How Attending Adult Education Centres Changed My Life

Having graduated from Adult Education Centres in June, 2011, I am now attending the University of Manitoba to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce Degree.  I have always believed that education is a lifelong goal and everyday is a chance to learn something new.  My parents believed that having an education was important and instilled in my siblings and I the importance of attending school.  However, as we got older and started to have opportunities to get jobs, usually labour jobs, and earn money, we all eventually left school without graduating.  Our youngest brother graduated grade 12 and I felt a bit envious because I never realized my dream of graduating high school and attending university.

After years of working and raising my family, I did finally go back to school to finish grade 12.  One of my grandchildren attended my graduation and I felt so proud of that moment when my daughter took that picture of me holding my diploma.  I have now completed two years in the University of Manitoba and I expect to continue for three more years to attain my degree, which I have spoken of often to my wife and children.

Attending school again has changed my outlook on life.  I feel like I have a renewed energy, a reinvigoration if you will, almost like I feel more youthful.  I am facing different challenges of learning new ideas, new concepts, and different ways of thinking in my classes everyday.  My wife sees me as a child having a new experience when I am attempting to explain to her a new and different concept that is part of my studies, but then she is biased toward me.

One of our daughters graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing degree and another is studying for her Bachelor of Science degree.  One of our sons is working on receiving his red seal as a chef and another wants to be a welder.  We are proud of our children that they are pursuing post-secondary education and that they realize an education will go a long way towards providing a satisfying career.  Having a career and doing what you like is important to feel that your job is not really a ‘job’.

We have eleven grandchildren ranging in age from eight months to 18 years and I am hopeful that my attendance at university will inspire them to graduate grade 12 and continue on to some post-secondary education.  When I talk to my eight-year old granddaughter and tell her that I am going to school, she laughs at me as if to say, “Yeah, right.”  She responds, “No, you go to work, you don’t go to school.”  So, I took her and two of her cousins to the University of Manitoba to wander around and show them where I attended some of my classes.  They were quite amazed at how huge the university is.

There is an annual “Pow-wow Graduation” for Aboriginal students and I told my grandchildren, “I want you guys here to cheer me on when I graduate so I can show you my degree”, and they all said, “O.K.”.  Now that I have a date with my grandchildren, I have additional impetus to finish my degree.  This all started because I went to Adult Education Centres (AEC) to finish high school and graduate Grade 12.  I want to especially thank Lou and Ruby and all the support staff that were and are still showing their encouragement, not only to me, but to all the students attending AEC.  Without their commitment and dedication, I would not be where I am today, attending the University of Manitoba and chasing my dream.