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Summerland student learns skills working at community paper

Joshua Oggelsby is at the Summerland Review under a high school work experience program
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WORK EXPERIENCE Joshua Oggelsby works on a news story in the Summerland Review newsroom. He is at the paper through a work placement program at Summerland Secondary School. (John Arendt/Summerland Review)

A Grade 12 student from Summerland Secondary School is getting some hands-on experience in the news media through a high school work placement program.

Joshua Oggelsby is working at the Summerland Review in the high school’s Career and Vocational Education work placement program.

He is interested in news writing and plans to pursue a career in journalism.

“This improves my writing and my overall knowledge of the business,” he said of the work experience program.

Oggelsby also has an interest in sports reporting, as he was a hockey player until he was in Grade 10.

John Arendt, editor of the Summerland Review, said the stories Oggelsby is covering now are similar to those he will report on when he is working in the field later.

“This is probably the best way to learn what’s involved in the work,” he said.

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He added that the high school students who have worked at the newspaper in recent years have done extremely well.

“The quality of their work and the enthusiasm they bring continue to impress me,” he said. “Joshua is a very good fit in the newsroom.”

After graduation, Oggelsby will attend Okanagan College in Kelowna to study journalism.

Charles Lay, a teacher at Summerland Secondary School, said this year 72 students at the school have taken or are taking the work experience program.

The program has been running for the past 20 to 25 years.

“It’s an opportunity in lots of ways,” he said.

Last year, one student had work as an office assistant at a dental office. After the program was over, the student found work with the same office.

Lay thanks the participating businesses for supporting the program and the students.

“Without the community, it wouldn’t happen,” he said.

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