Sault College's top student avoids studying on school nights

How do you get a perfect 4.0 grade average at Sault College for five semesters?

If you're Glenda Wilson (shown at left), winner of the 2001 Governor General's Academic Medal for the school's highest academic standing, you do it by carefully adhering to this weeknight regimen:

(1) Go home (2) Eat supper (3) Watch TV programs like Survivor and King of Queens (4) Go to bed

Of course, that's not the whole story.

Studies all weekend

Wilson's weekends are another matter entirely.

You might call her a 'binge' student -- Wilson essentially studies all weekend.

"I can't retain information in bits. I need to have it in big chunks," she told SooToday.com.

Wilson's study schedule might seem a bit unorthodox, but she applies considerable discipline during those weekend study sessions.

They can begin as early as 5 a.m., with Wilson combing through her textbooks and class notes with a yellow Highlighter marker.

She then takes the highlighted portions and turns them into 30-page study guides, which she reviews over and over again.

Now at AUC

Wilson is now at Algoma University College studying honours psychology.

Her combined grade average for six semesters in Sault College's Child and Youth Worker program was 3.98.

That placed her tops among the 179 exemplary Sault College students honoured Tuesday night at Sault College's 2002 Scholarship, Bursaries, and Awards Night.

For a full list of recipients, click on this.

220 awards were presented with a combined value of $65,000.

Leslie Paquin

Some students, including Leslie Paquin, received more than one award.

Before registering in Sault College's Office Administration - Executive program, Paquin spent 10 years as a cashier at John's Gas Bar in Echo Bay.

She's nothing if not determined to succeed.

Swiss Chalet

Juggling part-time work as a server at Swiss Chalet with her responsibilites as a busy mother to six-year-old twins, Paquin is also completing requirements for a one-year computerized business systems certificate.

Her load became even tougher recently when one of her twins was diagnosed with spina bifida occulta.

This common and relatively mild form of spina bifida often has no visible symptoms, but in the case of Paquin's son it's associated with difficulty controlling bodily functions.

That means at least once a day, Leslie must rush to her son's school to change him.

'It's pretty busy'

"It's pretty busy," she concedes, adding that she couldn't manage without the assistance of her boyfriend, who helps both with parenting and with keeping her focussed on her goals.

But her studies will be over at the end of April and she hopes to find work in the Soo.

Paquin says she particularly enjoyed a summer placement working for Sault Ste. Marie Police Service.

Paquin was recognized twice on Tuesday, with the Francine Gauthier Memorial Scholarship and as a co-recipient of the Holiday Inn Teamwork award.

Francine Gauthier

The Gauthier scholarship recognizes students who demonstrate "conscientiousness, dedication and commitment to lifelong learning for the betterment of self, family, community."

It's named for Francine Gauthier, who died during her second year in the office adninistration program.

To view the full list of award recipients, click here.

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