Holy Family Classical High School awarded the Mimetic Formation Award under the patronage of Saint Genesius of Rome to Mr. Canaan Schmitz, Class of 2026.

 

Dr. Frank Grabowski describes the award:

“The Mimesis Award, under the patronage of Saint Genesius of Rome, is awarded to the senior who has embodied the classical ideal that we become what we behold, one whose life reflects the imitation of what is true, good, and beautiful.

Presenting this award is, once again, our Dr. Williams.”

 

Dr. Williams:

“Thinking outside the box is the idiom I immediately assigned this awardee when he first appeared in my physics class four years ago, although he would probably consider even that assertion far too ordinary. He would explain concepts and offer examples I had never considered before or arrive at correct calculations using methods entire different from the ones I taught in class.

Teachers always appreciate these unique and brilliant minds, because they challenge us to think outside the box ourselves, and that is exactly what we had to do to create this award.

This award, Mimesis, is a classical Greek concept popularized by Plato and Aristotle. We chose Genesius of Rome, the patron saint of actors, as the representation of this formation. Mimesis describes the way art, literature, and human behavior reflect reality. In Pope John Paul II’s Letter to Artists, he writes, ‘The human craftsman mirrors the image of God as Creator.’

Our awardee’s artistry has certainly brought light to our school in this way. In my own experience, his doodles that once graced his ninth-grade assignments evolved into more complete drawings of chemistry labs. We also saw his artistry shine through his theater performances, where his quick wit and natural sense of timing brought authenticity and personality to his every role.

I’m confident our awardee’s talents will mirror God’s grace to the world beyond our school walls.

Please join me in congratulating this year’s recipient of the Mimesis Award, Mr. Canaan Schmitz.