Jeff Bell, Head of School, Cardinal Gibbons High School

In an interview with Invest:, Jeff Bell, head of school at Cardinal Gibbons High School, discussed AI integration and the evolving role of faith-based education in the Triangle. “Being in a vibrant market requires vibrant schools, and that is what we are trying to be,” Bell said.

What do families and students want from education in today’s environment?

I have been working in education since 2002, and adolescents have really changed over that time period. Right now, students really value strong relationships with their teachers, coaches, and mentors. Obviously, the curriculum is essential, but it is a lot easier to learn from a history teacher you connect with than from someone you do not connect with.

That is something we place a premium on in terms of onboarding our staff and crafting a culture where students feel included and seen. We are the largest Catholic school in the Southeast outside of Florida, so that is a Herculean task, but we are proud of it.

I also think students need a balance of technological innovation and real-world interaction. Teenagers are pretty addicted to screens, so we try to provide an environment where they are getting training in AI and other technological tools that will matter in the workforce, while also learning the importance of interacting with real people and being present in the moment.

Students also need structured freedom. Teenagers will tell you they want to do whatever they want, but a lot of times, they are craving boundaries and structure. Holding students accountable while giving them room to experiment intellectually, athletically, and artistically is really important.

How is Cardinal Gibbons preparing students for leadership and long-term success?

One of the key points of our mission statement is leadership. Our three tenets are faith, service, and leadership, which blend together nicely for an evolving world.

For us, it is about attending to what is foundational and what we know every student needs, while also being flexible as to what they might need moving forward. We do a lot of work on leadership through clubs, athletics, the arts, robotics, and student groups.

At Gibbons, we try to equip students with foundational skills that are transferable across fields, so they can be equally prepared to become engineers, physicians, lawyers, or contractors. We also instill a sense of faith, which is deeply rooted in our identity as a Catholic school. That provides a compass for decision-making, ethical behavior, and faith life.

Every kid is different, and they need different things. We try to provide a wraparound program so that if students need different things at different times, we can provide that support.

How is the Triangle’s growth influencing education demand and expectations?

It is having a huge impact. The Triangle is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country, and we are seeing a major influx of people moving here from California, the Midwest, and the Northeast. That is shifting and changing the demographics of the area.

For us, that means different expectations and, in many ways, higher expectations because you have families coming in from all over the country. It forces us to evolve and respond to market demand.

We are blessed right now to have a pretty significant waiting list of families who want to come to the school, which allows us to craft a student population that is mission-aligned with what we are trying to accomplish. Being in a vibrant market requires vibrant schools, and that is what we are trying to be.

How does faith-based education differentiate Cardinal Gibbons?

It is a true differentiator for us, and it is nice because we believe it. It is not a gimmick. It is the bedrock and core of what we are trying to accomplish. That makes a difference in terms of how our students enter into the world, and that is humbling to be a part of. We are working hard to instill in our students a deep sense of faith while also being a place that is open and welcoming to students and understanding that everybody is on their own journey.

It is not our job to print out widgets so they all look the same at the end. We want to be a welcoming place for students and do our best to better them in partnership with parents and our mission.

How are technology and AI changing how educators teach and how students learn?

AI is having a much faster impact than any laptop program. We have had a one-to-one program for a long time, but AI is really expanding the way education is being delivered. We use an AI company called Flint that is education-based for a lot of what our teachers are using to create content and help students work in that space. We have also put together a significant AI initiative. We now teach an AI ethics class, and we have a summer camp around AI.

What we are trying to do is handle it in a responsible manner and not overcommit, but also not undercommit. We are thinking carefully about how AI can be used responsibly and how to equip students with the skills for the hows, versus just using it as a chatbot.

We want students to use it as a tool to craft educational outcomes that feel authentic and relevant to the work they are doing. It is a moving target, so we must stay nimble and agile.

What role do partnerships play in expanding opportunities for students?

That is another area that has grown in the last year. Our business program was fine two years ago, and now it is a signature program of the school. We have brought in donors who helped us move it forward, and now we have a fully expanded business and leadership program.

We are partnering with many local businesses across the Triangle, as well as universities. We have strong ties with NC State and UNC, and we have students interning with the Iron Dukes this upcoming year.

We also have a coffee shop called Holy Grounds that is run through the program, and I think its revenue reached about $100,000 this year. That, for us, is distinctive in the Triangle.

What are your top priorities for the next three to five years?

We are taking a really hard look at our academic program, not because anything is broken, but because continuous improvement is important. Schools are really bad at evolving and being forward-thinking at times. We are trying to maintain the norm so students are not guinea pigs, while also looking at the next technology of learning in a broad sense.

We are asking what learning environments are best for Generation Alpha and how that differs from before. We are also focused on training teachers to interact with today’s students. One of our greatest strengths is having phenomenal teachers, and we always want that to continue improving.

What is your outlook for Cardinal Gibbons and Catholic education in the region?

Cardinal Gibbons is at the forefront of where Catholic education is headed. We are excited about the future of Cardinal Gibbons and Catholic education more broadly. There will be a second Catholic high school opening in the Triangle in 2028, and we are working with the diocese to help make that happen. That suggests demographic growth in our region.

If you look at the Midwest and Northeast, you are seeing Catholic schools and parishes closing, and we are in the opposite situation. That is a blessing, and we hope to educate even more students in the years to come.