Local Mennonite girl reaches important milestone

Commentator File photo by Jamie Rieger- Helena Peters spent three years taking evening classes and studying over the summer months while working during the day to obtain her high school diploma.

By Jamie Rieger
When Helena Peters enrolled in evening classes at Senator Gershaw, her goal was to complete her Grade 12 education. With only having completed Grade 7, she knew she would have to work hard to make it all happen.
And work hard, she did. She attended the evening classes after working during the day in her parents’ store in Bow Island.
“It was basically hard, especially the English and Social Studies, the Math and Science not as much,” said Peters, who also took Accounting and Legal Studies.
Peters would attend classes a few evenings a week, but also worked through the summer months on her studies.
“I did a whole Social Studies book during the summer,” she said.
Peters started her elementary education in Paraguay, but said she was only there for a short time before she and her family moved to Ontario, where she attended Grades 1 and 2 in public school. When she was eight, the Peters family moved to Alberta and she attended the Colony Christian School in Grassy Lake.
She plans on taking this summer off from school work, but is considering going onto college, perhaps to study Accounting.
“For now, I’m going to take a break from school, save money, and have a summer with  no studies,” she said. “Maybe, I’ll do some seasonal work and then find a full-time job in the winter.”
Peters encourages other young people to complete their high school education.
“Having your Grade 12 can open doors for you. Instead of a GED, I would much rather have my diploma,” she said. “It can help you get into apprenticeship programs and I definitely recommend young people get their Grade 12.”