“Kids Up Front is a non-profit charitable organization that provides entertainment, educational and recreational opportunities to children and their families in need by distributing unused envent tickets and creating special events to help heal, bond and unite”

To read about an exciting experience provided by KIDS UP FRONT,

The Game Plan Movie Review: by Maryana

I went to see the advanced screening of “The Game Plan” last night with my friend. I got there @ 6pm. That’s when I was able to go in after passing through security! Wow, they really searched everyone. I guess they were afraid that someone was going to record, or tape the movie. Other then that, I had a lot of FUN! I have never actually seen The Rock in a movie. I knew that he is a wrestler, but to tell you the truth I did not think that he was a good actor. To my surprise, he wasn’t bad. I actually enjoyed the movie. I thought that The Rock played a good father. This movie shows just how quickly a relationship can grow, and just by how much it may change a person. The movie also shows the measures that parents often must take because of the sake of their kids. The Game Plan is for everyone, but especially for fathers, and daughters. As many other books, and movies have taught us in the past-family really does come before everything else!!

Dear Kids up Front Foundation,

Once again, I would like to thank you for inviting me to the advanced screening of “The Game Plan” at Silver City Theater in Richmond. I had an exciting two hours watching the movie! I liked the fact that The Rock played the father in a movie. I know that a lot of people know him as a tough wrestler. I though showing “the kind side” of him was very interesting, and maybe even inspiring. I hope that a lot of kids, especially girls, were able to see just how much their fathers love them. I bet many parents could relate to the movie as well! I learned just how quickly a relationship between two people can change, creating a bond that can not be broken.

Thank you Maryana

A Friend of Kids Up Front donated tickets to a Canucks pre-season game and giving a local youth an experience she won’t soon forget!

The Vancouver Canucks VS. Calgary Flames Sept 19th, 2007

Walking into the arena you could feel the excitment. The Canucks were about to hit the ice. And I was very excited. I hadn’t been to a Canucks game in years, and couldn’t wait for it to begin. The seats were amazing, perfect view of all the players and the whole ice rink. As the lights flashed the Canucks raced onto the ice, the crowd went wild. The excitment of the people at the Canucks games is infectious. The first period went by fast, and the score was tied, 0-0. The second period was when the action began, the fights broke out and the puck was flying. The second and third periods were a blur of one as we just kept on scoring. One by one we scored the goals. And every goal was like a parade. Everyone jumped out of their seats and cheered. The final score was 4-0 for the Canucks! Of course we won! This was an amazing experience, and I would like to thank everyone who made it possible for me. GO CANUCKS GO!

Alannah Cooper

Art Comes Alive at Vancouver Art Gallery

Have I been here? Navigating the exhibits of the Vancouver Art Gallery is like walking through a maze. However, inside this maze you will find little surprises that will delight and amaze. Wasting no space, VAG has created four wonderful exhibits, each showcasing regional talents and contemporary art. Thanks to the organization Kids Up Front, I went to the VAG on the third Sunday of July and for this article, I will be the unofficial tour guide and you can play the tourist’s role.

Just one month earlier, a new exhibit called Raven Travelling opened. Covering the entire first floor, this exhibit features 200 years of Haida art, which is a First Nations group from the Queen Charlotte Islands. As you come into the gallery, you will see two totem poles sitting in the lobby, greeting the guests.

Inside the exhibit, contemplative sky blue walls serve as a backdrop for the raven-themed artworks. Ceremonial robes are covered with delicate beads and fringes. Dancing sticks and the eerily lifelike transformation masks fill the display cases. Moving along the exhibit, the artifacts become more modern, including a display case filled with beautiful silver jewelry. Near the end of the exhibit, you’ll see a killer whale that looks like the green boat sculpture at Vancouver International Airport. Actually, the killer whale is designed by Bill Reid, who also created the The Spirit of Haida Gwaii at YVR.

As we move up the escalator, you will come to Arthur Erickson: Critical Works. Arthur Erickson is a world-renowned architect from Vancouver. Did you know that Robson Square, SFU, the Downtown Law Courts, and the UBC Museum of Anthropology are all Erickson’s works? The exhibit documents Erickson’s early years as a military officer serving in Malaysia and his rise to fame. On this floor, a plain gray background symbolizes Erickson’s love of concrete and glass. Display cases showcase blueprints, maps, and miniature models of Vancouver’s famous landmarks.

The third floor contains mostly paintings of First Nations artwork, including pieces by Emily Carr. Many of these paintings have a mythical quality about them. This aptly reflects the exhibit’s name: First Nation’s Myths and Realities. On the top floor, an exhibit curiously named Some Assembly Required: Contemporary Prefabricated Houses attracts kids like moths to a flame. Why? Because today is Super Sunday at VAG.

Every third Sunday of each month, kids can create art relating to the exhibits. Kids can make butterfly collages and draw like Emily Carr. They can also build cardboard houses that would make Erickson proud. At Vancouver Art Gallery, art is not a 2-D piece of paper. They make sure their exhibits relate to real life. It is this magical connection between artwork, artist, and admirer that truly makes art come alive.

Thank you so much Kids Up Front for giving me this opportunity!

Written by Alice Huang

For more information on the Kids Up Front organization, check out www.kidsupfront.com