Category: From the Editor

Take a load off! The Holidays are here! Well, at least a small break from tests, exams and the daily classroom grind. Have you been looking forward to this year’s Holidays? Planning something special? A tropical trip? An interesting course away from school? The opportunity to do something special for yourself and others  this Holiday is endless.

On the other hand, you might be working this season, taking on a retail job that allows you to be flexible with your hours and free time. Working more isn’t always something that people want to do when they get out of school, but if you are wanting to buy something for yourself or others, it can be necessary. It isn’t so bad to get a job over the holidays because it is a boost of cash flow and you can also add it to your working resume, which in high school, isn’t that long; this is a way to show future employers you are responsible and motivated to work.

December 2019 article highlights:

Living Away from Home After High school: A Closer Look

Volunteering Around the Holidays

Holiday Crafts and Gifts that Won’t Damage the Planet

2019 Winter Fashion Trends

The Trials and Tribulations of Picking a Career

Channeling Your Anger into Productivity

Stay safe and have a great Holiday!

Erin Kelly

Content Editor

As I sit here this Halloween night, the rain is pouring and the cold chill of Winter is creeping in. The purgatory we find ourselves in before winter is odd and can make us feel disorientated at times…waiting for the snow to fall and the year to end. Preparing ourselves mentally and physically for the long winter ahead can ease any anxieties created by end of the year tests and exams at school, and much more. This November, take the time to relax within the stillness of the changing season- the calm before the storm!

This month, dig your heels into: how to reduce your carbon footprint, 10 new scholarships, reducing test anxiety, student co-op experiences,how to embrace a positive mindset during the school year, and much more. Be sure to check out each category and find new and updated career profiles.

Until December, Take care!

Erin Kelly

Content Editor

We’re baaack!

JPD is glad to be back in action, producing great articles to help you in your career and job research. A big goal of ours is to be the number one go-to spot for all your post-secondary school and career research. Our drop-down menus and plethora of information on college and university programs  is created for your easy access- everything in one spot. So, sit back and take advantage!

This October, we have some great articles that run down what it is like to be in a co-operative program or volunteer program- the pros, cons, highlights and lessons. Of course, we have a ton of career profiles: horticultural technician, librarian, chef, arborist and more.

Be sure to check out the scholarship list this month- get ahead of the crowd and start applying to scholarships and bursaries that will help you with that heavy post-secondary financial load.

Stay safe and have a Happy Halloween!

Erin Kelly

Content Editor

Welcome back! It may feel unbelievable, but your summer vacation is over! Everything good must come to an end, they say. You are probably far from getting back into thinking about your career path- that is normal. It takes some time to get back in the game at school. Give yourself a break and slowly lean in to school!

JPD will be back with new articles and material in October. If you didn’t catch May and June’s material this year, take a gander to hold you over until October.

Until then, stay safe and take it easy in the first month of school…

Erin Kelly

Content Editor

Every year, you begin to say goodbye to people, places and things in school. It may be your last year in high school, or even elementary school. One thing is for sure; it is hard to say goodbye. If you are moving on to post-secondary education, you might be moving far away from friends and family. This is tough and it will take you some time to adjust. On the bright side, you have the summer to mentally prepare yourself for those adjustments. You can make your summer as busy as you can with work, volunteering and friends, but don’t forget to take some time out to meditate on your future endeavours. Do you remember the old line from the movie Field of Dreams, “If you build it, they will come”? It is still a great quote when you relate it to building a positive future for yourself that will equate to a healthy and fulfilled life. Quite simply, if you work hard, you will reap the benefits- even if you fall on your face a few times in between. Saying goodbye will be hard at first, but you have a lot to look forward to that will only make your life richer with experience!

For our last issue before summer break, we have quite a few Op-Ed pieces that talk about experiences in Co-op Education. Hopefully, after reading these pieces, you will have some insight on what a co-op course can do for your education and future job/career choices.

We also have articles on: STEM organizations, Trade career profiles, why it is important to attend events concerning disability rights, how Trade unions work, monthly scholarships and more.  

A special thanks to all our new student writers that contributed this year; you have ultimately made the site richer with great content. Enjoy your summer and we cannot wait to read what you have in store for us in the new school year!

Be safe, always,

Erin Lynne Kelly

Content Editor

April showers bring May flowers? That has been the saying for many years. However, the weather everywhere has been a bit out of sync. There has been snow all over the west coast of Canada, major flooding in Northern Ontario, and below seasonal temperatures in many provinces across the country. There are always cyclical patterns in weather, but with all the stirring talk about climate change lately, people are beginning to connect the dots to some of this abnormal weather. Have you taken part in any climate protests lately? How do you feel about the environment these days? It is an important subject that affects us all- how will you choose to help the environment? With only a couple months left to go before summer break, you might be scrambling to get your 40 hours of volunteer service completed- why not try helping an environmental organization? The options are limitless!

Thank you to all of our new student writers that have contributed to JPD this month- they have all done a killer job to bring you some informative and useful information regarding: the positives and negatives of taking a gap year, how to stabilize yourself if you feel lost after high school, how to be street smart on campus,the pros and cons of coffee drinking, and exploring the meaning of gender identity and why it is important.

Be sure to check out the Scholarships section so you can catch up on current OSAP changes and also the scholarships of the month!

Have a great May!

Erin Kelly

Content Editor

How was your March Break?! Did you learn new things? Did you veg-out on the couch with some new Netflix shows? Did you visit family and friends? You might still be feeling a bit dizzy from that time off- everyone does. It can take a while to get back into your routine, but the bright side of going back to school after the break is that the winter thaw has already begun. You are stepping back into school and routine, but with much lighter shoes-literally and metaphorically!

Thank you to all the new JPD writers this month- your contributions were stellar! We have opened up a new era of JPD that includes even more student writers and researchers. Some of this month’s articles include: novels every student should read in 2019, marketing and body image, practicing gratitude, volunteering options and idea, 2 scholarship listing articles, and new trades career profiles.

Is there a Career Profile you haven’t seen on JPD but would like to? Let us know at jpdeditor@magiclanternmedia.com

Have a great April and see you back here in May!

Erin Lynne Kelly

Content Editor

February can often be referred to as “the month of love”. However, not everyone is a lover of Valentine’s Day and everything that surrounds it- chocolates, flowers, expensive dinners, gifts and cards. Those are the more superficial aspects of Valentine’s Day, of course. Not everyone has someone extra special to share the day with- thus making them feel sad and down. The best thing is that Valentine’s Day can be recreated in your own image. Maybe you can give your parents a gift to show them how much you appreciate them, or maybe a close friend? The idea is for all of us to be a bit kinder to each other. In this month’s issue, we have an article that runs down the inherent commercialism of Valentine’s Day in our Student Life section- be sure to take a peak!

We have more career profiles for you in this issue like High School Teacher, Post-Secondary Agricultural Sciences Teacher, Kindergarten Teacher and Education Administrator.  Check out one of our feature articles that runs down different types of jobs that require Interpersonal Skills– always good to know! As usual, we have 10 new Scholarships to apply for with deadlines in February- check out the Financial Aid section.

Have a great month!

Erin Lynne Kelly

Content Editor