NYC Times Square Rally Spokesteens

Katherine Haller

• Age: 19

• Hometown: Hagestown, Md.

Katherine, an intern at Teen Mania's Center for Creative Media (CCM), came to CCM to marry her two great passions - working in media production and connecting with her generation.

Her passion to connect with teens developed after her teenage brother committed suicide. Through the tragedy she recognized how much teens deal with and how much teens truly need positive influences in their lives.

"Thousands of teenagers battling depression live without any hope. They quickly become wrapped up in the destructive behaviors - cutting, drinking, drugs - looking for hope," Katherine said. "I want to bring them hope through creating positive entertainment."

Since beginning studies at CCM in January 2007, Katherine has directed several BattleCry videos. She plans to continue bringing hope to teens through entertainment production after graduating from CCM in December 2008.

"My long-term goal is to influence pop culture through the creation of positive, teen-friendly programming for a secular media outlet such as the Discovery Channel, National Geographic or a news network."

Jason White

• Age: 21

• Hometown: Virginia Beach, Va.

Jason, a self-described "music fanatic," has been interested in music and making videos ever since he can remember. As an eighth grader, he first learned about Teen Mania's Honor Academy and the Center for Creative Media (CCM) while attending a Teen Mania-sponsored Acquire the Fire event.

In high school Jason strived to learn more about media and entertainment. Eager for experience, he produced a full-length movie, took electronics classes and reported on sports for his high school newspaper. Unfortunately, Jason's life took a downward turn following a change of high schools.

"I became really depressed and turned to music to help ease my pain," Jason said. "But the music I listened to was about death and hate, and the negative messages of many popular bands only served to deepen my depression."

Jason soon became a "cutter," inflicting injury on himself to alleviate the pain he was feeling. Noticing Jason's decline, a friend gave him a CD by Christian band Reliant K. While listening to the CD, Jason was drawn to the lyrics of a particular song - "Jesus loves the outcast. He loves the one that loves to hate."

"The positive lyrics immediately changed me," he said. Within a week he stopped cutting himself.

Since then, Jason has committed himself to making a difference in the lives of others. As a graduate of CCM and a current intern, Jason is creating videos with positive messages for his generation while expanding his own skills to impact the entertainment industry in a positive way.

"Now it is my turn to produce positive music and entertainment for hurting teens. I hope my talents will allow me to recreate a pop culture that has been kicking teens while they are down for way too long."

Rebeccac Bjerke

• Age: 21

• Hometown: Phoenix

   

After seeing a pornographic Christmas ornament displayed in the front window of a national retail store, Rebecca knew she had to make others aware. So she enlisted a few friends who were equally upset by the display. Rebecca and her friends wrote more than 200 emails to local reporters and civic leaders.

"I knew we had to do something to change the images that shoppers of all ages were able to see," said Rebecca. "I started with a simple email and a phone call to a couple of my friends."

Within a few hours a local television station responded and wanted to talk to the teens about their findings. Less than 24 hours after the complaint to the store and the airing of the local news story, the national retail chain removed the "pornaments" from their shelves and repositioned a larger parental advisory in the store window. Eager to find out how widespread their impact was, the teens called several other store locations nearby and discovered the ornaments had been removed from all the stores.

"We all have responsibility to stand up for what is right, regardless of our age," Rebecca said. "You don't have to be rude, angry or break any laws. If enough people stand up for what's right and what is good, people will have to take notice. If we make our voices heard, they can't ignore us."

Karla Barojas

• Age: 19

• Hometown: Phoenix

   

Karla was one of the friends that Rebecca called after seeing the pornographic ornaments in the window of the mall retail store. Karla immediately understood the need to take action.

"I couldn't believe it," Karla said. "Small children were walking in and out of the store with nothing and no one protecting them from seeing these graphic ornaments. There was just a small sign in the window that stated parental advisory."

Brittany Serra

• Age: 14

• Hometown: Phoenix

Brittany also joined the effort to have the pornographic ornaments removed from stores.

"Most of my friends have been influenced by images they have seen on television and on the Internet," said Brittany Serra. "But when I heard about the pornaments in the store display, I couldn't just sit back and do nothing."

"I hope people realize what is going on with our generation. We are bombarded by sex, drugs, alcohol and porn," she said. "I hope my generation realizes we need to say something if you see something that is not right. Call your friends and do something. If you don't, perhaps no one else will."

Zim Tahir

• Age: 19

• Hometown: Livermore, Calif.

Zim and his family moved from Pakistan to California to avoid persecution because of their Christian faith. While in California, Zim became involved in the "California lifestyle." By the time Zim was 11 years old, he had been kicked out of school and began smoking weed and drinking alcohol. At 13, he was kicked out of school for the second time and was charged with a felony for selling drugs. Two years later, Zim was initiated into a Southern California gang, which intensified his illegal activities to breaking and entering, robbery and assault. Eventually - after three more expulsions - Zim gave up on school at the age of 16.

"We're trained that being rebellious is cool and that you have to do awful things to be accepted. Trust me, you won't find peace in that. I've done everything and didn't find peace in any of it," he said.

Realizing his life was going nowhere, Zim became a Christian. He is now spreading the message of hope he found.

"I want to make other kids aware of the lessons I've learned so they will not have to go through the same trials and pain that I did."

Nina Rigely

• Age: 18

• Hometown: Fort Bragg, N.C.

With an absentee mom and her stepdad in Iraq, Nina was left to take care of her three younger siblings. Unable to deal with the pressure and responsibility, at the age of 13 she turned to drugs and alcohol.

"I would smoke whatever was passed around. Sometimes I wouldn't know what I was smoking or putting into my body, but I didn't care. The void I felt was being filled by drugs so I was okay not knowing," she said.

In the eighth grade Nina also began self-mutilation due to her overwhelming feelings of sorrow.

"I became so desperate to escape the emptiness I was feeling that if I didn't have a razor or something sharp to cut myself with, I would find a pencil to write on myself until it cut me deep enough to ease my emotional pain."

Through a series of events, including Teen Mania conferences, Nina began to see the presence of God in her life and turn her life in a positive direction.

"Now I want to tell teens I've tried it all, and nothing filled the void. I had never felt the joy, love and peace that I enjoy now that I've experienced God's love. My heart weeps for the teens in America that don't yet know of His unconditional love."