As the recent graduates of archdiocesan Catholic schools begin to head off to college, they do so armed with an impressive amount of scholarship money—over $9 million.

The 495 students who graduated in the class of 2007 at the three archdiocesan high schools—St. Pius X High School, Atlanta, Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell, and Our Lady of Mercy High School, Fairburn—collectively earned $9.6 million in scholarship funding. This does not include funding from the Georgia Hope Scholarship, which rewards students who have earned a “B” or above grade point average and who enroll in eligible colleges and universities in Georgia.

Superintendent of Catholic Schools Diane Starkovich said that the amount earned by the students is a reflection of the rich tradition of excellence possessed by Catholic schools. “We are very proud that our archdiocesan schools continue to reflect this tradition,” she said. “Truly, the students and their parents should be proud of the success of these graduates.”

Starkovich said that to further gauge how well archdiocesan high schools are preparing their students, it’s necessary to keep up with graduates long after they leave.

“It is our desire to offer a college-preparatory program in all of our high schools. Our teachers challenge their students to achieve to their fullest potential and it’s part of the commitment we make to both students and parents—that all students will be prepared for that next level of academic formation,” she said. “In the case of high school, our hope is that we prepare our students well enough that they will be able to finish a traditional college program in four years. In many ways, we hope that parents view a Catholic education as an investment in their children’s future.”