Looking back on her first year at Carmel Catholic High School, Emma Faulstick ’27 remembers feeling uncertain about her path to success in the classroom.
Time management was a challenge. She wasn't always sure how to prepare for homework and tests. And the grades weren't what she wanted.
"When I started freshman year, I struggled with organization, test-taking, and knowing how to study effectively," Emma recalls.
What eventually changed wasn't a single class or assignment. It was having adults who noticed her frustration early and helped her build the skills and confidence she needed to move forward.
Using Carmel Catholic's academic support programs, Emma worked with teachers who helped her build organizational habits and discover study strategies that fit how she learns. She also met with counselors who encouraged her to stay the course. Emma’s support team made sure she found solutions.
"My resource teacher, Mrs. Phoenix, helped teach me organizational skills and different study strategies," she says. "If one strategy didn't work for me, she would help me find another one. My counselor, Mr. Etherton, also helped me throughout my high school experience by supporting me academically and helping me work toward success.”
Across many ups and downs, Emma is now on a path that feels much more certain. Four years later, Emma is preparing to graduate with nearly all As. Next fall, she hopes to attend the University of Missouri and major in special education.
She could not be more grateful for the helping hands she found at Carmel Catholic.
"Knowing I had people I could turn to whenever I needed help made a huge difference," Emma says.
Emma's experience illustrates a broader philosophy at Carmel Catholic: students should never have to walk any path alone, including achieving in the classroom. Through a network of teachers, counselors, advisors, and academic support staff, Carmel Catholic works to identify challenges early and provide individualized support that helps students grow in confidence and independence. Help and care are there for Corsairs every step of the way.
According to Shannon Lanphier ‘11, Director of Academic Support Programs, Emma's story reflects exactly what Carmel Catholic strives to provide for every student.
"Our goal is never to wait until a student is failing to provide support," Mrs. Lanphier says. "Because our teachers, counselors, advisors, and academic support staff know students well, we're often able to identify challenges early and connect them with resources before a small struggle becomes a larger obstacle. We want students to feel supported, build confidence, and ultimately develop the independence they'll need in college and beyond."
That commitment reflects Carmel's Catholic mission to care for the whole student. Academic support is not simply about improving performance in the classroom. It is about helping students recognize their God-given potential and providing the encouragement they need to pursue it.
While a college-preparatory curriculum encourages students to challenge themselves, Carmel Catholic also believes that meaningful growth happens when students are surrounded by people who know them, care about them, and are invested in their success. That philosophy is woven throughout the student experience.
Through outreach in advisory, regular interactions with teachers and counselors, and intentional check-ins throughout the school year, Carmel Catholic educators get to know students well. As a result, they can often recognize when students may need additional support and convince them to put in the extra time.
Once a need is identified, students are connected with resources tailored to their individual circumstances and goals.
The Academic Support Center provides assistance before, during, and after school from certified teachers and peer tutors representing various Honor Societies. Students can stop in for help with coursework, test preparation, organization, study skills, or challenging subjects ranging from Algebra to AP Biology.
Within the Center, the REACH program goes further, offering additional targeted academic support and individualized guidance, helping students strengthen skills, build confidence, and stay on track academically.
An exciting addition this year, Corsair Focus time provides students with dedicated time during the school day to receive one-on-one teacher support, make up assessments, meet with counselors, work with tutors, or simply devote focused attention to academic priorities. By embedding support directly into the school schedule, students can access help without having to choose between academics, activities, athletics, or transportation needs.
For some students, support means learning better study and organizational habits. For others, it means getting extra help in a challenging course. Sometimes, it means having someone who believes in them before they fully believe in themselves.
Senior Sara Fernandez Vant experienced that firsthand.
As a sophomore, Sara moved into a higher-level Geometry class and quickly realized she would need additional support to keep pace with the increased rigor.
Rather than trying to figure it out on her own, she began attending REACH sessions before school.
"When Mr. Rank (Math Department Chair and REACH tutor) would welcome me every morning, he would sit and go over my tests with me and always had words of encouragement," Sara notes.
The extra help strengthened her understanding of the material, but its impact went far beyond math.
As a freshman, Sara never imagined she would one day enroll in Advanced Placement and Dual Credit courses.
"I thought I wouldn't be smart enough to be in those classes," she says. "I learned that I am smart and I can do what I put my mind to."
Looking back, Sara says the experience taught her something she wishes more students understood.
"(Asking for assistance) may seem scary, but it will help in the long run," she says. "Carmel has amazing academic support. Utilize those tools because they are so beneficial."
For Mrs. Lanphier, stories like Emma's and Sara's demonstrate what's possible when students feel known and supported.
"The programs matter, but the relationships matter most," she says. "When students know they're supported and that someone is paying attention, they're more willing to ask questions, take on challenges, and push themselves further than they thought possible."
For Emma, that meant discovering she could achieve far more than she imagined as a freshman. For Sara, it meant finding the confidence to pursue opportunities she once thought were beyond her reach.
Emma's and Sara's journeys are unique to them, yet they share the same truth: growth happens when students have people who believe in them. That is the expectation at Carmel Catholic – to see, support, and encourage students to become the people God calls them to be.