A Marianist Education is Valuable!
Part of the reason Robb & I chose Gross Catholic for our children was to experience a Marianist education. We knew from our own experience that Gross Catholic would provide a superior education, but we also wanted our children to grow in their faith throughout their high school years. Robb & I were both at Gross Catholic when our school experienced a tragic car accident that took the lives of two sisters and injured the surviving sister. We both remember the entire school coming together in prayer and truly feeling like we were all part of the Cougar family. That happened over 30 years ago but the memory is still vivid.
We are especially grateful for the LIFE program that is part of Gross Catholic and other Marianist high schools. LIFE stands for Living In Faith Experience. Our son, Grant, was very active in the LIFE program. He eventually became a member of the LIFE Core team. Our daughter, Delaney also attends the monthly meetings. I love how the meetings bring students from every class together. I think the small break-out groups are especially powerful for students to interact with students they probably don’t talk to on a daily basis. I remember when Grant came home from a meeting and said the next month’s meeting was focusing on, “The Pursuit of Happiness.” He went on to say, he volunteered Robb & I to be guest speakers, because he thought we were the happiest people he knew. I have to admit we were both flattered and nervous!
All five Charisms of the Marianist Education are important: People of Faith, Mary as our Model, People of Community, Discipleship of Equals, and Leaders in Mission. The Charism most important to our family are People of Faith and Leaders in Mission. From the time our children were young it was very important to pray together. We had a nightly routine in which we recited our homemade family prayer. It probably started when my oldest was 3, and we still use the same words to this day. Although, it doesn’t happen as often, since we aren’t all in the same house, it was important to instill in our children that a strong faith could get you through anything. Robb & I both have fond memories of our retreats at Gross Catholic. Although the retreats were a very long time ago, the one common memory we both have is that you always walked away from a retreat feeling like you were friends with everyone and life had a clean slate. Our daughter, Delaney, will soon be experiencing her Junior retreat and we pray it is the same powerful experience.
The Leaders in Mission Charism is important to our family because we have always taught our children to be aware of, and to appreciate our blessings. We have especially tried to teach them the importance of giving back. Gross Catholic does a wonderful job teaching this important pillar of the Marianist education. I love how service hours are an important part of Gross Catholic. I’ve witnessed all three of our children volunteering at food pantries, canned food drives, a free medical clinic and at local hospitals. I’m grateful to Gross Catholic for teaching our kids the importance of being Leaders in Mission. Robb & I also try to lead by example through our volunteer time at Gross Catholic and our parish St. Matthew in Bellevue.
We are very grateful that Gross Catholic offered our family a Marianist Education. Hopefully, if one day we are blessed to be Grandparents our grandchildren will get the same wonderful experience at Gross Catholic.
Amy Mickells Huck ‘90
About Gross Catholic
Gross Catholic, a co-educational, college preparatory high school, began its proud heritage of academic excellence rooted in the Marianist tradition in 1968. We consider ourselves one of the best Catholic schools in Omaha, Bellevue, and Papillion. The school motto Dux Esto (“Be a Leader”) is at the core of its extraordinary mission, innovative spirit, and fundamental values. The school offers a challenging environment and outstanding quality of life, both in academics and co-curricular activities, with a strong focus on STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics) education. The spirit of Christian service and giving back is part of everything the school does. Gross Catholic’s top-tier status is reflected in its talented faculty, staff, and coaches who take great pride in seeing virtually every graduate head to college, often to the most prestigious domestic and international universities and service academies. Together with families and alumni, Gross Catholic forges relationships for a lifetime, helping to ready the next generation to be exemplary, principled leaders of the world.
To discover the Gross Catholic difference, contact us at 402.734.2000 or visit our Admissions page.