Garnet Key opens door to youth

You’ve seen them, with their wine-red blazers and welcoming smiles. The Garnet Key is an elite group of a dozen students who officiate as ushers at formal university events. Their year-long mandate gives them the opportunity to undertake a community service project.

The 2006-07 Key are taking a bigger leap than their predecessors: a bilingual conference on youth development in Montreal, to be held Saturday, Feb. 10, in the Henry F. Hall Building.

The idea is to bring together at least three elements — young people between 12 and 17, community agencies that work with young people, and Concordia students — to bounce ideas off one another.

Their ultimate goal is to create a direct connection between Concordia students and these organizations to establish internships. Their main partner is Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Montreal, which has years of experience in the field and a network of contacts in local high schools, and L.O.V.E. (Leave Out Violence).

The Garnet Key organizers have already lined up about a dozen groups that want to take part, including Literacy Through Hip Hop, Mise Au Jeu, Réseau Droits et Démocratie, the Institut du Nouveau Monde, Vidéo Paradiso, PACT de rue, TOHU – Forum Jeunesse and the Park Extension Youth Organization.

They plan to hold a panel discussion in Room H-110, and then take over the recently renovated seventh floor for workshops and a luncheon.
President Gabriel Bran Lopez and Vice-President Molly Kohli want to get the message out to faculty and staff now so that they can bring their expertise to bear on the planning of the big day. They’re still collecting ideas to make it as lively and provocative as possible for the participants.

They also want to introduce the idea to Concordia students interning with youth groups, because they may not have considered the possibility. “It looks really good on your CV,” Lopez said with a smile.

In their proposal, the organizers “hope to provide similar and greater forums in our university year after year.”

“The members of the Garnet Key strive to have a significant and long-lasting impact on Concordia and the Montreal community, and ask you to consider and support this event, which will undoubtedly be worthwhile, dynamic and exciting.”

If you would like to get involved, Gabriel, Molly and the rest of Key would love to hear from you. You can contact them at garnet.key@gmail.com.