For several years Vincent Gray Academy has received an annual grant
from the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Oblate novices have also volunteered as tutors at the school to help the students achieve their academic goals.

"Vincent Gray's objective to provide ways for at-risk students to earn a high school diploma is very consistent with the efforts of the Oblates in education," explained Fr. Allen Maes, O.M.I. who has been an advocate for the school for many years.

Tina Philips was once told that she could not be educated. Today she is the treasurer for a town in southern Illinois.

Dominick Hunter was once told that he could not be educated. Today he is in college studying to be a graphic designer.

Tina and Dominick are just two of the more than 300 students who have graduated from Vincent Gray Academy in East St. Louis, Illinois. They arrived at Vincent Gray as high school dropouts, rejected by the traditional educational system. They left Vincent Gray with high school diplomas and the confidence to succeed in life.

"Before I came here I felt like I wasn’t learning anything from my old
school. The teachers weren’t helping me and didn’t care if I passed or failed," said Dominick. "But at Vincent Gray they lent me a hand when I needed it. The teachers help me to focus more and to gain the knowledge that will help me to fulfill my goals in life."

For 28 years Vincent Gray Academy has been an alternative for students who were deemed uneducable or were otherwise unsuccessful in the traditional system. More than 90 percent of the students who attend Vincent Gray live below the poverty level. About 95 percent of the students are from single-parent households or are living on their own.

Most of the students at Vincent Gray had been out of school for a time. Some are teenage mothers who dropped out of school to raise their babies. Others are young men who believed the only way to gain respect was to join a gang. Many students received little home support and acknowledgement for achievement.

When they begin their studies at Vincent Gray nearly all of the students
are deficient in basic skills. Most are reading below their grade level. Some struggle with basic addition and subtraction. All have been considered failures - but when they enter Vincent Gray the slate is wiped clean.

"Our students have realized the value of a high school diploma and have chosen to continue their education," said Fr. Dan Kearns, C.M., principal at Vincent Gray. "It is important for us to increase their sense of self-worth so that they can break the cycle of poverty in their life."

Father Kearns knows that a student's success or failure at Vincent Gray will have a major impact on the rest of their life. Statistics show that income doubles for the holder of a high school diploma compared to someone who has dropped out of school.

The curriculum at Vincent Gray is consistent with most high schools.
Traditional subjects such as language arts, mathematics, science and social studies are taught. Students can also take classes in computers, employment skills, parenting, minority studies and conflict resolution.

The school maintains a consistent enrollment of 40 students in order to
have class sizes of no more than 10 students. The teaching staff is made up of three master's and two bachelor's degree instructors who earn significantly less than a public school teacher. But they have the tremendous satisfaction of knowing they are making a positive and lasting impact on the lives of young men and women.

Vincent Gray students pay no tuition. Nearly all of the school's expenses are covered by grants from private foundations or donations from individuals.

Each student who graduates from Vincent Gray is expected to have
articulated a plan for his or her immediate future. Father Kearns takes
great pride whenever he sends out a transcript for a graduate applying
to college, or when he writes a letter of recommendation for a graduate
seeking employment.

In May, as seniors at traditional high schools celebrate graduation in
elaborate ceremonies, the graduates at Vincent Gray Academy take part in a much simpler event. There is no band, no famous speaker, no ornate decorations.

Instead, the Vincent Gray students gather for a very modest ceremony.
There may not be pomp and circumstance, but there is an abundance of pride and confidence on the face of each and every student. They are now high school graduates - their dream finally realized.