Olivia ReederI remember sitting in my counselor’s office in junior high. I had just transferred to a new school, and I was short an elective.
“Do you like writing?” she asked.
Honestly, I didn’t know if I liked writing or not. So I responded with “sure!”
That “sure” landed me in the newspaper and yearbook class. Our teacher had wild red hair, a penchant for making witty remarks and was possibly the coolest person I had met to date (she probably still ranks in the Top 10). Aside from being cool, she taught me the basics of journalism and gave me the confidence to select ‘Newspaper’ as an elective every year after.
Through high school and college, I served as a staff writer and eventual Editor-in-Chief to both publications. I learned to thrive on deadlines and the camaraderie that can only be found in this profession. I learned to lean heavily and respect my amazing teachers who fostered my desire to pursue a career in journalism. Journalism has always been part of my life.
However, Clutch came to me during a time that journalism was not part of my life. I had graduated college a year prior to finding out about the organization, and was looking for my place in the community. When I found Clutch, I fell in love. I was completely smitten with the idea of something so marvelous growing and existing in my hometown. Originally, I participated as a sponsor, and then I started writing.
From there, I never stopped writing. I had found a group of like-minded, local-loving individuals who wanted to make our home a better place.
When Sarah approached me about becoming the Editor-in-Chief, I was excited, scared and nervous that she had maybe sent the email to the wrong person. She has created such a monumental powerhouse of an organization, and following in her footsteps will be a challenge; but a challenge that I anticipate with great enthusiasm and anticipation for what the future holds.
I can’t accurately describe to you just how excited I am to take over as Editor-in-Chief. However, I did not get here on my own, and I owe those people a great deal of thanks.
To the staff, our supporters and advertisers, thank you for placing your trust in me and allowing me to pursue my passion in writing and community. To my family, thank you for supporting my endless meetings and nights spent glued to my laptop. To the community, thank you for allowing us to serve you and connect you through this publication.
This coming year holds great things for Clutch MOV. We are planning community events and service projects to better serve our community as well as expanding our content to different platforms. Our next two print issues are underway and we can’t wait to show you what we have in store for those. In the meantime, we’ll keep writing about our brilliant community and everything it offers.
