Marichka Melnyk
Honours B.A. (Political Studies and English), Post-Graduate Journalism (M.J.)
What will my child walk away with? Genuine on-air level speaking confidence and the ability to present ideas clearly under real pressure, the same skills I’ve spent three decades coaching broadcasters and interns to develop at CBC.
What can families expect? Warm, practical coaching from a veteran journalist who has trained new hires and hosts for national radio and television. I bring that same real-world feedback into every lesson.
What does class actually feel like? Presentation-focused and hands-on, closer to a newsroom than a lecture hall. Students practice speaking the way a broadcaster does, with real feedback and real revision.
How do you challenge a curious mind? I push students to develop an original perspective rather than repeat what they’ve heard elsewhere, treating our work together as a two-way exchange where their curiosity teaches me something too.
Credentials and Experience I earned my BA in Politics and English from Queen’s University and completed professional journalism training at Ryerson’s (now Toronto Metropolitan University) post-graduate program. Over three decades at CBC Television and Radio, I have produced and reported for national programs including Metro Morning, Here & Now, Fresh Air, and Ontario Morning, and trained interns and new hires. I currently teach Broadcast Production at Durham College and have led youth programs for over a decade with the PLAST Ukrainian Scouting Organization and HELP US HELP THE CHILDREN.
Why Marichka? Why Brain Power?
I’ve always seen working with young people as a two-way street, where encouraging curiosity and critical thinking in students teaches me just as much in return. Brain Power students get an instructor who has spent thirty years helping people find their voice on air, and who brings that same real, practical coaching to every class.