Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Feb 12/99) - At 33 years old and operating at what he describes as a Grade 7 level, Derek Morfitt made a pivotal decision -- to go back to school.

Now Morfitt is 37, and completing courses in the University College Entrance Preparation (UCEP) program at Aurora College, so he can venture into post-secondary education next year and pursue a career in journalism.

"I'm looking through calendars now and filling out applications," the 26-year resident of Inuvik says.

"I could be going to Grant McEwen college or Mount Royal college."

Working at CBC radio briefly in 1994, operating sound levels and queuing pre-recorded tapes, inspired him to follow a path into journalism.

"Going back, I was a bit apprehensive at first," Morfitt says of going back to school after dropping out in Grade 9, 18 years previously.

"Then I got used to it and I found I could lend a lot of help to other students because I had life experience."

As part of the UCEP program, Morfitt has been helping create a newsletter called the xxxInuvik Sun with a few other contributors at the college.

Now, for the fourth issue, he is working solo.

That means he does the layout of the paper, using computer software, likely all the writing, and he has even been pounding the pavement selling advertising.

"I feel there would be a lot of would-be students in the Beaufort Delta who don't know about this program," says UCEP instructor Robert Goulet.

"They don't realize they may only be a few courses away from gaining entrance to a college or university."

UCEP has 12 full-time and two part-time students in Inuvik.

All have different goals, and Morfitt's dream of becoming a broadcaster is only one of them.

Students take courses in math, social studies and English so that at the end of the year, they can gain entrance to a higher institution.

Sponsored by the Gwich'in for the bulk of his living expenses and subsidizing the rest with part-time work as a bass player at the Mad Trapper, Morfitt says he has come a long way from where he was only a few years ago. And, he recommends others follow through on goals by taking it one step at a time.