Sukhraj Goraya ’23 Capitalizes on Upperclassmen Years at CBA

Coming out of the pandemic, Sukhraj Goraya ’23 saw an opportunity to make the most of his upperclassmen years at CBA.

“Before Covid, I didn’t apply myself much and I wasn’t in many clubs, which is something I regret now,” he said. “But at the start of junior year, I just wanted to join as many clubs as possible.”

Goraya did just that, and more, as he became an integral part of Pegasus Production Company, Model UN, Math Team and the National Honor Society. However, it was his role in Pegasus that will stick with him for years to come.

During his senior year, Goraya has been the master carpenter on the construction crew for the company. His role combines the hands-on work with an important leadership function.

“I have a little more responsibility than others on the construction team,” he said. “My job is to guide what is going to happen that day for construction. That required a lot of meetings with [Mr. Orozco] because I am very new to the position. I made sure we had a focused thing and we would get it done. It could be anything from planning the stage to building a piece that we missed or fixing a wheel.”

His time as master carpenter included two shows with two very different sets, the fall drama Rumors and the spring musical Godspell. His entire year as master carpenter will be one he won’t soon forget.

“When I walked into Pegasus, it was such a welcoming community. I felt like I was part of a team for the first time in a long time. I had never touched a drill before [joining the construction crew] and they helped me work my way through really understanding what it really means to be part of a team. Yeah, you are there to put on a show, but you are really there to build a community.”

Goraya’s work ethic has propelled him to be not only a significant part of CBA’s performing arts company, but also a well-rounded academic student who will be attending Jefferson University’s LECOM dental program next year.

“The LECOM dental school is heavy on two things and that is disciple and sacrifice,” he said. “Obviously here at CBA, those are two core things. Going into healthcare, you have to have that mindset of sacrifice. It is one of the reasons I wanted to attend that dental school, because they really stress that portion of service that I have built up [at CBA].”

Of course, he believes that he is more than prepared for the rigors of a dental program because of his CBA academic career.

“Part of it is learning how to manage your time, which is huge and something you will need in college and beyond. The work load could be intense at times, but being able to find where you can work, how you can work, and the best way to work is something CBA does a good job with. The teachers are always here to help, but you obviously need to be getting your work in on time.”

Through everything that he has experience at the Academy, Goraya knows the totality of his time in high school has set him up for success.

“For me, discipline is everything. The discipline that started here at CBA and that I will build upon at Jefferson will lead to something greater in life.”

About Christian Brothers Academy:
Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) is a private, Catholic, academic preparatory school for boys located in Lincroft, New Jersey. Founded in 1959 and taught in the Lasallian tradition, CBA is dedicated to helping students become intellectually mature and morally responsible leaders for society. Through generous contributions from family and friends of the Academy, CBA awards over $1.7 million in scholarships and financial aid to current students. Experience the Academy at CBALincroftNJ.org.