My name is Jaylynn McDonald. I’m a Grade 11 student at Sacred Heart High School in Walkerton, and I’m currently attending a co-op placement with the Herald-Times with hopes of giving myself an idea for future careers.
As a kid, I was known greatly for my skills within the English language whether it came to reading or writing – I enjoyed both! To this day, I’ve done my best to further enhance this talent by writing about anything I get inspiration from, such as my own experiences or events, songs I’ve heard, or simply topics I research to advance my knowledge on the world around me.
This semester, I’m more than lucky to be participating in a course called Genesis that’s all about exploring and appreciating the outdoors, taking me a bit out of my comfort zone, but teaching me the most important principles to life safely. Bob and Deb Legace will be taking my classmates and I on several different trips that include biking, canoeing, and backcountry camping.
I remember this class being advertised during my first year of high school and I laughed at the suggestion that I would enjoy such a diverse class, but here I am thanking myself for signing up at the last minute. Within Genesis, a co-op placement for five weeks has been offered and I’d have to consider that the cherry on top of the course. Not only will I be experiencing a once in a lifetime class of cherishing the world we live in, but I’ve also been given the convenience of diving into a much more diverse world of workplaces post-graduation.
Now that I’m quickly approaching high school graduation, my grandfather has taken every opportunity he’s had to propose the idea of working in the law industry. As much as I appreciate his encouragement, I find it interesting that almost every time I see him, he’s got the Herald-Times newspaper in hand with the next hour to spare reading every article they’ve printed that week. Although I can’t guarantee that I can fulfill his expectations of becoming an expert in law, I’m sure he’d be just as happy to someday be reading articles I write published in the newspaper, just as he’ll be reading this one.
Many kids my age would consider their future to be unknown or questionable when it comes to a career path or job inquiry, however, I’ve had my heart set on pursuing a career within the journalism field, or even something along the lines of an author. Anyone who knows me personally can confirm these plans of mine as I’ve continued to ramble on about them so frequently for several years now. Now that I’ve been given the opportunity to experience the world of journalism with the Herald-Times, I hope this can give me an idea of where I belong in the universe of writing. I’m extremely thankful for this opportunity and excited for what it brings in the near future.
***
Jaylynn McDonald is a Grade 11 student at Sacred Heart High School in Walkerton, currently attending a co-op placement with the Walkerton Herald-Times.
