Gregory the Great Academy

Two of our sons are graduates and proud alumni of both the old St. Gregory's Academy and the new Gregory the Great Academy. School teaches the Good, the True and the Beautiful. What's not to love about that?! The Catholic faith is at the center of the school experience as well as learning and culture, not to mention field trips to NYC to see the opera, Metropolitan Art Museum, and my boys have been on junior and senior class trips to Ireland, Spain, France and Italy. The Greg's boys take frequent trips into the community, singing the Star Spangled Banner frequently at professional hockey games in the Scranton area and do a huge festival in Virginia each year, with much public outreach and amazing juggling and singing performances. My two sons joined the Schola and now can sing beautiful Gregorian Chant, as well as many spirited Irish and Scottish folk songs, with great gusto. And the boys sing with joy in their hearts. And how many high school graduations feature the return of scores of alumni and tears from nearly every graduate as they process out of the auditorium to the singing of the alumni? My eldest son has attended every graduation since his own in 2011, even when they were in NH for one year. And my 2017 graduate has visited 6 or 7 times since he graduated in May. The boys have no access to internet technology while there, which in my view, is one of the best parts of the school. And the school which boasts many alumni as teachers and even the Head Master and Rugby coach, replaces the internet access with poetry, camping in all seasons, music, Pennsylvania State Champion Rugby Teams in 2012 and 2017, field trips, banquets, not to mention an international juggling troupe, which one town in upstate NY nearly shuts down to host the troupe each May. I could write pages more about this gem of a school which I am happy to say my thirteen year old son is looking forward to attending next year. Many families have sent six or seven of their sons to this academy, which certainly speaks volumes about the success of this institution. And I might add that several colleges, including Christendom and Steubenville highly recruit the graduates. And then there are the St. Gregory's weddings where the boys attend each other's weddings and sing and juggle at the receptions, adding so much festivity to the occasions! There certainly exists a brotherhood and camaraderie that lasts long after their time at the school.

I've sent 3 sons to Gregory the Great Academy and my 4th will be there in another 1 1/2 years. Why? Because at "Greg's" I find boys who experience the hard work and joys of life. They work hard and play hard. They are fully immersed in life but without the noisy, needless distractions that our young people are bombarded with round-the-clock. They learn to learn. They learn to think. They learn to see the joy and blessings in life. They learn to be whole human beings, using their bodies (rugby, soccer, juggling, singing, playing instruments, ski trips, hikes, camping, walking or biking hundreds of miles on pilgrimages, cleaning the school, woodworking, leather craft...), their minds (rigorous academic courses), and their spirits (daily prayer, learning Church traditions, studying the writings of the saints and The Church fathers). They learn to come home and give to their families some of what they've learned. I am ever-grateful for this school and to those that are there to educate my sons.

Two of my brothers graduated from this school and another is a sophomore now. The difference in their character brought about through their education was more and more noticeable after each school year. Not only do they experience the comradery among the other students, learn how to seek the truth, and gain a love for the good and beautiful, but they learn how to give that to others.

I have had the opportunity to visit Gregory the Great Academy several times over the past few years and I am always impressed with the enthusiasm present in the faculty, staff and students. The culture of life and poetic vision that is thriving here is heartening and gives me hope for the future which the young men who attend Gregory the Great will be a part of.

This wonderful school is currently helping us in the work of forming our two oldest sons and will be the future home of our younger ones, God-willing. In terms of true friendship among the faculty and students, a noble vision of education that strives for virtue with joy and mirth, and perseverance in devotion to all things restorative in our culture, Gregory the Great Academy remains in a class apart. Go visit, and you will witness the good life for young men blossoming there!

Three of our sons have attended Gregory the Great Academy. It has been such a positive experience, not only for our sons, but for the whole family. Honestly, I don't know what we would have done without the academy at such a critical time in our sons' educations and lives. It has been such a rich and rewarding experience for our boys. Our 12-year old son cannot wait to be old enough to attend. There aren't many places that teach boys to be real men, but also to be true gentlemen. It's good in so many ways and for so many reasons, but mostly because they teach and live the one, true faith. God bless Gregory the Great Academy always.

Gregory the Great Academy educates the mind, heart, body, and soul. The staff has very high standards and expectations, while making sure the boys have adventure and enriching experiences. If you want your son to spend more time staring at computer screens and cell phones, instead of making music, juggling, hiking, reading, playing sports, praying, laughing, studying, traveling, creating, working, and forming friendships that last a lifetime, then you should not send your son to Gregory the Great. But, I do not think I could find one parent who currently has a son at GGA that regrets their choice. It is genuine Catholic education and they graduate faithful, joyful, well-rounded and well educated Catholic men.

Gregory the Great Academy offers a well-rounded liberal education that is truly one of a kind. Students at the Academy are given the opportunity to study the Great Books, compete at a high level of athletics, and receive outstanding faith formation, all in a Catholic community that is exceptionally vibrant. An education at Gregory the Great transforms boys into good Catholic men.

Gregory the Great Academy is a place that truly gives what the heart of a young man yearns for. The classes inspire wonder, the environment fosters true and lasting friendship. All the aspects of the experience at St. Gregory's, whether it be the intense rugby program, juggling, sacred music, folk music, memorizing poetry or studying the Greek Myths, light a fire in the heart of a young man that will stay with him throughout his life.

Gregory the Great Academy provides its students with a robust formation in spirit, mind, and body that prepares them to be strong, engaged men who can lead with honor and virtue in their families and communities. Young men need to be shown the bold romance and adventure of a life well lived, and to have the blueprint of that life implanted upon their souls; Gregory the Great Academy does this in a way few others places can.

Gregory the Great Academy is an answer to prayer for our boys. Honestly, we were cautious going in and researched the place and people thoroughly. Our high standards were met. As strong proponents of a Catholic liberal arts education, we found GGA opened our eyes to the poetic dimension of education (and life!) and expanded our paradigm in a new and beautiful way. Someday our boys will see all this. Right now they're just having the time of their lives!

Gregory the Great Academy is a great school forming catholic young men to face the difficulties of living in today’s society. The friendships built there last a lifetime and the experiences with music, sports, juggling and education will not be forgotten. I would suggest this school to anyone looking for a good education and formation in the Catholic Faith.

I have had the blessing of growing up near Gregory the Great Academy and also of having both my brothers and cousins attend this unique high school. GGA is an incredible school and has a changed many lives for the better. I highly recommend this for any young man who wishes to grow into a man of faith, joy, and comradery.

As a graduate of this school, I can attest to St Greg's being possibly the best place for a young man to spend his formative years in today's culture. The staff are caring, and considerate, and true friendship is fostered amongst students. Not having technology during high school has not negatively affected me whatsoever, and if anything has been a positive influence. The education of learning how to think has been immensely helpful in pursuing a degree in science for me.

Gregory the Great Academy is a holy haven where a boy can become a man…not the emasculated man who seems to be permeating today’s society, but rather a strong, faith-filled, leader and protector. My son presently attends this school, and it is truly a gift from God. He is learning how to build friendships with other young men, sing songs, juggle, play rugby, camp, and learn more about his Catholic faith and the liturgy than any other school I’ve ever encountered. This school brings a boy back to the traditions of our Catholic Church, the reverence of sacred music, and the appreciation of the True, the Good, and the Beautiful. And PRAISE GOD for no cell phones, TV’s, and computers! These boys face life with the same raw reality in which boys of years gone by faced life. The boys of Gregory the Great can actually carry on a conversation face to face without the distraction of texting and snap chatting and a myriad of other aberrations which inhibit normal maturation. The absence of technology at this school is a profound ingenuity; a saturation of electronics only serves to retard and impede the natural process of education. Young men receive but one distinct opportunity to encounter their teenage years. There are no “do-overs.” Gregory the Great Academy is a school that won’t leave you yearning for a redo of your son’s high school education.

An amazing unique Catholic experience that will not be matched at any other high school. I am still very good friends with my classmates from 2012. The education and life lessons instilled while at Gregory the Great continue to give me aim and purpose throughout life.

We are so very thankful for GGA and their philosophy on the education and formation of boys. My 3 sons are forever the better in character, knowledge, virtue and faith after attending this school. The very talented and gifted teachers and their lovely families have created an environment rich in song, sport, fellowship, poetry, prayer and ponder- truly a place where boys can celebrate brotherhood and the JOY of Christ.

I attended GGA for four years. They were the best four years of my life. I grew in so many ways but most importantly in my faith. The beautiful chapel there and the many hours that we spent in prayer truly helped me to form a a real relationship with God. And of course the rugby, friendships, juggling, trips to Europe and everything in between were loads of fun and incredibly formational as well. I highly recommend GGA and would happily speak with any parent/student considering.

In times when “no one is doing good, not one” it is important to be surrounded by the good and true. Especially in formative years. In those same times, as boys are being forced into effeminacy it is good to grow isolated from that into virtuous virility. When many are depending on the state and dependant on others for their livelihood it is essential to cultivate a confident self-dependence and personal accountability. As academics turn more into political agendas and behavioral theory it is wise to cultivate the fundamentals of how to think and learn. As God becomes more of an apathetic watchmaker, or even non-existent, it is imperative to cultivate true faith and a real relationship with the one true God via the one true faith, and encounter that God throughout your daily life so as to recognize the falsehood of those that so flippantly reject Him.

How can I do this? How can I give this to my sons? Gregory the Great Academy. It did this for me and my many of hundreds of friends. From those that went there to just those that have met us and followed. This school is the most essential thing to have happened to us. We truly and deeply love it. We're not all perfect, but we all strive for the Good, the True, and the Beautiful.

You will never find another opportunity like this. My brother and I both went there. My two young sons WILL go there.

Gregory the Great Academy has had an incredibly positive impact on me. The foremost of which was an instilled desire to learn. Before and even during my time there, I always had opted to do the bare minimum with any undertaking that didn’t have a direct connection to “fun”. I would do just enough school to get by with grades that would keep my parents happy, and just enough work to keep a positive appearance. The thought of improving myself for the sake of being a better person was completely foreign to me.
There were two key things that Gregory the Great Academy provided that got me out of this mindset. The first was rugby, and the second was my natural history class. My junior year(2011) I remember the regret I felt losing in the state final, knowing I could have done more to improve as a player. This time the impact of those decisions were not just on me but the whole team. I went into my senior year with the intention to be the best rugby player I could possibly be. That was the first time in my life I had made that a goal.
With Natural History I remember sitting in class thinking about the use of the knowledge I was receiving there. “Why did learning about, methods to training a dog; or the path that ants make to retrieve food; or the patterns of behavior in homing pidgeons, really matter at all? How would this possibly help me in college?” At the same time I was thinking, “woah! that is really cool! This is definitely my favorite class!” For the first time, I enjoyed learning for the sake of knowledge. I may have to work a bit harder to catch up with the class in a college Biology, but I would be confident in doing so. In today’s world learning is a key aspect in everything, I am very greatfull to the time at Gregory the Great where I learned to learn.
I believe Gregory the Great academy is going to be beneficial with a student who is open to it. Even if it starts as a tiny crack in a otherwise unbreakable shell. You can go through much of the time there, thinking about what you are missing, and determined to not let the school affect you. I think many students start this way and eventually open up to the great and beautiful things around them. If you experience it, dislike it, and are going to close yourself off for the whole time, there is probably a better place for you.

The professors and school culture are top notch. I'll never forget my first literature class at the parent school. We walked into a classroom as nervous kids recently dropped off far from home. No teacher in the room but shovels, picks, and a treasure map. After waiting a few moments to see if a teacher would walk in like one would expect we took off following the map. It lead us deep into the gorgous wooded property over student made bridges and forts, past creeks, campsites, and towers. We dug once we counted 20 paces off a painted rocked displayed on the map and pulled a chest from the ground full of copies of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. As one would expect our class became fast friends from experiences like this.It also drew us into the book like nothing I'd experienced before. Our class could relate as Stevenson described digging up treasure and counting paces. The same would be true in many other classes. Experiences in the chapel, confessional, and around a table arguing philosophy contributed so much to my formation. (Written on a phone please don't hold the school accountable for my grammar and spelling.)