Floriani shares his busy Catholic High schedule
Senior Grantham Floriani is a man of many talents, balancing schoolwork with numerous after-school activities. His investment in Catholic High has paid off. He won the prestigious Monsignor Tribou Scholarship, which goes to the student who best exemplifies the values of Catholic High. We sat down with Grant to discuss his busy schedule and what made his four years here so special.
Q: What led you to come to Catholic High?
A: My father went to college with a few Catholic graduates and liked how they talked about the school, so he sent my brother and me here.
Q: What are you involved in at Catholic High?
A: I was doing Boy Scouts before I came here, and since then I’ve become an Eagle Scout. I’ve played lacrosse for most of my years at Catholic, and I ran cross country for a bit. I’m a part of the Green Team, and when there was an art club, I was in that too. I’m in the pep band, which plays at football games, the concert band, and the jazz band. I’ve also taken part in the theater productions at Catholic High and Mount St. Mary.
Q: What encouraged you to join these extracurricular activities?
A: I wanted to challenge myself for one, but also I wanted to meet new people. I wasn’t all that open before, but now I’ve made a lot of friends. Mrs. Wilcox was my teacher my freshman year, and she convinced me to join the lacrosse team. I tried out for the school play my freshman year, but I didn’t make it. However, when I was a sophomore, I got closer to Mrs. Reynolds, and she convinced me to be a stage manager. My friends encouraged me to join Mount’s 2025 production of Matilda as well.
Q: Have you won any awards due to your efforts and participation in these activities?
A: One year for lacrosse, I got the award for most shots taken on our team. For band, I won the section of the year last May; however, I was the only French Horn there, so it was more like player of the year.
Q: Have you run into trouble balancing these activities with your school work and personal life? How have you balanced it?
A: A lot of the activities overlap. For example, play practice ends at 6, but lacrosse practice starts at 5, so I usually have to leave rehearsals early or go to lacrosse late. This year, I really stacked up my extracurriculars, so most of my time is spent with them and homework after school. Luckily, my grades have stayed consistent. I usually just take a day off from lacrosse to finish homework and get my thoughts together.
Q: What have you liked about the activities you participate in?
A: I like the team aspect of what I do. I’ve gotten to meet a lot of new people, and I think that’s great. I’ve also tried to put myself in leadership positions because I like helping and working with others.
Q: Where are you going to college, and what are you planning on learning and continuing?
A: I’m going to go to the U of A in Fayetteville, and I want to do nursing, though I’m not entirely sure how I’ll think of that. I’m trying to keep my doors open and have other options. Ms. Boone told me she’d recommend me to the community theater for a stage manager role, so I’m thinking about continuing with that. I’m also hoping to keep playing the trumpet and join the band at U of A, though if I don’t make it, I’ll join a community band.
Q: What does the Monsignor Tribou Scholarship mean to you?
A: I signed up believing I had a good shot to win it. I’m hoping to study nursing and go to the U of A, and this scholarship will help with it. I’m happy to know I did something these four years at Catholic and left an impact.
Q: How do you feel about having won the Monsignor Tribou Scholarship?
A: With it, I feel very validated and seen. I’ve heard that quite a few of my fellow finalists pointed me out as a good candidate, and I feel proud of myself for all I’ve accomplished that led me to this point.
Q: What would you say to someone who wishes to apply themself more at Catholic?
A: You may embarrass and overwhelm yourself, but there are always people to help you up. I was once told, “If you don’t believe in the brotherhood, then it doesn’t exist,” and that’s one of my favorite quotes. Open your doors, talk to others, there will always be someone cheering you on.
