Alaynie started her journey at OSTTC with a dream in mind: to teach children about land-based learning. To kick-start her list of things to do, she enrolled in OSTTC’s Introduction to Land Based Tourism and Adventure Program! This program consists of land based learning, traditional knowledge, hands-on skills and adventure expeditions.
Throughout her time in the program, Alaynie was faced with a lot of out-of-her comfort zone experiences. Some of her favourite times were when she participated in winter camping, in which they trained on Wilderness First-Aid and the 5-day excursion where they had the chance to put their skills to work in a real-life setting. To summarize Alaynie’s experience in the program, she uses the words life changing.
One of Alaynie’s biggest takeaways from the program was her ability to be comfortable in Public Speaking. Alaynie references that “I am a very closed off and shy person when it comes to new people, I would run away when I ever had to take part in public speaking or pass it off to someone else.” But, one of the main components within this program was to present to her peers. Alaynie dreaded the presentation aspect in the beginning, “I refused to do presentations in the first few weeks”. But, with time Alaynie notes that,
She mentioned that the instructors that taught the program were the most helpful and encouraging when it came to presenting their assigned presentations. They never made her feel pressured or discouraged and always gave constructive criticism which made her overall feel better about speaking in front of others. Alaynie gives credit to her classmates as she says,
With the Introduction to Land Based Tourism and Adventure Program coming to an end, Alaynie knew that although she was one step closer to her dreams, she wasn’t quite there yet. This is when Alaynie enrolled in OSTTC’s Early Childhood Education Program! This program consists of students working through several learning modules and placements to receive their ECE Diploma partnered with Fanshawe College.
In terms of what Alaynie wants to accomplish after she receives her ECE Diploma, she mentions that, “After the ECE program I hope it will give me the tools I am missing to teach children about land-based learning. I want to tie together what I will be learning in ECE and what I learned in the Land Based program for the children around our community.” Growing up for Alaynie, she remembers how influential her teachers were in her childhood. She hopes that with this pathway she is taking, she too can be impactful in a child’s life.
Alaynie pays homage to one of her OSTTC instructors in the Introduction to Land Based Tourism and Adventure Program for always lending her a helping hand. She thanks her instructor for her encouragement, support and resources she was able to offer.
Alaynie’s advice to those students who are interested in the Introduction to Land Based Tourism and Adventure Program is to
At OSTTC, we are beyond proud of Alaynie and know that one day her dreams will be her reality. We look forward to continuing to witness Alaynie’s personal, educational and career growth! To learn more about our programs and get on your journey to reaching your dreams like Alaynie, visit www.osttc.com.
