Better still, this new direction will benefit our  contributors even more than before. Why? Because Vibewire will now produce a quarterly Anthology of the best submissions from each theme.

This month’s theme is “What Matters”, interlinking with our successful fastBREAK session at the beginning of the month. That means everything on the website, besides important current affairs, will coincide with the theme.

There are now two options to submit your work:

1. submit directly onto the Portal dashboard when logged in

or

2. simply email your work to post@vibewire.posterous.com.

We will review your work and get back to you. Remember, the 1000 WORD LIMIT still applies. As per usual, we will be publishing submissions online and sending our contributors helpful feedback but now you guys will gain BETTER EXPOSURE and MORE RECOGNITION of your talent, whether it be creative writing, journalism, photographs, artwork, interviews, poetry, you name it!!

So get out there, produce the best you can offer and see your work in PRINT.

You have until MARCH 24 so get writing!

**Coming soon: Writer of the Month – the best writer of the month will have their profile displayed on the mainpage of Vibewire.org so that all the publishers who visit our site get see what the youth of today really has to offer. Don’t miss this great opportunity for real exposure!

Hey Everyone!

A short update – we’ve been getting a lot of submissions and it’s been great getting them published on Vibewire Portal.

Just a reminder as our website has been going through some Web development — please make sure to submit your articles on Vibewire Portal’s Dashboard so our editors don’t miss your submission! Make sure to read up on our Contributor Guidelines as well.

The Vibewire Team

IT

According to a NSW Department of Education and Training spokesperson, “These devices have internet filters and other security measures…breaching the Charter can result in disciplinary action”.
As part of Prime Minister Rudd’s Digital Education Revolution, ’state-of-the-art’ laptops have been made available for all current NSW Year 9 students to own, for use at school and home.

The laptops are distributed to each student on the condition that the student and their parents sign the Charter Agreement, after which the device then becomes their property.

Section 4 of the NSW Laptop User Charter outlines acceptable computer usage, “Students are not to create, participate in, or circulate content that attempts to undermine, hack into and/or bypass the hardware and software security mechanisms that are in place.”
Within the first week of receiving their personal laptops, many students communicated with each other outside of school hours and shared ideas about how best to ‘hack’ into the locked laptop settings.
One suspended student explained, “After the government said all the stuff they were going to set up on it, it seemed impossible [to hack]…but the first thing that came to my mind was that ‘I want to hack it’…so I looked up the forums, and heaps of people had different ideas.”
Students facilitated conversations on hacking techniques through various online gaming and video streaming websites; popular online youth spaces that the government cannot control.

One student organised to meet a fellow gamer and experienced hacker on MSN Messenger for advice, “It was first hacked by a student…the guy I spoke to apparently figured all the stuff out days before he even got the laptop.”
The attraction to hack into these particular laptops stems from their design to be locked to the Department of Education and Training network to prevent access to sites that are not pre-approved by the Department.
“If the government doesn’t like the website, they block it…not just because they think it’s un-educational but some of the websites say bad things about the government…it was all blocked. You can get like 1% of all the internet” claimed one annoyed Year 9 student.
Whilst at school, the students were visited by a Department of Education and Training official who notified them of their contractual breach

According to one student, they were told, “It might take us ages to get to your school, but we already know everyone that hacked…there’s no way you can get through us”.
A total of five students were found to be in breach of their charter as they ‘vandalised’ the laptop and ‘performed illegal operations’ by altering the computer operating system and installing their own software,
“What we did didn’t really require much skill. It required you to know how to use a screwdriver and use a cable to attach external software. Actual hacking and programming requires knowing how to read and write scripts”.
The students were suspended for less than a week and their laptop contracts considered void.
On the opening page of the User Charter, “The NSW Department of Education and Training is providing students with a personal laptop on the expectation that they will make good decisions with regard to their personal use of technology.”

According to one student, within the first week of receiving laptops, “The general year niner was watching movies and playing games in class”.

Although the government has supplied a $550 million budget for teacher training, many may still struggle to lead a class with the distraction of so many buzzing screens.

One suspended student claims that providing all Year 9-12 students with a personal laptop is not only for show, but a waste of class time, “Some of them [teachers] don’t even know how to use the softwares…so kids are slacking off in class…by the end of the first week half of the class had emulated old Nintendo systems and games on their computers and the teachers couldn’t do anything about it.”

Two of the students guilty of hacking into the system feel their punishment was not fair but share no regrets for their actions, “I asked my mum if she was proud of me at all, for what I’d done, and she didn’t actually reply…so maybe she was”.

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At Vibewire, we’re looking for young creatives looking to publish their writing, photos, and reviews.

Whatever it is, if you get in contact with us, we will probably find a way to add it to our site.  All you have to do is make a login and password then upload your content.

PLEASE upload your content to the PORTAL section of our website.  Thats the orange portal link on the top, which will be reserved for all of you contributors.

So start writing, taking pictures, interviewing, painting … you have a place to express yourself.

NOTE: Applications for this scholarship are now closed!

The Vibewire Media Makers Scholarship program is looking for 8 young people who are passionate about their communities!

Vibewire is running a 3 month digital media training program that will give you hands-on experience in writing articles, making short films, taking photographs, and getting your stuff online!

The program is providing an opportunity for young people (18-26 yrs) to represent themselves and their communities on important issues using digital media.

Participants will undergo basic training in the following areas: writing for digital media, interviewing, video production & editing, photography, news reporting, PR/press releases, and social media.

During the eight-week program, participants will be paired with an industry mentor who will assist in developing their ideas. The articles, short videos and photographs will be showcased during Youth Week 2010.

Applicants must be able to attend:

• All 8 Saturday afternoon workshops running between 21 Feb to 8 May, Sydney CBD
• An introductory workshop on 17 Feb, 5 pm
• 6-8 one-on-one weekly hour-long sessions with mentor
• A showcase event on the 17th of April 2010 (smARTarts @ Pine Street)

Download the full Application Form

No prior knowledge of media or content production needed.

This scholarship program is made possible by City of Sydney.

One Hour Photos has been organised by Michelle from Shelbyville- designed for anyone who wants to have fun whilst exploring the creative world of photography.

If you are interested in experiencing the visual sesnation that is ‘geurilla photography’ you need to join us at Vibewire’s Hub Hangout #3!

The Hub Hangout is a casual night at the Enterprise Hub where residents and staff of Vibewire can unwind, drink a few cold ones, and munch on some nibblies. We work together… we chill together!

Michelle Vandermeer will also be displaying the Photography Adventure she organised late last year.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

GOLD COIN DONATION FOR DRINKS

The poster below demonstrates the urban adventure that participants undertook…

“This is the real deal, not since the Blair Witch Project have we seen this type of audience reaction to a horror film. The film was shot on one camera on a $15,000 budget, and the best part is every thrill is real. This is a film that doesn’t rely on blood or gore and is breaking box office records in the U.S., beating Saw IV.”, says Xavier Mayes of Icon Film, the people behind this bone-chilling experience.

To coincide with the launch, Vibewire Portal is running a horror story competition that closes on November 30th. Take part and you will have the opportunity to:

• WIN a Horror DVD Pack including 30 Days of Night, The Descent, The Hitcher plus more, AND a double pass to catch the latest horror phenomenon on screen.
• Four runners up will also get double passes to watch Paranormal Activity.
• The best submissions will be featured online!

Head on over to Portal for more details – portal.vibewire.org.

Mark Sherborne is a freelance photographer and marketing consultant who has seen his work published in GQ, Sydney Morning Herald, PhotoReview, The Class, etc. Mark has worked for labels such as Modular Records and shot live gigs for groups such as Presets, Bang Gang, Bagraiders, Van She, The Klaxons, and The Valentinos.

Michelle Vandermeer is a Sydney-based designer whose work encompasses graphic design, photography, art, product design, and book design/binding. Over the years Michelle has initiated several photography adventures and their subsequent exhibitions, most recently at the 2008 This Is Not Art festival in Newcastle.

When: 21st November, 12:30 to 5:30 pm

Where: Vibewire Enterprise Hub, 525 Harris Street,Ultimo,Sydney

Cost:  $30

RSVP: events@vibewire.org

The Vibewire team has been hard at work revitalising our online presence, which will effectively support the youth community in shaping their world through media, arts and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Head on over to Vibewire Portal, a community for young creatives and writers, a place where you can publish your work, and where you can be free to experiment and develop your creative expression.

We have a brand new team of editors waiting to see new and exciting submissions from all backgrounds and genres – we are even taking it a step further by providing constructive feedback and mentoring for those seeking to sharpen their skills.

So where to from here? Create an account on Vibewire Portal and make sure to read up on our Contributor Guidelines, and then let your creative vibes flow…