Accomplishments for the 2018-2019 academic year from Catholic Schools within the Diocese of Cleveland
The final bell is ringing in Catholic schools throughout Northeast Ohio this week and class will be dismissed for summer. Whether a child finished kindergarten, middle school or high school this is the time of year when students, parents and educators celebrate all of God’s good works.
From elementary school field days to the high school commencement stage, ceremonial cheers are taking place in the 108 schools the diocese serves. Accomplishments from the 2018 – 2019 school year represent lessons learned, obstacles overcome and being a part of something bigger than oneself.
Secretary for Catholic Schools and Superintendent, Dr. Frank O’Linn reflects, “The end of the school year is a joyful time to honor recent accomplishments and celebrate a future filled with hope both for our graduates as well as the thousands of students and educators who will continue to grow together in our schools.”
Highlights of student and schoolwide accomplishments are shared below.
Elyria Catholic High School, Elyria (National recognition) After receiving a perfect score of 36 on the ACT and a perfect score of 1600 on the SAT, Maxwell Menner, Class of 2019, was awarded a National Merit Scholarship. Max was chosen from 1.6 million students who entered the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program. Only 16,000 were named Semifinalists. In order to be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, a Semifinalist had to become a Finalist by fulfilling several requirements that included submitting a detailed scholarship application and presenting a record of very high academic performance. Max says that his motivation throughout his four years at Elyria Catholic has been being dedicated to learning not just the what, but the why. In addition to his academic excellence, Max served as the pianist for the Godsquad music ministry.
Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, Chardon (National recognition) Two NDCL juniors earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36, placing them in the top two-tenths of one percent of nearly two million students who took the college admissions exam. Schoolwide, Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin’s ACT scores were at their highest levels in the school’s history.
(Commencement) On May 24 Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin celebrated commencement at the Mentor Fine Arts Center. Paul Wilkes, a 1956 graduate of Cathedral Latin, delivered the commencement address. Wilkes, a journalist and author has written extensively about spirituality with publications in the New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine and The Atlantic. As Wilkes concluded his address, he suggested that each student use a simple but powerful question as a short prayer to begin each day, “And when you pray before going to bed at night, ask yourself: How did I do?”
Saint Albert the Great at Assumption Academy, Broadview Heights (Philanthropy) Before the school year ended, Saint Albert the Great at Assumption Academy hosted its annual “Fun Run” to raise funds for technology. Over 180 students, parents and staff participated and raised $18,000 to outfit the newly created Learning Commons area.
Through the newly formed partnership with Saint Albert the Great in North Royalton, Assumption Academy will open for the 2019/2020 school year a student broadcasting center, redesigned STREAM Makerspace, and redesigned school library and media center. Funds raised at the 2018 Fun Run helped to create the school’s new playground that was dedicated on May 2, 2019.
St. Angela Merici, Fairview Park (State recognition) St. Angela Merici joined the Ohio STEM Learning Network when it earned its official STEAM designation by the Ohio Department of Education. St. Angela Merci was one of thirteen schools from across Ohio to receive the designation out of thirty applications submitted at the state level. This designation recognizes a school’s design as an effective place for STEAM learning and invites the school into the Ohio STEM Learning Network.
St. Edward High School, Lakewood FOX 8 morning anchor, Wayne Dawson, profiled two St. Edward High School seniors from Cleveland’s east side. Daylan Jerigan and Teon Smith attribute their Catholic education and guidance from mentors to helping them succeed and ultimately lead them to receive full academic scholarships for their college education. Teon was also the first African American to be named the St. Edward’s Man of the Year in 2019. View their story here.
St. Rita School, Solon (Philanthropy) The members of St. Rita’s National Junior Honor Society partnered with Velosano Kids and Cleveland Clinic Children’s to raise money for pediatric cancer research. The St. Rita community raised over $10,000. All of the students learned the value of helping others and realized kids can make a difference.
St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, Akron (National recognition) Rachel Mileski of Kent, a sophomore at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, was awarded an engraved bronze medallion to recognize her selection as a Distinguished Finalist for Ohio in the 2019 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. This award is the largest youth recognition honor that is based exclusively on volunteer community service. Consideration is based on personal initiative, effort, impact and personal growth.
Rachel is the founder of “Ray’s Hope,” which organizes a variety of volunteer opportunities for teens, from cooking meals for a drop-in center for youth struggling with homelessness to fundraising for homeless pets. Read more on Rachel’s volunteering experience and her award here.