Catholic Schools of Fairbanks
  • About Us
    • Mission & Beliefs
    • History
    • Calendar
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Campus Ministry
  • Admissions
    • Enrollment
    • Tuition
    • School Forms
    • Student Shadowing
    • Uniform Policy
  • Parents
    • Volunteering
    • PTO
    • Safe Environment Portal
    • School Supply Lists
  • Student Life
    • Elementary School
    • Junior High
    • High School
    • Academic Center
    • After School Program
    • Athletics
    • Clubs and Organizations
    • Counselor's Page
    • Summer Camps
    • Tech Support
  • Alumni
    • Events
    • Update Your Contact Info
  • Giving
    • Spring Matching Fundraiser
    • Donate Now
    • Easy Ways to Give
    • Monroe Foundation, Inc. >
      • Board of Directors
    • St. Patrick's Day Raffle 2023
    • HIPOW
    • Thank You Donors
  • Employment
  • Contact Us

Alumni Spotlight - Rick Holmstrom ‘83

2/7/2018

Comments

 
PictureRick is pictured with his family from left to right: Rick, Lusa, Toni, and Ellie.
You may have heard this before, “If you are lucky enough to do what you love, your job won’t feel like a job, and you will be very fortunate.”
Guitarist and 1983 Monroe Alumnus Rick Holmstrom considers himself fortunate. While he admits there are some downsides to being a career musician–like grueling travel schedules and time away from his family–he’s doing what he loves. 
Rick was introduced to music at an early age. His mother, Diane Holmstrom, took him to see the Beatles movie "Help!" when he only a few months old, and his father, Larry Holmstrom ‘61 was a local DJ, so their home was filled with records. 
Rick always had a guitar in his room, but doesn’t remember being particularly fond of it. “It was just another toy in my room,” says Rick. 
It wasn’t until his third grade teacher, Joan Rorro, taught him a few chords that he became interested in playing. The initial guitar affair didn’t last much beyond the third grade for a couple of reasons: 1. Rick became very interested in basketball and 2. playing guitar seemed daunting. As a kid, he thought, “Forget it; how could I compete with the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen?”
Rick played basketball at Monroe and has fond memories of the team winning the state tournament. “I was a freshman–5’6” and 95 pounds–so while I didn’t play much, I sure was proud of our team.”
After graduation, Rick wanted to get away for awhile. He set off for University of Redlands in California.
College brought about many life changes. During his sophomore year, Rick met his future wife, Toni, in the dorm laundry room. She took him for a ride around campus on her electric scooter and the rest is history. 
Rick picked up the guitar again his senior year of college. When the guitarist in his friends’ band graduated, they asked him to play.
“I remember playing at a house party on campus,” Rick says. “People were dancing to the music–it was a fantastic feeling. I was hooked.”
Rick has played with blues gospel singer Mavis Staples for the past 11 years. He spends about half of the year on the road. 
“If there’s one thing I’ve done, it’s a lot of traveling,” he says. “Travel has given me the opportunity to see what the world is really like, to experience different cultures, and to recognize that as humans, we’re really not that different.” He encourages everyone, especially students, to travel more.
Rick, Toni and their two daughters, Lusa (14) and Ellie (11), live in Venice Beach, California. They come back to Alaska in the summers for a week or so to unwind at their Harding Lake cabin. 

Picture
Rick jams with Mavis Staples.
Comments

    Archives

    February 2022
    May 2021
    January 2021
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016

    Categories

    All
    ICS Principal Message
    Monroe Principal Message
    School News
    Virtual Open House

    RSS Feed

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OF FAIRBANKS
615 Monroe St., Fairbanks, AK 99701
Phone : (907) 313-3062
Email: info@catholic-schools.org
Fax: (907) 452-5978
MONROE FOUNDATION, INC.
Phone: 
(907) 313-3291

School Hours

Pre-K
8 am to 5:30 pm
K-12
8 am to 2:30 pm (staggered departure times for K-6)
​After School Care
Available from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Accredited by the Cognia, formerly AdvancEd
  • About Us
    • Mission & Beliefs
    • History
    • Calendar
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Campus Ministry
  • Admissions
    • Enrollment
    • Tuition
    • School Forms
    • Student Shadowing
    • Uniform Policy
  • Parents
    • Volunteering
    • PTO
    • Safe Environment Portal
    • School Supply Lists
  • Student Life
    • Elementary School
    • Junior High
    • High School
    • Academic Center
    • After School Program
    • Athletics
    • Clubs and Organizations
    • Counselor's Page
    • Summer Camps
    • Tech Support
  • Alumni
    • Events
    • Update Your Contact Info
  • Giving
    • Spring Matching Fundraiser
    • Donate Now
    • Easy Ways to Give
    • Monroe Foundation, Inc. >
      • Board of Directors
    • St. Patrick's Day Raffle 2023
    • HIPOW
    • Thank You Donors
  • Employment
  • Contact Us