It’s tough to tie down a time to study when combining rodeo and academics.
However, Grade 12 student Sawyer Eirikson and three other rodeo athletes are able to head down the road with the help of an alternative high school in Okotoks.
Sawyer’s enrolment at St. Luke’s Outreach Centre has the thumb’s up from his team roping partner – hall of famer Tom Eirikson.
“He likes the idea more than I do — and I like it a lot,” Sawyer said. “We do a lot of rodeo in the States. If I ever have to take a week off school to go down south, I can get that schoolwork caught up more easily (at St. Luke’s)… My dad wants me to do well at school and I have to keep my marks up to go to the high school rodeo.
“That provides the motivation.”
Sawyer went to St. Luke’s sister school, big sister that is, Holy Trinity Academy. He enjoyed the school but his stunts affected his schooling.
“I do lots of stunt work with my dad with Heartland and with rodeo, attendance took a big hit,” Sawyer said. “I’m hoping it’s going to be lot easier to get caught up here.”
There are times when Sawyer’s stunt work can have him on set for an entire school day. He would do his schoolwork with an instructor that was on set. He’s hoping he stay ahead of the game with St. Luke’s.
(Sawyer’s older brother Wyatt, is an alumnus of St. Luke’s. He is now roping on the Pro Rodeo Canada circuit).
Bradi Whiteside is in her second year on the pro rodeo circuit. School at St. Luke’s helped her keep her marks up.
“They are better than they ever have been since I came to this school,” Whiteside said. “With rodeos every weekend — sometimes the slack is on Thursday — and rodeos on Friday, sometimes you wouldn’t get back home until Sunday night.”
She struggled with time management before coming to St. Luke’s.
“I did on-line school before I came here. I had trouble making myself do schoolwork because I could just go outside and ride my horses all the time – I wouldn’t get the schoolwork done that I needed to,” said Whiteside, who’s sister Kylie graduated from St. Luke’s. “With this school it is easier.
“You come to school and you get a lot of help. So you don’t fall behind.”
Okotoks Tatum Wilson is a roper/barrel racer in the high school rodeo association. She is following in her sister Paige’s footsteps in attending St. Luke’s.
“My sister came here after having surgery and the people here treated her with kindness and helped her get to point to where she wanted to be at,” the Grade 11 Tatum said. “I needed just a little bit of extra help, especially with my schedule.”
She had difficulty getting practice in last year while attending traditional high school.
“It was really hard to beat the dark,” Wilson said. “Now, I hope to end school done by 2:30 and then get my rodeo things done. I think it will be a lot smoother.”
She has seen the rewards of attending St. Luke’s and being disciplined towards schoolwork and rodeo.
Sister Paige is attending college on a rodeo scholarship.
High River’s Lexy McRae turns barrels in the Alberta Barrel Racing Association. She plans to graduate at St. Luke’s this year after spending time at a traditional high school.
“This is a better choice for me because I train horses as well,” McRae said.
For more information about St. Luke’s go to stlukesoutreach.ca
