By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
Photographer: Via Instagram @archbishopmccarthyhs
Members of Archbishop McCarthy High School's class of 2024 applaud during their graduation, May 24, 2024. "A class so resilient that not even a pandemic could slow them down," states the school's Instagram post - something that applies to the nearly 3,000 high school graduates in the Archdiocese of Miami.
MIAMI | Nearly 3,000 young people graduated from Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Miami this year, and 99% are college bound.
Here are some more statistics about the Class of 2024 — students who started out their freshman year wearing masks and eating lunch behind plexiglass because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As the Instagram post @archbishopmccarthyhs stated, we say to all the graduates: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Below are the pictures of the Class of 2024 valedictorian and salutatorian for each high school.
- 14: Catholic high schools in the archdiocese, including one virtual school, CAVA, and newly opened Cristo Rey High School in Miami; neither is included in the totals as they did not have a graduating class.
- 2,979: Total number of graduates
- 432: largest graduating class, St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, followed by Columbus, Miami (420) and Archbishop McCarthy, Southwest Ranches (418). Average class size was 248.
- 74: smallest graduating class, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, Coconut Grove, followed by Archbishop Coleman Carroll, Miami (90).
- 99%: college bound.
- 22 or less than 1%: entering armed forces.
- 990: attended Catholic schools for 12 years; representing 33% of the graduates of nine schools that obtained those statistics.
- 66%: earned college scholarships.
- 21%: recognized as national merit finalists, semifinalists, commended or Hispanic scholars.
- $240.7 million: amount earned in college scholarships (not including Msgr. Edward Pace, whose numbers were not available at press time).
- 666,563: number of community service hours completed.
- Silver Knights: 4 winners, 14 honorable mentions. (Click here for story.)
ARCHBISHOP CARROLL
Photographer: COURTESY
Graciela Garcia, valedictorian, Archbishop Coleman Carroll High, Miami
Photographer: COURTESY
Stephanie Embil, salutatorian, Archbishop Coleman Carroll High, Miami
ARCHBISHOP MCCARTHY
Photographer: COURTESY
Christos Demos, valedictorian, Archbishop Edward McCarthy High, Southwest Ranches
Photographer: COURTESY
Alexandra Scott, salutatorian, Archbishop Edward McCarthy High, Southwest Ranches
BELEN JESUIT
Photographer: COURTESY
Nicholas Duque, valedictorian, Belen Jesuit Prep, Miami
Photographer: COURTESY
Daniel Real, salutatorian, Belen Jesuit Prep, Miami
CARDINAL GIBBONS
Photographer: COURTESY
Jessey Hay, valedictorian, Cardinal Gibbons High, Fort Lauderdale
Photographer: COURTESY
Garrett Weadock, salutatorian, Cardinal Gibbons High, Fort Lauderdale
CARROLLTON
Photographer: COURTESY
Daniella Roos, valedictorian, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, Coconut Grove
Photographer: COURTESY
Isabela Delgado, salutatorian, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, Coconut Grove
CHAMINADE-MADONNA
Photographer: COURTESY
Amelia De La Torre, valedictorian, Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory, Hollywood
Photographer: COURTESY
David Brankovic, salutatorian, Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, Hollywood
COLUMBUS
Photographer: COURTESY
Mario Villaverde, valedictorian, Christopher Columbus High, Miami
Photographer: COURTESY
Andrew Vasta, salutatorian, Christopher Columbus High, Miami
IMMACULATA-LA SALLE
Photographer: COURTESY
Gabriella Costa, valedictorian, Immaculata-La Salle High, Miami
Photographer: COURTESY
Isabella Costa, salutatorian, Immaculata-La Salle High, Miami
LOURDES ACADEMY
Photographer: COURTESY
Lauren Espinosa, valedictorian, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Miami
Photographer: COURTESY
Daniela Quijano, salutatorian, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Miami
MSGR. PACE
Photographer: COURTESY
Maria Alfonso, valedictorian, Msgr. Edward Pace High, Miami Gardens
Photographer: COURTESY
Ricardo Santos, Jr., salutatorian, Msgr. Edward Pace High, Miami Gardens
ST. BRENDAN
Photographer: COURTESY
Samantha Herrera, valedictorian, St. Brendan High, Miami
Photographer: COURTESY
Elizabeth Batista, co-salutatorian, St. Brendan High, Miami
Photographer: COURTESY
Sofia Gonzalez, co-salutatorian, St. Brendan High, Miami
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
Photographer: COURTESY
Alejandro De Santis, valedictorian, St. Thomas Aquinas High, Fort Lauderdale
Photographer: COURTESY
Anthony Tivda, salutatorian, St. Thomas Aquinas High, Fort Lauderdale
