The time has come for me to say goodbye to you all, as my internship placement with the Airdrie City View and Rocky View Weekly has come to an end.
It went rather quickly, and I truly can’t believe how fast the past four months have flown by.
I’ve had the opportunity to become immersed in your community, and cover everything from federal and municipal elections to COVID-19, sports, crime, events, and the stories of individuals working to make Airdrie and Rocky View County the best places they can be.
I appreciate the willingness of everyone I’ve interviewed, and I’d like to thank all those who have read the work I have put my heart and soul into throughout the many editions I had the privilege of contributing to in these many weeks.
Writing for the Airdrie City View and Rocky View Weekly has re-affirmed to me the importance of local, community-driven news, and it has shown me just how strong the support is for it in your city.
I’d like to thank everyone who reached out with a story to tell, those who agreed or disagreed with the words I put on paper, and everyone who helped me get to this point.
Scott, Jordan, and Carmen, thank you for welcoming me to the team, for answering all of my questions, and putting your trust in me to write important pieces.
As I prepare to graduate and move into “the real world,” I want to reiterate just how important journalism is.
In recent years, we’ve been plagued by the premise of “fake news,” misinformation, propaganda, and a lack of trust in the news media as a result.
But, at the core of the industry, real, true reporters are passionate about telling stories, getting the facts, and presenting them to the public for their own scrutiny and conclusion.
Despite what you may believe, there are still many of us journalists who value the work that we do and understand the importance of fair and just reporting. This may be the fresh graduate in me, but I have a feeling this optimism will be fuelled by the love of my profession for years to come.
I encourage you all to keep an open mind when reading news articles and remember that there are humans behind the headlines.
Remember that there are good stories out there too – not every article is about politics, crime, or scandal. We thrive not only on bringing our audience the truth, but highlighting all of the good going on around us in the midst of chaos.
Once again, thank you for reading, listening, and interacting – I appreciate it all so much.
Though you won’t be seeing my byline in many more upcoming editions, I hope that you remember me as I continue on in this journey.
As Albert Einstein once said, “I have no special talent, I am only passionately curious.”
