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INUVIK - Annalee Blake received the Aurora Cup Award last week, an honour bestowed on a graduating student from Aurora College who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance and hard work.

"Don't ever say that you can't do something, because you can accomplish anything you put your mind to," she said. "I really believe that."

Annalee Blake is all smiles after being presented with the college's Aurora Cup Award at the convocation ceremony Friday. The distinction honours a graduating student who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance and hard work. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photo

Last March she was enrolled in Aurora College's office administration certificate program and was struggling with the course material, missing classes to care for her children and homesick for Fort McPherson where she was born and raised. Facing the daunting task of more impossible math assignments along with the struggle of raising four children on her own, Annalee was ready to give up on her educational pursuit.

Then her 15 year-old daughter Charleigh was found dead of hypothermia near Airport Lake.

Annalee said it was Charleigh who was her rock, providing constant encouragement along her educational journey. A student at the college since 2005, Annalee had bounced from its traditional arts program to a six-month small business management course, which she finished, to the office administration certificate program.

"She used to say 'Mom, you always talked to us about how important our education is and now. You want to quit,'" said Annalee. "She said 'You can't quit, you're so much better than that. You're the one who taught us that we can do what we put our minds to.'"

Annalee vowed to honour her daughter's memory by returning back to school with vigour. Just two weeks after the family returned from Fort McPherson after Charleigh's funeral, Annalee was back at Aurora College.

Last Friday, Annalee Blake was standing with nine other graduates of the office administration diploma program at the Aurora Campus Convocation ceremony held at the community hall.

Not only did she get her certificate in office administration, Annalee went on to complete the diploma program, too, and received the Aurora Cup for her efforts.

Danae Tilley, senior instructor of the office administration program, presented the award. Tilley taught Annalee each year she studied at the college. In an emotional presentation speech, she explained how no one was more deserving of the honour. Equally moved, Annalee sat wiping away tears.

Apart from the remarkable strength the Fort McPherson Gwich'in woman showed in returning to school so soon after her daughter's death, Tilley was in awe of Annalee's growth over her academic career.

"She moved from 'I hate math and I'm never going to get it,' to 'OK, give me a new problem,'" said Tilley, who made it her mission to make sure Annalee walked away with the Aurora Cup.

"I remember joking with her when she decided to join the office administration certificate program. I said 'I'm going to make you work really hard.' But she wasn't daunted at all.

"There were attendance issues and lots of warnings. But in the end everything she got, she worked so hard for."

It wasn't only Charleigh's memory that kept Annalee going. Her oldest brother Charlie was one of three close family members who died in 2006. As he was the high achiever in the family who had graduated from high school and attended post-secondary schooling, his memory offered her an extra push.

She said during dark or particularly gruelling days, she would repeat a biblical quote that took on renewed meaning for her and her family.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me," she said. "It's always in our family's heart. I'll always remember that. We always say that to each other."

Annalee worked part-time while getting some government support throughout her academic career. She has relied much on family, especially the moral support of her father.

She's also aware of how important the support she received from the college was, particularly Tilley's sometimes tough love.

As she considers her future options, she hopes to touch other people's lives the way hers has been over the last few years.

"I want to help people the same way I was helped," she said.