FORT SMITH - Almost 40 years after leaving school in Grade 4, Don Bourke is making the most of a second chance for an education.

On April 28, Bourke, who is in an upgrading program at Aurora College in Fort Smith, was named Student of the Year at Thebacha Campus during convocation.

Don Bourke, centre, receives the award as Student of the Year at Aurora College's Thebacha Campus on April 28. Paula MacDonald, the senior upgrading instructor, presented the award, while college president Maurice Evans looked on. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

When earlier told he was to receive the award, he said, "I just about fell off my chair."

It was not easy for the 54-year-old to return to school after four decades.

"Oh man, I was scared to go back," he said. "I was nervous."

Now, he is used to being one of the oldest students.

"I think I'm even older than my teachers," he quipped.

Paula MacDonald, the college's senior instructor in upgrading, said Bourke is an exceptional student, not just because of his age but for his enthusiasm for learning.

"Most days he was here waiting for me to open the classroom," she said.

MacDonald said it had to be terrifying for Bourke to return to school.

"To walk into a college, must have taken a lot of courage," she said.

The instructor, who nominated Bourke for the student of the year award, also noted he embraced college life - getting elected to student council and volunteering for campus activities.

"Don is an awesome student," she said.

Bourke said he was expelled from Fort Smith's Joseph Burr Tyrrell school in Grade 4.

"I really didn't want to attend school," he explained, adding there was no support for education in his traditional family from Fort Fitzgerald, Alta., and some teachers were rough with him. Bourke was bused from Fort Fitzgerald to Fort Smith to attend classes.

The details of when he started school are hazy, but Bourke said he never repeated a grade and was expelled in 1967 when he was 13 or 14-years-old.

Bourke, a father and grandfather, said he picked up most of his reading and writing skills on his own.

Over the years, he has worked as a labourer and as a forest firefighter, and later as a casual employee with the Fort Smith Housing Authority.

Bourke became a full-time college student last fall, and now figures he has the equivalent of Grade 9 or 10.

He went back to school so he could get Grade 10 and earn a housing maintainer certificate.

Now he has another goal.

"I'm going to continue my upgrading and try to get my Grade 12," he said. "I think I'll be the first one in my family."