a detinite plus for readers. "Kids are bomnbardcd with crap (advertising) ail the lime," hc said. "They can rcad (Allusion> cover 10 cover and'there's actuaily someîhing there.'" Mr. Joncs said he first got the idca for Allusion magazine after sccing some of the other fre magazines distribuîcd to high schools and think- ing he could do a more appealing version. The future of the magazine dcpends on the donations reccivcd. Mr. Jones said. As long as the funds arc there, issues wiil kecp rolling. be said, hopefully quarterly. St. Georgc's church bas been cxtremely gencrous in its financial sup- port of Allusion, he said, as weil as its hiring of a threc-pcrson youth staff. Mr. Joncs, who grew up in Milton, said bis goal as a creator of the magazine and as a youth director is to belp students as tbey travel through the ofien-turbulent high school ycars. "I want to hclp themn through the (tough times) in life and let God beip îbem," he said. Students can e-mail articles and suggestions to editor@rflwcb.com, and can visit the maga- zine's Web site - which bas ail the articles from the first two issucs - at www.rflweb.com/allu- ston. Stephanie Thiessen con be reached at stlttesseo@Inihonconodian<.h00tpi011 keeping Nofi Haftn tumed )À Programming Schedule - Tuesday, JuIy 8th - Monday, JuIy l4th, 2003 www.cogeco.ca NORTH HALTON STUDO Laurier Plaza' 500 Laurier Avenue Milton, ON L9T 4R3 905-878-9306 5. 6 & 7:3Opm Pluctaed In! 5, 6S& 7 0I,,,,.,acedIn Early Week Edition 8.OOpm Mlton Council (Jun 23) Early Week Edition 8:OOpm Mlton Council (Jane 23) 5, s & txaupm 5'Iugged In! Early Week Edition 6:OOpm Halton Region Council (June 25) 5, 6 & 7:3Opm Piugged li Late Week Edition 8:OOpm Main Street- Muskoka Proudly servmi the comimuiies of -itobu Mis. Miltomi & Kock od'for 33 vears