Celebrating success in adult education for 25 years

River East

Transcona

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This article was published 25/09/2024 (730 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s never too late to go back to school.

This year, the McLeod Education Centre celebrates its 25th anniversary. Since the centre opened in the fall of 1999, in the building at 530 McLeod Ave., which was home to McLeod Elementary School from 1959 to 1997, over 1,600 adults have graduated high school through the centre’s programming, while thousands more have upgraded credits or taken classes required for university entrance or needed in the workforce.

“So many people are excited to come back to school, even with hurdles and challenges to overcome. It’s amazing,” said Lisa Desaulniers, a secretary at McLeod Education Centre since 2022.

“We get to see people everyday who come because they simply want a credit that they missed out on in high school that they need for university or college. But we also have a lot of students who have a lot that they need to do to move on with career choices in their lives. It’s a great option for the neighbourhood. We’re a great stepping stone to help people who can’t get into university or the job they require.”

McLeod Education Centre offers core courses, such as math, sciences, and English, which are common requirements for post-secondary school entrance, it also offers courses in art and digital photography, among others.

“Sometimes those extra credits differ from year to year, depending on trends and popularity,” Desaulniers said. “We do our best to provide credits to succeed at graduating.”

Hannah Nepinak and her partner, Broday Hallett, are both recent graduates of McLeod Education Centre.

“It was fantastic,” Nepinak, 25, said. “I wish I could do it again.”

After getting her high school diploma in 2021, Nepinak urged Hallett to complete his at McLeod.

“She was like, ‘OK it’s your turn’,” Hallett, 27, said. “So I went and did it. At first, it was nerve wracking, but when I got there it was awesome. The teachers made it comfortable. They understand your situation. You’re an adult now, you’ve got other things going on.”

Both Nepinak and Hallett have been encouraging others in their family and social circle to go back to school, or even to pursue post-secondary.

“We have three kids,” Hallett said. “How can we tell our kids to go to school and stick with it if we didn’t even?”

“I’ve also been looking into post-secondary. I had good marks, which is something I wasn’t used to,” Nepinak added.

While classes are offered in morning, afternoon, or evening time-slots, due to most students being working adults, the evening classes tend to be most popular. And while it is based out of the River East Transcona School Division, registration at McLeod Education Centre is not limited to those who live within RETSD’s catchment area.

“Students can come from anywhere,” Desaulniers said. “We do have people who commute quite far. It’s just because we’re a little more flexible, when it comes to registration. We’re a good umbrella for people. Education is huge for everything. Sometimes we have people who are just coming to us out of interest, because they just simply want to learn.”

“There’s no expiration date, there’s no limit on when you can go back,” Nepinak said. “Life is different for everybody.”

Currently, 300 students are taking courses through the centre for the fall semester. And while the fall semester registration is closed, students can register for the winter semester now. For more information, visit retsd.mb.ca/adultedu or call 204-667-6193.