SHS pillars add three new faces to legacy project
By Miriam Ostermann, Associate Editor
Photo Courtesy of Strathmore High School
Nine plaques are currently mounted on the pillars within the local high school and three more names will be added on Sept. 20.
Jackie Thurston, Blair Barlow, and Dale Mercer all have left a sizable mark in their communities and chosen professions of medicine, business and the film industry.
While the school has accumulated a long list of nominees eligible for the project, SHS Principal Kyle Larson felt recognizing these three recipients at the beginning of the school year was beneficial for the students.
“It’s a program that I think is really starting to grow for us and it’s nice to get a chance to pay some recognition to those graduates who’ve really gone on to do some outstanding things,” said Larson.
“It’s definitely a motivator for students. The list is growing and we want the list to keep growing. We don’t want to miss somebody that’s done something amazing. For some people we keep saying we need the rest of their story to be told. We’ve had some nominees that are quite early in their careers so their names are down there and we’re watching how things will evolve for them.”
The Pillars of Strathmore High School serves to inspire and motivate current students while acknowledging former graduates that have become pillars in their own communities.
The initiative came into existence following the passing of local veterinarian and former Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ offensive lineman Steve Rodehutskors 11 years ago. Money donated by the family continues to grow the project every year by adding more plaques of recipients that have excelled in their careers and communities, ranging from chefs, to athletes, to artists and scholars.
Thurston, who already has her name up on the wall in the high school for being the valedictorian of her graduating class in 2002, pursued a medical career in Calgary where she completed her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology. She is currently enrolled in the Master of Science in Healthcare Quality Program through Queen’s University to learn more about the management of complex patients with endometriosis and uterine fibroids.
Joining her next week, is Mercer, who grew up on a family farm in Nightingale. While he graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Commerce Honours Degree in 1988, he established himself in theatre and dancing. Mercer has travelled the world performing in many shows, before settling in London, England to work on stage, music videos and BBC television. He acted alongside Kevin Kline and worked on many film and TV productions with Tim Burton, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland, the upcoming 2019 Dumbo as well as many others.
He is travelling all the way from London to attend the ceremony next week.
Also travelling from outside Canada is Blair Barlow, who grew up on a farm 15 miles east of Strathmore and attended schools in Gleichen and Strathmore. He honed his athletic skills playing hockey for the UFA Bisons and upon graduation in 1999 went on to play with the Nanaimo Clippers. From there he was recruited by Harvard University where he studied and played hockey until 2004. Barlow pursued a career in business relocating from Calgary, to New York, to London, and now Houston while working for a private global equity firm focused on oil and gas called Lime Rock Partners.
“I’m very honoured and humbled to be chosen as a pillar and I think this is a really great idea and a wonderful way to allow current students a glimpse into past students’ accomplishments in a wide variety of careers,” said Barlow.
“I hope that shows the student body a breadth of opportunities that’s available to them and hopefully it motivates them to work hard on whatever they’re working at, and pursue a path in whatever field of interest one of the pillars have pursued.”
All three recipients will be in attendance for the ceremony on Sept. 20 in the SHS theatre at 4 p.m., where they will be presented with a paper copy of their plaque that will remain at the high school. The event is open to the public.