STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Huntington Middle School 8th grader Brian Gray
Role model who motivates classmates
Posted: February 4, 2025
On a typical day at Huntington Middle School, Brian Gray can be found jumping on his classwork as soon as it's assigned. He's paying close attention in class, encouraging others and spreading a positive and respectful attitude among fellow students and teachers.
Gray, an 8th grader on the Honor Roll, has become a role model for other students after deciding he needed to work on his academics.
"I improved things," Gray said. "I worked on doing good, focusing in school. Because back in say 6th, 7th grade, I wasn't doing that good. I had to stay on my game a lot.
"So I had to focus even more on getting my work done on time."
Being academically eligible to play football is a big motivator for Gray. Working out, playing football and spending time with family are the main ways he spends time outside of school.
"I wanted to not fail and I wanted to play football," Gray said. "And I know in high school, they're going to fail me if I get bad grades, and I can't play football."
He improved his attendance and matured in his behavior, according to teachers and school officials. Now he's quiet, all about doing his work and you can see the change in him, they say.
Midway through his eighth-grade year, Gray was preparing to move on to high school with strong habits in place.
"The reason I come to school is because I don't want my grades to drop," Gray said. "My goal for this school year is have all As and I'm almost there. I got As and two Bs."
His kindness and willingness to help others fosters a collaborative and supportive classroom environment. Middle school has been fun, he said, and the teachers are one of the best things about Huntington.
"I try to get my friends to do their work, not do the wrong thing," Gray said. "Like do your work; just get it done. Whatever the teachers say you can do, you can do, after you're done with your work.
"I want my friends to learn, I don't want them to not succeed in life. I want them to get somewhere in life."
His suggestions for students struggling to get more interested in classwork are to ask teachers for help with assignments, and to try to pay attention and avoid distractions in class.
"You just have to think about what you want to do in life," Gray said. "You've got to know that going to school is to get there."
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