Carrabba Family Fuels Faculty’s Global Pursuits

To many in our area, Johnny Carrabba is the consummate host whose acclaimed restaurants—Carrabba’s, Mia’s, and Grace’s—have transformed Houston’s dining landscape. Here at ROBS, though, Johnny is a quiet hero whose generosity is transforming the School. In 2013, Johnny endowed a unique opportunity that makes educational dreams come true. The catch? Those dreams belong to our faculty, not our students.

The Johnny and Mia Carrabba Faculty Grants, named for Johnny’s children, have sent ROBS teachers and coaches far and wide to recharge their spirits and raise their professional game. Any faculty member can apply for a grant by explaining where they want to go, what they want to learn, and how they want to use their newfound knowledge when they return. The grants have succeeded beyond all expectations, expanding teachers’ horizons, bringing the world to our classrooms, and
fostering a more global perspective among our students.

Although Johnny ’14 and Mia ’15 graduated years ago, their dad returns to campus every spring to award the Carrabba grants during our annual Celebration of Service Ceremony. Johnny’s voice broke with emotion as he reflected on the motivation behind his gift: “One of the most important decisions a parent has to make is where to send their child to school. The best parenting decision I ever made,” he confided, “was sending my children to ROBS.” He told the story of his first visit to campus for an admission interview, when a pair of Middle School boys held the door open for him. That small but meaningful gesture resonated deeply with him. He decided he wanted his kids to go to school with students who are kind. “It told me a lot about the School and its parents and faculty,” he explained. “Every day when I dropped off my kids, I knew they were safe. Because of my family’s experience at ROBS, I wanted to take care of the teachers and coaches who take care of our kids. It’s a way of saying thank you for supporting me and my family over many years.”

Johnny’s gift has transcended financial support. It has become a bridge between our School and the world. Each grant allows a deserving faculty member to embark on a transformative journey of cultural immersion and academic enrichment. Thanks to Johnny’s benevolence, our teachers have walked in Jesus’s footsteps in Israel, studied World War II sites in Europe, and experienced the renowned Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education in Italy, among other incredible destinations.

Preschool music and art teacher Rachel Gillett applied five times for the opportunity to study art in Italy. Her persistence paid off. Under master artisans in Rome, Florence, and Venice, she learned how frescoes, mosaics, ceramics, and masks have been made for centuries. Rachel is using what she learned to enrich lessons in Renaissance painting, augment student-made sets and costumes for musicals, and create new projects in clay for her lucky students. To enjoy Rachel’s trip vicariously, access and watch her video by taking a picture of this QR code with your phone.

What began as a generous donation ten years ago has blossomed into a tradition that celebrates the educators who have touched the lives of countless students over the years. At the end of his remarks, Johnny left our students with a final message: “Be thankful. Show acts of appreciation. When you go home today, tell your parents, ‘Thank you for sending me to the best school in Houston.’” Johnny reminds us that a single act of kindness, like holding a door open, can ripple through time and inspire a legacy of gratitude that shapes generations.