This year’s group of 10 writers  also hail from British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Our newest team will begin contributing columns and news stories in our Oct. 12 issue,  writing about Catholic youth issues pertinent to their geographical region.

YSN provides these high school and university students a forum for voicing what is important to them, while offering them guidance in their writing, information gathering, photography and interviewing techniques.

Our writers have shown a passion for Catholic issues and for putting their pen to paper.

Samantha Hermack, the first writer from New Brunswick in several years, echoes the desire of many YSN contributors.

“I wish to discover whether journalism is my calling, to grow as a person and a writer and to learn more about my faith,” she said.

Some of our writers bring insight into the faith through their experiences in parish youth ministry as leaders or helpers, as delegates to the World Youth Day events and to other local, provincial and national Catholic youth conferences.

For the second year, Sr. Hosea Rupprecht, a Daughter of St. Paul, will join The Catholic Register to offer these writers her spiritual guidance and prayers. The YSN team uses e-mail and Facebook to connect with Rupprecht, who is based in Toronto. They will also be able to connect with each other to share their ideas and experiences.

As usual, our YSN team will travel to Toronto at the end of the school year for a media retreat hosted by The Catholic Register and Salt + Light Television.

Salt +Light offers them the opportunity to learn more about TV journalism, through contributions in our monthly YSN team newsletter and a TV workshop offered during the media retreat.

Editor’s Note: These young people are full-time and part-time students who are volunteering their time this year to write for the youth pages of The Catholic Register.
Dominique Bennett Home: Toronto, Ont. Studies: Grade 12 at Senator O’Connor College School Age: 17	Stephanie Buosi Home: Brampton, Ont. Studies: Grade 12 at St. Augustine Secondary School Age: 17
André-Joseph Cordeiro Home: Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, Que. Studies: CEGEP in Media Arts at John Abbott College Age: 18	Valeria French Home: Toronto, Ont. Studies: Human Resources at Centennial College and Theology at the University of Toronto. Age: 21
Samantha Hermack Home: Grand-Bay-Westfield, N.B. Studies: Grade 11, Homeschooled Age: 16	Anna-Therese Pierlot Home: Morell, P.E.I Studies: Grade 12, Morell Regional High Age: 17
Mary Sawchuk Home: South Gillies, Ont. Studies: Literature at Redeemer University College in Ancaster Age: 21	Jessica Williams Home: Pincher Creek, Alta. Studies: Communications at Mount Royal College in Calgary Age: 22
Darryl Wilson Home: Victoria, B.C Studies: Communications/ business at Camosun College/Royal Roads University Age: 24	Hillary Windsor Home: Windsor, Ont. Studies: journalism at Carleton University in Ottawa Age: 18