2013 Champion - Diana King

Greatness lies within everyone

Diana King is a shining example that it is never too late to get back into the classroom.

When Diana was a teenager she “got into drugs really bad” and left school having only completed her Grade 10. Thirty-seven years later, Diana went back to complete her Ontario Secondary School diploma through Grand Erie Learning Alternatives (GELA). The help she received by others has inspired her to continue her education so she can pay it forward.

Diana, a Brantford resident, went back because she realized she couldn’t get a good job without a Grade 12 education.

She had previously thought about going back, but the demands of raising a child on the Autism Spectrum left her without enough time to devote to education. When her son started high school, she decided now was the time.

While Diana was initially afraid she wouldn’t be able to succeed, the high marks she earned gave her a lot of self-confidence. She had support from Woodview Mental Health and Autism Services, which provided programs and services for her son. The experience and support she had from the community with her son has inspired Diana, and she is researching options to go to college to be an Education Assistant.

Diana carries an inspirational gift from her son, a rock with the engraving “Greatness Lies Within Everyone” and this is a mantra that kept her going.

Story by Rob Rombouts

Photo by Blackbird Photography