The year was 1944. The Second World War raged in Europe and the Pacific. Theresa Walker was 13 years old and attending a school in Mission, B.C.

Then, her life abruptly changed. Her father came home from the army and told her mother he’d met someone else and wanted a divorce.

Even though she loved school, the ensuing family turmoil meant that her school days were over – probably for good. “At the time, I was caught in the middle as they were divorcing,” Walker recalls. “My Dad was very traditional, from Germany, and thought it was great that I could stay home – but my Mum didn’t like the idea of me leaving school.”

At first, Theresa felt lucky to not have to go to school anymore, but she soon realized she’d made a terrible mistake. “I had to stay home while my school friends stayed together – and then I had to watch them grow up and out of my life,” she said.

Years later, her lack of education hit home in a different way. When her own kids had homework to do, she remembers trying to help them, but she couldn’t provide any useful guidance.

Over the years, she’d always thought about going back to finish school, but recently after she underwent laser eye surgery for glaucoma, she realized she’d better get started before it was too late. A year ago, Walker started attending Street School, a continuing education program offered through the Kamloops-Thompson school district.

“When I first started, I wondered if I’d get through – I was nervous about it,” Walker explained. “Sometimes I even hid from my math teacher when he came into class, but now that I’ve completed my courses I know it was all worth it.”

Seventy-two years after she initially left school – Walker has a high school diploma. At the age of 85 she is the ultimate “senior student.” In fact, the Kamloops resident is the oldest graduate the school district has ever had. Her journey has been an inspiration not only to herself, but to her classmates as well. But she said she actually looks to the much younger graduates with admiration because she could not have done what they are doing at their age.

“I had to wait until this point in my life to come back and finish school,' she said.

At her graduation ceremony, Walker got a standing ovation when her name was called, but she said she was really just concentrating on carefully walking up to the stage as she didn’t have her cane with her that day. So what’s next for her as she looks forward to her 86 birthday at the end of June? It’s simple:

“I wish I could learn enough to learn about absolutely everything.”

Learn more about B.C. student success stories.