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If This Doesn't Inspire...Nothing Will

A homeless 13 year old boy wins $130,000 peace prize for helping other homeless kids.  Video 1 is here - the young man's acceptance speech made at The Hague on September 19th is here. 

United Nations Tells Canada It Needs To Take Better Care of Its Vulnerable Children

In hearings in Geneva to examine Canada's adherence to the Conventions on the Rights of the Child, Ottawa was repeatedly taken to task for incoherence about how federal and provincial programs actually help kids. Read More.

New Anti-Obesity Ads Blaming Overweight Parents Sparks Criticism

Educating or shaming..."It's Hard Enough to Be a Fat Kid Without the Government Telling You You're an Epidemic"  Read article and watch video.

If You Have a Brother - Even if You Don't 

This might make you weep.

Supreme Court Decides Girl Can Proceed with Anonymous Facebook Bullying Lawsuit

In spite of long-held open court principles, the Supreme Court says a 15 year old girl can proceed with an anonymous cyber bullying lawsuit.  The Court said failing to protect young victims from the "psychological toxicity" of such intimidation would be far more harmful than allowing the minimal encroachment on other rights by masking her identity.

The Mysterious Workings of the Adolescent Brain

Why do teenagers seem so much more impulsive, so much less self-aware than grown-ups?  Cognitive neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore compares the prefrontal cortex in adolescents to that of adults, to show us how typically "teenage" behaviour is caused by the growing and developing brain.  Fascinating short video.

Study Links chemical BPA to Obesity in Children, Teens

Kids with higher levels of the widely used substance BPA in their bodies are more likely to be obese, according to the first large-scale, nationally representative study to link an environmental chemical with obesity in children and teens.  Read More.

In Age of Bullying, Special Needs Student Elected Prom King

Scott Shaver was recently crowned prom king at his high school.  What is special and inspiring about his crowning is that it marks the extent to which a young man with autism has been embraced by his "regular education" classmates.