AS ONE OF the 10 finalists chosen from hundreds to be featured on HGTV's Designer Superstar Challenge, Holy Trinity School graduate Mariela Campo says she was thrilled to flex her creative muscles in front of the camera.
“It was an unforgettable experience,” she says. “I was excited to find out what the new challenge was each day and found myself laughing a lot and forming great new friendships with my fellow designers.”
For former high-school classmates who caught the show, it should have come as no surprise that Campo ended up in a field that puts her creativity and energy to use.
REPORT CARD
STUDENT Mariela Campo
GRADUATED Holy Trinity School, 1989
BEST SUBJECT English
WORST SUBJECT Math
CURRENT JOB Interior Designer
She transferred to Holy Trinity in Grade 11 and hit the ground running, using her boundless energy to establish a fundraising club and organize dances and concerts.
She says she has many positive memories of her time at the small private school, which she recalls as a supportive and close-knit community.
“[There were] only 36 students in my graduating class” she says. “This made our teachers a lot more accessible to us, which made for a more interactive teaching environment.”
She recalls English teacher George Rutherford as being an especially entertaining and innovative instructor.
“I’m not surprised to hear that he is currently the headmaster of the school,” she says. “He was a favourite amongst the students and well respected by his peers. Apart from always being supportive, he was cheerful and had a great sense of humour.”
Before getting into the design business, Campo worked for Sony Music as a publicist for artists Ricky Martin and Oasis.
“I had always thought about venturing into something that was hands-on creative, something that would still involve a lot of people interaction and the use of my PR skills,” she says. “Interior design seemed only natural as I had always had a love of art and design.”
It wasn’t until 2004 that it all came together. She applied and was accepted to the prestigious Parsons School of Design in New York City.
It was the best decision I had ever made,” she says. “It just couldn't be better suited for me, and I'm so glad I went back to school for it.”
She has now built a thriving career as an interior and set designer, specializing in green design and eco-friendly products.