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Mina Sandiford

Creating everlasting moments for kids

Stephanie Pasion is ‘moulding’ a brighter future

STEPHANIE PASION always wanted to work with children and she’s been building her career since her studies began at Seneca. “I’ve always wanted to positively influence a child the way my teachers influenced me,” said Ms. Pasion. “That’s why I chose to pursue my dream at Seneca and create a space where encouragement, confidence and love can grow for a child.”

Ms. Pasion continues to build on her Seneca credentials. She earned a diploma in Early Childhood Education in 2016 and a graduate certificate in Autism and Behavioural Science in 2018. She’s now completing the Child Development honours degree program. These programs have helped her gain work experi­ence and provided her with support from knowledge­able professors along the way, who inspired her to make a difference in children’s lives. As she completes her degree, Ms. Pasion is working with children with exceptionalities, including some on the autism spectrum. “Part of my job is to create everlasting moments for kids,” she said. “Conversations in the hallway and one-on-one help in the classroom go a long way. But it’s not an easy ride, especially with the pandemic, staffing shortages and regular bumps in the road.”

Ms. Pasion never stopped pursuing her dream, but the realities of the profession shook her confidence. She credits Seneca with helping her get through those rough patches. “All of my professors were honest and encouraging,” said Ms. Pasion. “They reminded me of my purpose in this career – to take care of children. They were always truthful about the hardships and prepared me with their own experience. Their advice keeps me strong when the bad days come.”

One way Ms. Pasion deals with stress is through working with clay — something she first did with a group of preschoolers. She liked it so much a small business called Clay Creates followed, where Ms. Pasion sells her unique earrings, jewelry dishes and small, décor items. And because she was inspired by the preschoolers, Ms. Pasion decided she wanted her company to help children too, so a portion of every sale goes to SickKids.

“Every day is meaningful when you work with kids.”

Check out Ms. Pasion’s clay creations on her Instagram page @ccreatessss.