ROBERT, 12, ROCKHOUND & COLLECTOR A Rockhound is someone who looks for rocks and minerals and identifies them, and adds them to their collections. Some people prefer to see them in their natural state, others polish them and trade them. (Bancroft) MATHEW & JACOB, 9 & 12, AUTHORS FOR CHARITY Over the last 5 years these brothers have raised over $11,000 for breast cancer research. They started by making and selling jewellery, and have held parties where guests donate instead of bring gifts. They have appeared on radio shows, many newspaper articles, and the Rosie O'Donnell Show. They decided to put all their fundraising ideas into a book, published this year, called "Let's Make a Difference". They are now writing a movie, and hope to bring out a second book. (Nepean) ALEX, 11, REMOTE CONTROL PLANE OPERATOR Alex designs, builds and flies his own model planes, hovercraft, cars, boat and rockets. What a cool hobby. (Burlington) ASHLEY, 14, PHOTOGRAPHER Ashley took a two week course this summer as a beginner, and has now set up her own darkroom in her basement. Takes black and white pictures with a manual camera and develops them herself. (Toronto) ESLI, 12, ASTRONOMER Esli has been attending the David Dunlap Observatory all summer, and is able to operate a computerized telescope. He's been stargazing since grade two, and challenges himself to find stars he hasn't found yet. His teachers at the David Dunlap Observatory say he is an astronomer in the making, and knows as much as most adults! (Richmond Hill) ROSS, 14, HANG GLIDER Ross took an intensive course in hang gliding this summer. He loves the sport and is known as the kid who screams and yells while gliding (because of the thrill, not the fear). (Greenwood) RYAN, 15, OTTAWA 67's WATER BOY Water boy for the Ottawa 67's hockey team. The team had an amazing year finishing as last year's Canadian champions in the Memorial Cup Hockey Tournament. (Ottawa) KATIE, 14, FISHING KID Katie has been fishing for 3-4 years. She started fishing from the harbour wall in Owen Sound, but now goes out regularly on her dad's boat. Katie loves fishing, and how good it feels when you land a fish. (OwenSound) JENNIFER, 13, LONG-DISTANCE RUNNER "The best thing is that it's non-competitive because you do it for yourself, you can do it to keep fit or because it feels good, and you can do it all your life. You can do it of you're 100 or if you're 3. Other sports like soccer or basketball have to be competitive, but running is only competitive if you want it to be. It helps with your self-esteem". Jennifer (Toronto) SANDY & ERIN, 11 & 14, ANIMAL SHELTER ASSISTANTS Sandy and Erin found an abandoned dog, who they took to the Haven of the Hart Animal Shelter. The dog got better and now lives with them, and ever since, they have been volunteering at the shelter, helping to look after the 70 cats and 40 dogs. (Palgrave) PAULA, 12, TV EXTRA Paula is a continuity extra, in the classroom scenes on "I was a Sixth Grade Alien". The difference between a continuity extra and a regular extra is that the same group of kids must always be present in the class, so they work during every classroom scene. (Toronto) ALEX, 13, BASEBALL UMPIRE Alex trained to be an umpire at the St. Catharine's Baseball Association's Umpire Clinic this year. He is now qualified to umpire all mosquito games, and this is his paid summer job. We’ll see him in the classroom, with fellow trainee umps, and out on the field, umpiring the St. Catharine's 1999 Playoffs. (St. Catherines) RUCHIKA & NEHA, 14 & 11, COMPETITIVE SQUASH SISTERS Ruchika just returned from the World Championships in Brussels, one of the youngest at the competition, and Neha is currently the under-12 National Champion. (Oakville)