Dorothy Smith helped young people find their passions and plan their futures for three decades before recently retiring.
“I cared deeply about the students and their future plans,” says Smith, former career counsellor at Bert Church High School.
“I really wanted them to feel hope when they moved on from high school.”
Smith’s job was to be support for off campus education and she would conduct presentations about career choices in classes. One of her main tasks was organizing Career Day at the school.
“I wanted students to understand that any part-time job in high school was important and that they were building valuable skills, especially if they recognized the value and used that knowledge to promote themselves going forward,” she says.
Smith adds that the best part of her job would be exploring options with a student who was worried about what their future might look like and witnessing the moment that they found new hope and excitement for what their future might hold.
Bert Church Principal Ryan Reed nominated Smith for the Amazing Mentor Award, saying she tirelessly worked with students to connect their passions to post-secondary options, scholarships, and careers.
“Her legacy of being an energetic, student-centered mentor to so many will live on at the school through other staff members assuming her role,” says Reed.
“She impacted many students’ lives by opening doors for Airdrie kids. She was always looking for ways to make things happen and wouldn’t stop until she found answers for students.”