Premiers honour adult learners

Dianne Smith receives the PEI Council of the
Federation Award from Premier Pat Binns in
September 2005. She says she went back to
school because it was time to work smarter
not harder.

The Premiers of each province and territory have joined together to create the new literacy award. This award is to recognize outstanding achievement and excellence in literacy in each province and territory. The award is called Council of the Federation literacy award because that is the group name the premiers use when they work together to strengthen Canada.

2005 was the first year for the special medallions to be given out but they plan to make it an annual tradition. There were 14 award winners and eleven of them were learners. The winner in Prince Edward Island was a learner named Dianne Smith.

Dianne has been a hard worker all her life but she realized that education would be the key to a better life for herself and her two children. Although she left school in grade nine, Dianne was successful in many different jobs including farming, home care, cleaning and running several of her own businesses. After getting through an illness and surgery she made the decision to return to school.

With help from volunteer tutors, Dianne attended adult education classes and received her GED the day before her 50th birthday. She had to work hard to overcome a variety of learning difficulties. At the same time, she had to hold down a full-time job and care for her family. Dianne never turns away from a challenge. Her ambition and determination has paid off. She is now the proud owner of a licensed community care facility that bears her name: Smith Lodge.

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