Editor’s Note: We were pleased when Olivia Senecal chose Stittsville Central for her Algonquin College Co-op placement. The six weeks have quickly passed and we appreciate all of Olivia’s enthusiasm and are grateful for her adaptability when writing articles. Olivia brought a fresh voice with her articles setting a high standard. We want to warmly thank Olivia for her contribution to our team and we wish her every success for the future.
My six weeks with Stittsville Central flew by faster than I expected, but even in such a small amount of time this field placement gave me the assurance I’ll need in my future. Algonquin College gave me the skills I needed to succeed, but the chance to apply them in front of an audience was a whole new experience.
Before I started the Professional Writing program with Algonquin College, writing was a hobby I kept to myself. The idea that people, strangers, would be reading my work was initially very scary. But after a few articles and some very kind comments, my fears faded. I’ve started to feel comfortable sharing my work and gained the confidence I’ll need to move forward in my writing career!
Despite mostly connecting through email, I will never forget the lovely Lesley McKay. Every article I wrote was met with enthusiasm, even if it needed some tweaks. Lesley allowed me to take creative freedom throughout this placement by letting me align my articles to my interests and chase the topics I’m passionate about. Thank you Lesley for encouraging my creativity and being a crucial support to the development of my writing skills!
These days, it can feel like the value of writing and art is being forgotten, but the support Stittsville Central receives is truly inspiring to me. People often say there’s no future in a creative career, but seeing how many people tune into community journalism and look forward to our written work is proof that’s not the case. Stittsville Central let me use my creativity to write stories and news, while I learned to share my work with an audience. I’ve learned a lot about what it means to be a writer in the world of journalism during my placement, and perhaps one day in the future I’ll get to write here again. Thank you Stittsville Central for the opportunity to write for such a wonderful community!