Twenty years ago Steve Littley was a sixteen-year-old high school drop out. Today he is an extraordinary student who will soon have both a masters' degree in anthropology from SFU and a law degree from UBC.

"I wasn't simply a drop out," he says now, "I failed every single course I took in Grade 10 so I left school and became a janitor for the next ten years."

Thinking of going back to school? Looking for a role model? Read on.

We define a Neighbourhood Hero as an ordinary person doing simple things that any other ordinary person could do, things that have made a difference in their own life or the lives of others the touch.

We have to stretch our definition for Steve Littley to qualify. He is definitely not an ordinary student but he is living proof that high school dropouts can go back to school and achieve their dreams, whatever they are.

Luck, hard work, and extraordinarily supportive councillors at Malaspina University College made the difference for Littley.

The luck came with his first job. He was the first employee hired at Masterpiece Floor Maintenance, a janitorial company that grew over the years from having two workers, the owner and Steve, to a company of sixty employees.

The hard work took him from moping floors to managing the company but then, when his dreams began to kick in, he was lucky enough to have an employer who lent his total support.

Steve's dream was to become a lawyer but he had no idea what he had to do to get there so he met with the Malaspina councilors.

With their support, he began by taking Adult Basic Education courses to upgrade his math and English and carried three university courses as well, courses that didn't have those prerequisites -- The dream began to take shape.

This educational experience was nothing at all like it was when he was a teenager. He found the ABE program exciting, challenging and fun and the "fun" hasn't stopped since.

Steve's plan was to do his undergraduate degree in psychology but along the way he took an anthropology course and another fire was lit.

Not one to do things by halves, he did a double major in psychology and anthropology and applied for graduate work in psychology, anthropology and law.

When he was accepted for his master's degree in anthropology at SFU and given a significant scholarship, his decision was made but then shortly after, he was also accepted into law at UBC.

So guess what? He completed his first year masters' classes at SFU and then took his first year law at UBC while completing his second year at SFU.

Looking ahead, he'll complete his master's thesis in January and his law degree in May.

It's obvious that Steve Littley isn't an average guy, at least when it comes to the world of academics, but he certainly is proof positive that high school drop outs can still achieve their dreams.

I keep wondering how many educators and others wrote Steve off as a total failure at the age of sixteen. Perhaps you know someone else who has been written off too.

The truth is we all have extraordinarily talents that are sometimes hidden deep within us and sometimes it takes an exceptional teacher, coach, councilor, employer or neighbour to help find those talents whether they be in academics, business, the arts, technology, communications, construction or elsewhere.

If you haven't completed your education and you are thinking of going to school, why don't you call Malaspina today? You could also reach Steve at the Student Union office during the next month or so.