Holy Family Classical High School awarded the Spiritual Formation Award under the patronage of Saint John of the Cross to Mr. Isaiah Figures, Class of 2026.

https://youtu.be/OojWUNTnosc  

Dr. Karyn Williams:

“The Spiritual Award honoree was an unquestionable and unanimous choice – and I would bet if we opened the voting to the entire school including the littles, this gentlemen would be named. We all know why – it’s his smile.

I know I don’t have to explain.

Our awardee walked into our school four years ago with that smile. At the time, that’s all he had. A smile. Seriously.

For the first week or two of my Physics class, every time I asked him a question, all he would do was smile and nod. He wouldn’t say a word. No answer. No nothing. Just a smile and a nod.

I’m not lying when I say that I was a little concerned, but he seemed so happy to be at our school. I was so happy to have someone with such an intention so I took it as a win.

The story ends well because through the following months, I watched that smile slowly gain a voice. Throughout the next few years, that voice gained conviction.

Our awardee will now not even hesitate to defend teachings of the Catholic Church in my Astronomy class and elsewhere, or confidently challenge Science Fair judges – all with a smile on his face. It’s actually fascinating to watch.

What makes our awardee truly remarkable is that throughout his progression, the light of his smile refused to dim – ever. Saint John of the Cross has written on the soul’s progression through the dark night. I think it’s safe to say that all of us here have had at least some dark nights, but how many have held onto our smiles and our light throughout them?

I know no better example of spiritual growth. I for one am humbled and grateful that God brought this young man into my class. All of us here at the school are going to miss that genuine smile. I am comforted that he will go out into the world and shine God’s light to every soul our awardee encounters.

Please join me in congratulations our well deserved Spiritual Growth Awardee, Mr. Isaiah Figures.