Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 18/98) - Diane Zoe is no statistic.

In fact, she's now working hard to turn around the bleak face of education numbers here in the NWT.

Until a few weeks ago, Zoe, 22, was just one more of the 73 per cent of Northern students who doesn't complete high school.

But, after a three-year absence due to difficulties raising two young children as well as studying, Zoe is now back for her final year. Originally from Wha Ti, she started classes this month at St. Patrick's high school and should finish up this year.

"Why did I quit?" she says. "Because I had two kids... Raising kids is really hard. When the kids were sick I couldn't do my homework. And, I couldn't find babysitters."

So, faced with these difficulties, Zoe dropped out in 1994.

"I stayed home and worked," she says, adding that one doesn't make much when you find the types of jobs not requiring a high school diploma.

"That paid the rent, my electricity bill and not much else," she says. "I found it hard to live on a job that doesn't pay much. And I wanted the best for my kids."

Last year, Zoe made the fateful decision -- she'd return to school this fall. She understood her desire to be a school teacher would never become a reality without further education.

Back she went.

Though the school year is young, Zoe is frank when discussing some of the difficulties faced by going back after a few years away.

"Right now it's hard because it seems like I'm the only adult in the school," she says, adding the pocket money from working is sometimes missed.

Zoe also says schoolwork is difficult once you've been away for a few years.

Confident she'll finish this year, Zoe says she still hopes people will benefit from her example. Don't do what she did, is her message.

"Don't (quit)," she says. "You'll make it harder in the long run... Just stay in school."