Categories charity free the children much music specials

Tonight on Much Music: Degrassi In India

I just wanted to remind you guys that if you are in Canada, make sure you watch the Degrassi In India documentary tonight on Much Music. It will be airing at 8pm ET as well as earlier in the afternoon at 3:30pm (if you’re going to be busy tonight). I’m sure it’ll be online shortly as well, and I’ll post a link as soon as I find it.

I also wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!! I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season. Lots of new stuff will be coming to Degrassi-Fans.com in the new year, including a brand new podcast! I’ll update you more on that soon.
Happy Holidays!!

EDIT: You can now watch Degrassi In India on Youtube (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3).

Categories charity contests free the children teennick

HALO Awards on TeenNick This Friday

Just a reminder that this Friday at 8pm ET TeenNick is airing the HALO Awards (Help And Lead Others). The HALO Awards are a unique awards program which is all about recognizing some amazing young people who help out in their community.

As many of you know, this year TeenNick, Free the Children, and Degrassi are teaming up to offer the experience of a lifetime to one lucky winner. The winner and a couple of their friends will have the opportunity to join a few Degrassi cast members on a Free The Children trip. During the HALO Awards, they will announce the name of the winner. I know that a lot of you guys have been entering everyday. Good luck to all of you!

Prior to the HALO Awards, TeenNick will be running a 5 hour Degrassi marathon. Make sure you check that out as well! It starts at 3pm ET until 8pm (once the Awards start). For all the information on the Awards & marathon, visit TeenNick’s website.

Categories appearances charity free the children

Degrassi Cast at the Me To We Store Opening

Yesterday the Me To We Store held their Official Launch Event, and a few Degrassi cast members were in attendance. Along with Marc & Craig Kielburger, the cast was there to celebrate the opening of the brand new Me To We Store in downtown Toronto!! The store carries the entire line of socially responsible Me to We Style, accessories, and artisans products. This photo was tweeted by the official Me to We Twitter last night, but you can also check out a few more photos from the event on Facebook.

Learn more about the Me To We Store & even shop online by visiting MeToWe.com. You can also purchase copies of Degrassi Goes To Ecuador & Degrassi Goes To Kenya on DVD!

Categories charity free the children much music press release specials

Degrassi In India: Premieres This Christmas

Much Music issued a press release today for their holiday programming, and it included new information about the Degrassi In India documentary special! As many of you are aware, the cast of Degrassi travelled to India earlier this year with Free the Children. A documentary was made about the trip. This is the 3rd Degrassi Free the Children documentary; the others being taking place in Kenya and Ecuador. According to the press release, Degrassi In India will premiere on Christmas Eve at 8pm on Much Music. No air date for TeenNick is yet known. Here is how the press release described the documentary:

DEGRASSI IN INDIA
Premieres Friday, Dec. 24 at 8 p.m. ET (30 min.)

DEGRASSI IN INDIA follows 14 cast members on a real life journey to a tiny village in rural India. They set out to help a community build a school with Free the Children where they are reminded to appreciate their friends, family, and fortunate lives. Watch as DEGRASSI’s Gemini award-winning actors depart on an adventure like no other.

Categories charity free the children pictures

We Day 2010: Pictures With the Fans

Check out these new photos of the Degrassi cast at We Day 2010! The official We Day facebook page posted a bunch of pictures of our cast yesterday. Most of these were taken with fans outside of the venue. You can see all of the official pictures right here! A lot of fans have also uploaded their own pictures with the cast which are linked on the facebook page as well. And don’t forget to like the We Day Facebook page if you haven’t already!!

Categories charity charlotte arnold free the children much music

Degrassi Does India – Charlotte’s Thoughts

In the final Degrassi Does India blog from Much Music, Charlotte writes about how emotional the trip to India was. She describes moments of heartbreak and moments of jubilation. It’s really amazing to read. Check out this excerpt:

But it was important that we experienced moments like this and that we share them now that we’re home. India was exhausting at times for the body and the heart, but more than anything made me feel powerful that I’m in a position to fight for kids like this boy. It really is tough to be face-to-face with a reality that is so astoundingly unfair, but I’m proud and grateful that I and my group of friends didn’t choose to keep blinders on, but instead to dive into a complicated and contradictory world with open minds and good intentions.

So inspiring! Read the complete blog right here!

Categories aislinn paul charity free the children

Degrassi Does India – Aislinn’s Thoughts

Did you guys watch We Day online today? If Twitter is any indication, it sounds like the cast had an amazing time! In the meantime, Much Music posted a new blog with Aislinn Paul talking about the India trip today. She describes the trip as a life changing experience:

I felt so alive in India. Every moment there was something new to take in, a new sight, a new sound; every sense was overwhelmed. When it was finally time to leave I realized how much the country had given me. It exposed me to a new culture, reminded me of how fortunate I am, and it strengthened relationships between all of the cast. Most importantly, it gave me new friendships with all of those kids. And no matter how short lived those friendships may have been in person, they will never leave my heart. I can only hope that I’ve changed their lives a fraction of the amount they’ve changed mine.

Read the full blog & check out the new pictures right here!

Categories charity free the children jessica tyler

Degrassi Does India – Jessica’s Thoughts

Day 3 of Much Music’s Degrassi Does India blog features thoughts from The Next Teen Star herself Jessica Tyler. Here is a little of what she had to say on the experience:

India brought out my true colours. I felt like a kid again dancing in the rain, playing games, and hanging out with children! They really did change me and I thank them for that. They taught me to be who I am, the crazy, outgoing me, and not to hold anything back. They taught me to give people a chance, to believe in others, and to have trust. I’ll always remember their beautiful smiles and warm hearts. Those kids will always be remembered in my mind forever. I really do miss them.

Read the full blog entry over here! Remember: We Day is tomorrow and you can watch it live streamed online. The Degrassi cast wont be speaking this year, but it’s still sure to be an unforgettable event!

Categories charity free the children sam earle

Degrassi Does India – Sam’s Thoughts

Much Music has posted the next journal entry from the cast on the India trip. This one comes from the one and only Sam Earle. Sam gives a detailed account of a few highlights from the trip. He also talks about the closeness of the cast and his reaction coming back to Canada. It’s really amazing to read, and has me wondering if Sam would ever want to be a writer because this is so well written and inspiring. You guys are going to want to read the entire thing yourselves! Click here to do just that + there are more new pictures posted as well!

Categories charity free the children much music ray ablack

More From the India Trip

We Day is coming up this week, and as Sam has been informing us on Twitter, the cast wont be speaking at the event this year. Although some of them will be attending! However, in honour of We Day, Much Music is posting more pictures & journal entries from the Degrassi cast’s India trip! The first one comes from Ray who writes about the mixture of emotions he felt on the trip:

The experience was truly uncensored. We saw the raw reality every day. We learned about social issues and the current goings-on in India. We visited and took part in sacred ceremonies at renowned temples and the list goes on and on. My cast mates, and more importantly, friends, worked hard, laughed hard, cried hard, played hard and slept soundly.

Check out the Much blog to read more. There is also a bunch of new pictures posted there, as well as a video in which the cast tells us one word to describe the trip.

Categories cast: current charity free the children

Support Free The Children & We Day 2010!

It’s that time of year again! We Day 2010 is almost upon us, and this year it’s going to be better then ever! Fresh off their trip to India where they built a school, the cast of Degrassi are still involved in all sorts of Free the Children initiatives.

Firstly, Epitome tells us that for every person who “likes” the We Day Facebook Page, sponsors will donate $1 to Free The Children development projects! That’s up to $1,000,000! And all it takes is the click of a button. So get on it Degrassi fans – here is one way you can help out! Click here to like We Day RIGHT NOW.

Secondly, We Day will be taking place in Toronto on Sept. 30th beginning at 9:30am ET and Vancouver on Oct. 15th at 9:00 PST. Students from all across Canada will be in attendance. If you’re like me and not one of those lucky students, you can still watch the entire thing live streamed online!! All of the info can be found at weday.ctv.ca! As to whether or not the Degrassi cast will be in attendance, we’re not 100% sure yet. They have been there every year since We Day started (here they are in 2008) so I’m keeping my fingers crossed! But Epitome tells me that they are still shooting episodes so schedules need to be worked out.

I’ll have more about We Day as we get closer to the date! In the meantime, here are a few videos the Degrassi cast did with Free the Children:
The cast recaps We Day 2009
Degrassi gives their 10
Degrassi in Kenya
Degrassi in Ecuador

Update: The cast will be at We Day this year but they aren’t speaking on stage.

Categories free the children munro chambers twitter

Degrassi Cast Returns From India

Our cast is home safe & sound! They just returned from their trip to India earlier today. The above picture was just recently posted on Jessica Tyler’s Facebook page, and I’m sure there’s more where that came from! We do know that a film crew was with the cast filming behind the scenes footage. When & how this will be released remains to be seen. Personally I’m hoping for another half hour behind the scenes special like the ones made for the Kenya and Ecuador trips!

Of course today everybody has been talking about Munro’s future Twitter account, which he was going to create after the trip. In fact, as I write this entry, “Munro” is STILL a trending topic in Canada (he has been since the cast got back this morning). According to Stephen Stohn Munro will “set it up Monday during a break in his filming!”

Categories charity free the children

Travel the World With the Degrassi Cast!

Looking for something to do this summer? Want to make a difference in the world? This is your chance!

The cast of Degrassi will be participating in volunteer trips with Me to We, and they want you to join them! Dalmar & Scott will be going to Ecuador on Aug. 10-28th, while Sarah & Evan will be going to India July 21-Aug. 9. You’ll get the chance to learn about the destination’s culture while volunteering for the community and making a difference. AND you’ll get to hang out with some of our favourite cast members!

All flights for trips with the Degrassi cast will be departing from Toronto. It is a hefty price tag, so you’ll have to do some fundraising to get there. For all the information on this trip as well as others, check out the Me To We website!

Categories appearances cast: current charity free the children

Degrassi Cast at 2009 We Day

They’ve traveled the world, they’re worked with Craig Kielburger when he made his cameo on Degrassi, and once again our cast will be appearing at We Day 2009. We Day is Free the Children’s annual event. This year it will take place on Sept. 29th in Vancouver and Oct. 5th in Toronto. Thousands of teenagers from across Canada will attend one of the two events where they will listen to speakers and learn how they can change the world. The Degrassi cast has been there for the past 2 years, and this year is no exception. They will be speaking at both the Vancouver and Toronto events this year.

We Day will be streamed live online and to classrooms across Canada. On Sept. 29th in Vancouver the Degrassi cast is scheduled to speak at 10:49am (Pacific Time), and in Toronto on Oct. 5th they are on at 10:40am (Eastern Time). Check out the We Day website for all the details on times, live streams, and how you can get involved! You can also go to Freethechildren.com and download an official guide for watching the event, with information on all the speakers and when they will be on stage.