The Catholic Education Foundation honored graduating Catholic high school seniors Feb. 11 during a Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels followed by a breakfast at the Cathedral Conference Center.
The high school seniors have received the Foundation's tuition awards and represented 30 Catholic high schools throughout the three-county archdiocese. Families of the high school seniors and Trustees and donors of the Foundation were among more than 500 guests at this special event, which coincided with the 20th anniversary year of the Catholic Education Foundation.
Cardinal Roger Mahony presided at the Mass and, at the breakfast awards celebration, spoke on the symbolism of the Foundation's oak tree logo. A Catholic education that has nurtured these students with strong spiritual roots, the cardinal said, will enable them to become solid and ethical leaders of our community and church.
Of the 334 graduating Catholic Education Foundation high school seniors, three students were honored for writing essays about "The Value of a Catholic Education in My Life." Salvador Beas of Cathedral High School, Daniel Molina of Verbum Dei High School and Jenny-Fer Marin of Pomona Catholic High School each read their essays aloud at the breakfast celebration to a highly attentive audience.
Cathedral, Verbum Dei and Pomona Catholic each received a $1,500 tuition award in the name of the essay winner for a student in the class of 2008.
Cathedral and St. Genevieve High School of Panorama City tied for the best attendance at this event, and each school was presented with an additional $1,500 tuition award for the 2007-2008 school year.
All schools received oak saplings, a gift of Norman Nursery, to plant at their schools in honor of the Education Foundation-sponsored graduates in the Class of 2007.
The Catholic Education Foundation was established by Cardinal Mahony to provide tuition assistance so that students, regardless of financial means, could attend an Archdiocesan Catholic school. This year the Foundation is providing $6.3 million to 6,800 students. During its 20-year history, over $71 million in awards were granted to over 80,100 students. |