Interview with Holy Name of Mary College School Alum, Caley Gibbs
Caley, an alumna of Holy Name of Mary College School, shares her appreciation for the nurturing environment, dedicated teachers, and strong community at the school. She credits Holy Name for her academic preparedness, leadership skills, and strong values. Despite the challenges of being part of the first graduating class, Caley speaks fondly of her experiences and recommends the school.
Highlights from the interview
For me, the number one aspect of Holy Name was definitely the teachers. Coming to Holy Name, it opened my eyes to a faculty that truly cared. I knew that every single one of those teachers wanted me to succeed, and they always had my best interests in mind. The small classroom setting was also a big advantage. I always felt a level of comfort to go to talk to them after hours, to get a little extra help. So, the fact that there's a lot of one-on-one time, the teachers know everyone's name, they're really involved in all of our studies, and they get to know you personally, and even get to know your family.
Attending my high school shaped me as a person today, by giving me the tools I needed. I felt it was very challenging, but in a good way. I feel like it pushed us. So, by the time I got to university, I felt like it wasn't unachievable. I felt like I could definitely do it and I thought I was incredibly well prepared.
I would say a big differentiator about Holy Name is definitely the community. The parents are quite heavily involved. And so, the community around the school is what makes it so different because it makes you feel that you are really heard, and that you’re part of the heart of the school. I really look forward to being involved in the community, now that I am on the school’s Board of Directors. I'm so incredibly proud of the school and how they have continued to grow and evolve. And I'm really glad to be a part of that story.
In terms of community, there was a lot of expectation based on our Catholic faith, but also based on being community leaders, and trying to strive towards becoming women in leadership. The importance of community and being a part of your community and giving back was so important.
The core values that Holy Name really set out for us was to be courageous and compassionate young women. And so, the core values are respect, compassion, transformation. The courage and compassion definitely apply to everything that I do in my life. And that's definitely something that's rooted back to Holy Name. I think attending the school, there’s a different energy in the building.
We actually went on school trips to every single spiritual prayer. We went to a church, we went to a mosque, and we got to really open our eyes. And we had several trips. In Grade 11, we went to Italy. That was unbelievable.
The only thing I could say that I somewhat disliked about my experience was that we didn't have older girls to look up to, which is not a problem at Holy Name anymore, because now all the grades are filled. But being in that learning curve of being the first graduating class, there were, I would say, some challenges.
By sending your daughter to Holy Name, you're setting her up for success. She's going to be in a community that appreciates, respects, and loves her. And she's going to feel like she can do anything because all of the girls, now ladies, that I went to Holy Name with have done amazing things. The school, for me at least, made me believe that I could do anything.
My advice to prospective students is to be authentic, be original, and enjoy the experience. It goes by really quickly. Soak it in, get involved, step out of your comfort zone, and really just enjoy the ride.
