Each week, Student Riots is presented to you by Greg McKenzie, Karen Verhove, Rebecca Haslam, Jessica Paynter, Kyle Shea, Tegan Winkfield-Zelenka, and Spencer Crone, and produced by Hannah Foulger.
Greg McKenzie
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Gregory Wayne Gilbert McKenzie. Born May 3rd, 1983, in the now much more developed city of Collingwood Ontario. I grew up out side of Collingwood, and was raised happy by a rare pack of timber wolves. Just kidding, I had a normal family with Mom and Dad and a younger brother, who is now more successful then I would have ever predicted for him. Dad still runs his own business as a contract carpenter, and sadly my mother died of cancer when I was 18.
After high school, I left home in ski country to try my hand at working as a machinist. This career was progressing okay until a work place accident caused me to fall 20 feet, from the roof of the building, to the concrete floor. The end result was 3 major fractures and a complete dislocation of my right wrist. After a few hours under the knife, a very skilled doctor managed to put Humpty Dumpty back together, but at a cost. Even though I scored two wicked-assed scars, I now have crippling arthritis in my wrist. On the plus side, this means I have to find a new career, and where better to find one then right here at Conestoga College.
Shortly before my attempt to defy gravity, I had started volunteering with the local community television station. I was out operating TV cameras, and making graphics, and really grew to enjoy the art of making television. So when the doctor told me that it was time for a new career, television broadcasting made sense. I now have worked my way up to the position of amateur Director, and I’m in charge of shows like OHL hockey, IBL baseball, and a few others. What A BLAST, that’s all I can say ‘bout that.
At the start of the semester for my second year at Conestoga, I didn’t know what to expect. When the crew band(ed) together to hammer out ideas for a weekly production, I threw out the idea of a magazine style show. Maybe using the last bit of good advice I’d ever be able to give to the world, I pitched a show like Student Riots. When the eyes of my teammates light up with anticipation I was excited. Then going around the circle of all the talented people I work with, I never would have suggested myself as a co-host. But here I am. I love working with the crew we have, and can’t believe that all these great ideas and technical smarts could ever be combined into one group. (dear God help us if we ever decide to take over the world...muhuhaha!!!!)
In the little bit of off time we get away from school I spend my time watching professional broadcast sports in an attempt to better my own judgments/skills as a director. Unfortunately, I’m a Leafs fan. And I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the bagpipes. If I’m surfing the web, I’m probably reading the blog posts at videocopilot.net or following my favorite OHL team, (The Guelph Storm!) on the OHL website when they’re out of town. For anyone who has had a hard time watching a baseball game start to finish. sportsnet.ca offers this wicked online polling game called “game in the game” where you predict how the jays, (and visiting team,) will perform.
I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SEASON OF STUDENT RIOTS AND WORKING ALONG SIDE WITH KAREN. She’s a gem to work with and I’m sure the little digs are just going to keep both of us honest.
Enjoy the show.
Favourite websites:
videocopilot.net
ontariohockeyleague.com
sportsnet.ca
Karen Verhoeve
Hey ya'll my name is Karen Elise Verhoeve. I'm from a small town in south western of Ontario. Tillsonburg, and yes my back still aches when I hear that word. I'm sixteen years old with four years experience and well on my way to great success in the television industry...as soon as I can leave mom and dad's house. In my spare time I save lives, but not in a conventional sort of way...between oil and lotion applications I jump in the pool and help people struggling in the deep end.
Actually thats how I met Greg! my co-host from the shallow end of life's talent pool...just kidding Greg...love ya! When I'm not too lazy to cook my favorite food on the go are SUBS! and I've never changed my sub since I was little-er. Why change the simple things in life. Mornings are my favorite part of the day—I mean who doesn't wake up in a good mood all the time! When approached to be a co-host with Greg I was little reluctant seeing as his sense of humor is a little over my head at times—but it makes it easier for me to make fun of him ha ha. Since everyone has a computer these days I figured I'd jump on the band wagon and I've really taken a liking to addictinggames.com...once you start playing bubble spinner I swear you'll be hooked for life. But pre-production is well on it's way and I'm really looking forward to working everyone...even Greg!
Taker easy ya'll! xoxo
Favourite websites:
addictinggames.com
Rebecca Haslam
Rebecca Joan Haslam was born and raised in Whitby, Ontario. She was the first child of Tracy and Nelson Haslam, born June 27th 1990. At three years old Rebecca was enrolled in Montessori Pre School, but only because during the audition she put the toys away after playing with them. She was there a year until she became jealous of the attention her new little sister was getting and stayed home until she was old enough for kindergarten.
This is the phase where Rebecca became a shopaholic and spent most of her time at the mall with her mother. Dr. Robert Thornton was the next school she attended. Here she learned everything, from ABCs to getting detention for kissing boys in circle time and skipping class to get ice cream with the school librarian, to writing and winning story competitions in the community. She was always the shortest in her class and failed at sports and gym class. But none of that mattered because after nine years at Thornton, she was ready to move on to a place where she could substitute health for gym. She graduated from Thornton with honour roll and the citizenship award and moved to Anderson CVI for the next step. Grade nine was fun and new and the best part was there were no little sisters. Rebecca made new friends and lost some old friends to fights over boys and other ridiculous, non-important things. She worked hard at her schoolwork, became a textaholic and developed a rather large crush on Chuck Bass from her favourtite show Gossip Girl. After going to Chicago in grade ten, she decided that one day she would reside there and work in the television industry. At first Rebecca wanted to be in animation, but after volunteering in the television environment, decided she liked the feel of the studio better. After being waitlisted at Ryerson, it was off to Conestoga College for Broadcast TV in the fall of 2008 where she currently attends her second year of schooling. Rebecca loves music and watching movies, and her favourites include Taylor Swift, Jason Mraz and Little Miss Sunshine but not Twilight. She hates Twilight. She currently resides in Conestoga College Residence in Kitchener, where she spends most of her time. Her favourite restaurant is Mongolian Grill but also loves sushi and fettucini alfredo. Though she doesn’t one hundred percent know where she will be in ten years or what she wants to do when she is older, she likes to take things one step at a time and doesn’t really plan too far ahead, plus planning ahead is hard when you’re as indecisive as she is.
Favourite websites:
earth.google.com
facebook.com
tmz.com
youtube.com
Twitter im_rebecca
Jessica Paynter
Jessica Paynter is the youngest of three children with two older brothers sworn to beat-up any uncooperative boyfriends at any time. She was born and raised in Kitchener and graduated from Cameron Heights C.I.
She knew her destiny was in television ever since she was a little girl. She was always pushing all the other children out of the way to be in the spotlight. Jessica tried working in radio and has interviewed bands such as Billy and the Lost Boys. However, she wanted her face on the big screen, so she enrolled at Conestoga College for Broadcast Television. About to graduate from the program, she says she wouldn’t have it any other way. Her ultimate goal is to one day have a talk show of her own but for now, a job within the industry would suffice.
Jessica also attended Carleton University and studied Mass Communications and her interest in the media grew before she enrolled at Conestoga.
Favourite websites:
inbflat.net
perezhilton.com
simpsonizeme.com
facebook.com
Kyle Shea
Hey Everyone! So, let's start with the basics, my name is Kyle but my friends call me, well... they call me Kyle, too! I'm currently attending my second year at Conestoga College in the Television Broadcasting program and I'm loving it! I grew up in a small town in Nova Scotia with my parents, brother, and sister before moving to Ontario after high school to attend college.
I'm intrigued by all parts of the television industry with a keen interest in the writing and on air possibilities, particularly sports. After my stay at Conestoga I hope to attend University to further my education.
I consider myself a funny, outgoing person who enjoys laughing and making others laugh. In my spare time I like to spend time with friends, read, listen to music (basically all the regular stuff!) My ultimate career goal is to be a sports reporter for a major sports station such as TSN or Sportnet. I enjoy watching all types of sports, especially, hockey, baseball and football with my favorite teams consisting primarily of all the Toronto based teams (insert laughter here...)
Anyway, this is me in a nut-shell. Hope you enjoy Student Riots!
Favorite websites:
facebook.com
tsn.ca
youtube.com
Twitter ConestogaGuy
Tegan Winkfield-Zelenka
Tegan Winkfield-Zelenka is a storyteller at heart. She grew up travelling across Canada. When she was in her last year at high school, she got a job at CBC Radio in Charlottetown, writing, performing and editing weekly commentaries for the afternoon show, "MainStreet".
Eventually, she moved to Stratford, Ontario and during these years she wrote a bi-weekly column for the newspaper, numerous short stories, a novel and won several writing awards; including being a finalist in the Writers Union of Canada Short Prose Competition, judged by the author Alistair MacLeod. Since then, Tegan went back to school for Television and Broadcasting, where she's learning to tell stories in many different mediums. She currently works for InTune Audio as a videographer, and is the host of her own web-esode show; MakesCents.TV.
Favourite websites:
www.makescents.tv
www.intuneaudio.ca
Twitter teganwinkfield
Spencer Crone
Hello everyone, my name is Spencer Crone and I'm currently attending Conestoga College. On Student Riots, I will be bringing some interesting and useful websites to your attention each week in our special web segment.
I am interested in many things, and although I am currently in the Broadcast Television program, I have a strong interest in web design and I'm fascinated with just about everything about the web. I think we're living in a very interesting era of technology, and it's quite exciting to see what the near future will bring. I'm happy to be able to code and design this beautiful website for Student Riots, and if you have any questions for me about it, send me an email at admin@studentriots.com. Enjoy the show and the site!
Favourite websites:
twitter.com
delicious.com
vimeo.com
lookbook.nu
Twitter spncrc
Hannah Foulger
Hi, I’m Hannah Foulger, producer and sci-fi geek extraordinaire. Born just outside of Amsterdam to British parents, I’ve been raising he(ck) from Cambridge, Ontario ever since. With English parents, a rapper for a brother-in-law and a love for sci-fi and fantasy, I have a broad base of influences.
You can usually find me listening to some weirdo English (or Danish) music on my iPod, or reading a book.
I’m a writer, and am currently working on my first play, as of yet untitled.
Favourite websites:
io9.com
scifisurplus.com
cakewrecks.blogspot.com
questionablecontent.net
Twitter alittlespaced