Liam Gray's Journey in Guided Studies

I see a lot of students on campus here who struggle and talk about how hard college is. Some have even dropped out,” Liam said. “I believe that Holy Family is phenomenal at preparing students to succeed in college.”

Liam has advice for students in Guided Studies. “You need to realize that you are not alone in the program, and you should not see it as a punishment but as a way to excel in the classroom.”

“As a Holy Family parent, I sat on two panels for a Holy Family Information Night event geared to middle schoolparents,” Jennifer said. “I told the parents not every kid attending Holy Family has a full slate of AP classes. I talked about Liam. He was well-known and well-liked. You would expect him to have it all together, but the reality is people only see what they want to see. I made a point to let the potential Holy

Family parents know the school works with students to make them successful, even though some need extra help. I had parents come to me afterward and thank me for saying that.”

Liam, who was also named to the 2022 CSC Academic All-District Football team, often thinks about all the different people who have influenced him and how his actions have taken him to where he is today.

“I don’t know if I’d be where I am without my relationships with Mrs. Bartoletta, Mr. Brothers, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Grable, and Mr. Gabriel,” he said. “As I think about it, all of my teachers at Holy Family left such a positive impression on me. They all helped me realize I don’t have to be a C-average student. I can be an A student.”

“Words couldn’t describe how motivating it was to hear about Liam’s success,” said Bartoletta. “He really took accountability for his academics and worked so hard. When I first met him, he lacked self-confidence in the classroom. He didn’t trust himself and his capabilities. It was much different than how he was on the football field. Students like Liam embody both struggle and success, which is a source of inspiration for all students to keep achieving from wherever they are on their personal and academic journeys.”

“I’m proud of myself not just because I made the Dean’s List, but more because of how hard I worked,” Liam said. “With the help of Guided Studies at Holy Family, I learned what worked for me, and now those study habits will last forever.”