Sarah Skarsgard had her nose buried so deep in the books at school, she didn’t have time to think too much about how she was stacking up against her fellow students when it came to making the grade.
When she did finally look up at the end of her senior year, she had earned the highest grade average throughout her time at Cochrane High – and a Governor General’s Academic Medal, an 143-year-old honour she now shares with former prime ministers, authors, and other Canadian leaders throughout history.
“I just tried to do as well as I could for everything I did throughout high school, and I didn't really know how I compared to other people along the way,” the 18-year-old said this week. “So it came as a pretty big surprise.”
Lord Dufferin, Canada’s third Governor General, established the achievement award in 1873. Since then, students from across the country who attain the highest average in their school from all their Grade 11 and 12 courses receive bronze medals, with silver and gold honours handed out at the university and post-graduate levels.
Former prime ministers Pierre Trudeau and Kim Campbell, the father of universal health care Tommy Douglas, and influential Francophone writer Gabrielle Roy are just a few of the 50,000 people who have earned the scholastic swag.
“It's quite a significant accomplishment and I'm pretty proud of myself for having been able to achieve it,” said Skarsgard, who started studying biological sciences at the University of Calgary in September with the intention of becoming a veterinarian.
“It makes me feel more confident in my ability to succeed in university and pursue my career goals.”
Skarsgard was one of about two dozen Cochrane High School students who earned recognition last week for academic excellence during their 2016-17 year. Teachers and Cochrane and area sponsors handed out awards to students for impressive marks in english, mathematics, physics, social studies classes and more.
Victoria Thue said she found biology “just something interesting” in her Grade 12 year – a passion that culminated in an award for a 100 per cent perfect grade on her diploma exam.
“I felt pretty good about it,” said Thue about the test, who has since graduated and is also currently studying biomedical sciences at University of Calgary in hopes of becoming a doctor or researcher.
Thue said she paid attention to the class and took her own notes – something she thinks gave her a leg up when preparing for exams.
“It just helps me remember things really easily,” she said.
Cochrane High principal Ed Polhill said education is at the nucleus of
“It is our core business is the academic piece … It’s what we do,” said principal Ed Polhill. “To celebrate … academic achievement is really important for all of our students.”
