Proud high school grad at 54
By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Patrick O’Sullivan, 54, knows that it’s never too late.
In September the Wallaceburg resident was presented with his Grade 12 diploma, after leaving school decades earlier with only a Grade 8 education.
Plus, much to his surprise, the adult learner received the Principal’s Award for Student Leadership for the class of 2023-24. Bestowed on behalf of the Ontario Principals’ Council, the award recognizes the dedication of a student who goes above and beyond.
“I was blown away when I heard this,” said O’Sullivan in an interview with The Voice. “My jaw almost hit the floor. I’ve very proud of it.”
Raised by his grandparents in a rough section of Toronto, O’Sullivan ran with a tough crowd in his teenage years after leaving school. However, he managed to support himself with a series of jobs during his life, that included working in a print shop, as a carpenter’s helper, at a machine shop, and later as a receiver of goods in a large-scale home renovation business.
But two years ago, he fell ill and moved to Wallaceburg to live with his father and stepmother. While he was on the mend, he made the decision to get his Grade 12.
“I always regretted not doing it,” O’Sullivan said of his decision. “Sometimes in life you don’t get to choose…sometimes life chooses you.”
Noting that his grandparents had always provided a good example, O’Sullivan said the lessons they taught him sunk in in his later years.
Today he’s helping his stepmother care for his father who is suffering from dementia, and thanks in large part to completing his Grade 12, O’Sullivan has snagged a full-time job in Wallaceburg.
Conroy Valentine, 45, who was chosen at the 2023-24 valedictorian representing 86 adult learning graduates, is another example of perseverance.
The Chatham resident, who works at Cortiva, completed his Grade 12 earlier this year, a goal he held for a long time.
The Jamaican native, who originally came to Canada as a temporary foreign worker, said being chosen as valedictorian is an “overwhelming feeling,” knowing your peers have chosen you to speak for them.
“I’ve always wanted to finish my schooling,” Valentine said. “I didn’t have the support for that from my parents in early life. It’s what I always wanted to do.”
As mature students with tons of life experience, both O’Sullivan and Valentine were able to benefit from the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) aspect of the Lambton Kent District School Board’s Alternative and Continuing Education Program.
Under PLAR students are awarded credits for life and work experience, according to Alternative and Continuing Education Program principal Paul Wiersma.
“Patrick and Conroy are both really good examples of utilizing the PLAR process,” Wiersma said. “Every adult student has a story and we are able to look at their life experiences and give them credits for it.”
“It really is never too late to get your diploma,” Wiersma stressed.
Ninety per cent of Ontarians get their Ontario Secondary School Diploma in four of five years, leaving 10 per cent who don’t.
But thanks to adult learning programs, many of them return to class, Wiersma explained, adding they do so for many reasons, ranging from boosting their career and post-secondary education prospects, to old-fashioned personal accomplishment. Some are new Canadians trying to improve their circumstances in their new country.
Wiersma said LKDSB’s adult program has helped hundreds of students, from ages 18 to 76, obtain their high school diplomas. Programs across the district are busy, he said, with some 1,500 students attending multiple sites across the district each year.
Basic literacy and numeracy courses are offered, along with self-study and other programs tailored for Lambton-Kent First Nation communities.
The board’s alternative and continuing education program is located in Chatham at 230 Faubert Dr.
