Catholic high schools graduate 455 students
Members of the Charlotte Catholic High School Class of 2022 are all smiles during a baccalaureate Mass offered at St. Matthew Church May 24. (SueAnn Howell | Catholic News Herald) CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte now has four high schools that, this year, bid farewell to 455 graduates in the Class of 2022.
Canongate Catholic High School near Asheville officially joined the diocesan Catholic Schools system in May. An affiliate school, this small high school is the 20th Catholic school within the diocese and offers a classical education.
The four graduates of Canongate were recognized at Mass and a graduation ceremony June 4.
“I’m pleased that each of these seniors has started to form a clear vision for their lives based on the support they have received from their families and Canongate teachers,” said Canongate Principal Sedrick Dellinger.
“Academically, they have worked hard, yet my admiration for them regards how each of them has overcome a serious personal obstacle to get where they are today. I’m very proud of them, and I think they are ready for an adventure,” he said.
Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville graduated 85 seniors in the Class of 2022 on May 27. Eighty-three of the graduates will be going on to college.
They earned more than $8 million in scholarships at 43 universities and colleges. Seven of the BMHS graduates will go on to play sports in college.
Dr. Jared Rashford, head of school, said, “The Class of 2022 is a tenacious group of young men and women that have persevered through a series of disruptions to the traditional high school experience. The class has come together in their final year to support one another and will leave a legacy of leadership, success, and personal and collective growth as sons and daughters of God.”
Charlotte Catholic High School graduated 283 seniors on May 27. Of the graduates, 274 will be going on to 93 colleges and universities. They earned more than $23.470 million in scholarships. Twenty-one students will go on to play sports in college.
“I am extremely proud of the Class of 2022. They had to pivot many times since March of 2020 because of COVID. The Class of 2022 has been resilient despite the many challenges they have faced,” said Principal Kurt Telford.
On June 1, Christ the King High School in Huntersville conferred diplomas on 83 graduates of the Class of 2022. All 83 graduates will attend college. They earned more than $9.597 million in scholarships. One graduate will go on to play sports in college.
“I am so proud of this graduating class,” said Dr. Carl Semmler, principal. “They have demonstrated time and time again that they have the grit to succeed. If you think about it, they are our first class to graduate that has fully weathered the beginning, middle and end of the pandemic. They completed this Exodus with style and grace.”
Bishop Peter Jugis extended his best wishes to the Class of 2022, stating, “I am proud of all the graduates of our Catholic high schools. I pray that our graduates will proclaim the Kingdom of Christ by the witness of their lives.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
Dream come true
CHARLOTTE — What began as a dream 40 years ago has become reality as the MACS Fine Arts Center opened its doors, ushering in a new era of arts education for thousands of Catholic students.
With more than 300 students, teachers and donors gathered Aug. 10 to celebrate, Bishop Peter Jugis cut the ribbon, dedicated and blessed the 47,000-square-foot building with holy water. Flanking him were Catholic Schools and other diocesan leaders, including Mercy Sister Paulette Williams, who was principal of Charlotte Catholic High School from 1980 to 2000.
“I wasn’t sure which side of heaven I was going to be on for this day, but I’m still here – and we have a magnificent building to celebrate today,” said Sister Paulette, who long ago imagined a space where students could express their creativity. “When they say you can dream it and make it come true, well, sometimes it just takes 40 years to do that!”
Located on Charlotte Catholic’s campus, the MACS Fine Arts Center is open for use by K-12 students at all nine Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools and features a 600-seat auditorium with fully equipped stage, balcony and high-quality performance and exhibit space. The sleek, state-of-the-art facility with floor-to-ceiling windows also includes an art room, band room, choral room, ceramics studio, dance studio and digital lab.
Principal Kurt Telford thanked Sister Paulette during his remarks. “We who are here at Charlotte Catholic now, we really are standing on your shoulders. We really appreciate what you have done for us.”
Bishop Jugis led the prayer service to bless and dedicate new facility.
“We dedicate this building to the education of youth, to the progress of the arts and to learning,” he said, praying that “it becomes a center where students and teachers, imbued with the words of Truth, will search for the wisdom that guides the human life and strive wholeheartedly to stand by Christ as their teacher.”
Dr. Gregory Monroe, Catholic Schools superintendent, compared the Fine Arts Center to “something you’d see on a college campus” and echoed the bishop’s sentiments.
“The arts give us the ability to intentionally create, grow and share our Catholic culture,” Monroe said. “Beauty is a universal language and gateway to Truth, and in this new facility, our students will produce and perform beautiful art which will lead people closer to God who is Truth, Beauty and Goodness.”
Juniors Madelyn Haines and Madison Molloy were all smiles while taking part in the dedication service. Both looked forward to benefiting from the fine arts and band rehearsal space when they and other Charlotte Catholic students began classes in the new building Aug. 17.
“The art rooms we had before were so small. I’m excited!” Haines said.
“I think that it’s cool that they built this whole thing to put a higher focus on the development of the arts – and it’s nice that it’s very pretty,” Molloy added.
Marcus Riter, theater director, said the new space will help cultivate the love and craft of the arts. “We’ve been able to accomplish great things so far within the confines of spaces we’ve outgrown,” he said, “but this new building holds the potential for endless possibilities.”
Photography teacher Vincent Pham, who graduated from Charlotte Catholic in 2016, said he’s already planning for photo exhibits: “It’s a great space for students to learn and showcase their work.”
Despite construction challenges created by the pandemic, celebrants at the dedication ceremony marveled that the project finished on time. The work also included extensive renovations to several Charlotte Catholic classrooms that previously housed art education.
“This campus improvement will touch every student at the school,” said Tish Macuga, one of the capital campaign general co-chairs. “This is quite a feat with all the challenges in the last two years, and I credit the construction team as well as our donors who have been so generous.”
In closing remarks, Sister Paulette expressed her gratitude: “I’m grateful to all of you who made it possible. I really hope that God will continue to bless us on this journey, plus all of the young people who are going to enjoy this legacy for decades to come.”
— SueAnn Howell. Photos by SueAnn Howell.
