Earl Marriott Secondary (EMS) is a public high school in the Vancouver suburb of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada and is part of School District 36 Surrey. It is referred to as the 'Home of the Mariners'. It is located on the edge of city limits, on 16th Avenue (which straddles the border between Surrey and White Rock).

History

Originally White Rock Secondary School, Earl Marriott Secondary was founded in 1973 and named after its first Principal, Earl Marriott, who eventually became Superintendent of Surrey School District #36. Earl Marriott has a close relationship with the Semiahmoo First Nation community. The institution has a history and custom of cooperation with First Nation peoples; the school hosts an annual Pow Wow and students have visited Haida Gwaii to engage in cultural sharing. EMS puts on either a play or musical out of the indwelling Wheelhouse Theatre every year (on a rotational basis; i.e.: play, musical, play, etc.).

Academics

Earl Marriott is one of four French immersion high schools in Surrey and offers full course loads in both French and English. About 25 per cent of students are French immersion and attend from across the Semiahmoo Peninsula. Earl Marriott offers courses including physical education, all major humanities and sciences as well as art, home economics, info tech, and trades courses. It is one of few schools that offer competitive co-op experiences for its students. Earl Marriott offers a liberal arts co-op, as well as a mechanical (skilled trades) co-op. EMS also offers 3 Advanced Placement (AP) classes: AP Psychology, AP Calculus AB, and AP Statistics. Earl Marriott has two semesters per school year (2022-2023). A full load of classes would consist of four classes per semester.

Athletics

EMS enjoys a publicly lighthearted rivalry with Semiahmoo Secondary School, but fierce within student circles and even some staff members, as well as Elgin Park Secondary School. The school competes in the Sandcastle Cup, an annual rugby game between the Mariners and Semiahmoo Secondary School Thunderbirds.

Wheelhouse Theatre

The Wheelhouse Theatre is a 280-seat proscenium theater located at Earl Marriott Secondary School. The Wheelhouse's primary usage is as a classroom and training facility for students pursuing theatre, and is also available for rent by local people. It is managed by the school and the Wheelhouse Theatre Society, community volunteers who raise funds for the theatre. 2022's production of She Kills Monsters marked the 45th year of major theatre production by Earl Marriott Theatre Company.

Notable alumni