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Happening ... in the Local Church
 Father
Ted Rothrock displays the certificate received by St. Theodore Guerin
High School when it was named to the Catholic High School Honor Roll. At
right is Bishop William L. Higi. (Photos by Caroline B. Mooney) |
 Students
at St. Theodore Guerin High School applaud during the Oct. 17
announcement of the national honor. |
By Caroline B. Mooney
The Catholic Moment
NOBLESVILLE — Students, staff and faculty gathered Oct. 17 to hear that St.
Theodore Guerin High School is listed on the 2007 Catholic High School Honor
Roll, which honors excellence among Catholic high schools nationwide.
“News that St. Theodore Guerin High School, in its fourth year of operation, has earned a place on the 2007 Catholic High School Honor Roll as one of the 50 best Catholic high schools in the United States is received with profound appreciation by the school’s administrators, teachers, parents, student body and supporters,” Bishop William L. Higi said at the announcement.
“It is their determination and devotion that have made Guerin Catholic a school of unique distinction,” he said. “Now people not only in central Indiana but far and wide will take note that Catholic college presidents and noted Catholic scholars have recognized Guerin Catholic’s excellence in academics, Catholic identity and civic education. When it comes to recognition, this honor is priceless.”
St. Theodore Guerin is the first Indianapolis-area Catholic school to earn the distinction in the Honor Roll’s four-year history. The school, which opened in 2004, was among 11 new Top 50 honorees this year.
“As we are told in the Gospels, much is expected from those who are given much,” Father Ted Rothrock, president of St. Theodore Guerin High School, told the students. “We have been given much, and you students have given back. Being named one of the top 50 high schools in the nation not only highlights our excellent curriculum and commitment to building Catholic identity, but affirms what is most essential in our mission as a Catholic high school.”
Father Dale Ehrman, school vice president, noted that of the 50 schools honored, only 16 have open enrollment. “It’s easy to have high academics when you choose your students, but it’s harder with an open enrollment,” he said.
“It’s a great acknowledgement and a nice confirmation that our school is on the right path,” said Adriana Pratt, senior class president, student body president and member of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, Carmel. “It’s cool to find out that our school is in the top 50. As a senior applying to college, I realize that a lot of colleges haven’t heard of Guerin. We are really putting ourselves on the map.
“I just think Guerin Catholic is a place where I’ve had so many opportunities that I wouldn’t have had elsewhere,” Pratt said. “I was originally considering five high schools, but Guerin Catholic had everything I wanted ... There’s a nice sense of community and great academics, especially with our International Baccalaureate program, and so many extracurricular opportunities. I love the fact we incorporate Catholic identity into everything we do. Even with the IB program — it focuses on cultures throughout the world, but everything we talk about, we bring it back to Catholicism and how it relates to that.”
“The award was a surprise,” said Julian Murphy, a senior and parishioner of St. Mary Church, Anderson. “It’s a great honor for our school. It really shows how much we’ve grown.”
Classmate Jared Gonzalez said the honor was special because the school is so small — 376 students.
“I think it’s unbelievable,” said Karen Kennedy, chemistry teacher. “It’s definitely a community effort. Every person here is working toward the same mission, and I think that is what brought about the award. It’s nice to be working toward our mission and have the award coincide with that, instead of working toward the honor. It’s a very cool thing.”
The Honor Roll, an independent project of the Acton Institute (www.acton.org), recognizes and encourages excellence in Catholic secondary education. It honors schools that excel in three categories: academic excellence, Catholic identity and civic education.
St. Theodore Guerin High School was listed
in the Top 25 in the category of civic education.
Nearly 1,300 Catholic high schools were invited to apply to the Honor Roll
by completing three detailed surveys. A list of the Top 50 schools, as well
as lists of the Top 25 schools in each category, is posted at
www.chshonor.org.