By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
MIAMI | The signs of graduation are caps and gowns and tassels. But those signs are also symbols: of wisdom, faith and hope.
Graduations honor lessons learned and augur wisdom still to gain. They are tangible expressions of hope that a new generation might heal an ailing world. They reward the faith of parents in children, teachers in students and students in themselves. And as such they are reminders that with faith, anything is possible.
The 3,077 graduates in the Archdiocese of Miami’s class of 2019 certainly live up to those lofty expectations. Here are some numbers to prove it:
- 13: Catholic high schools in the archdiocese, including one virtual school.
- 523: largest graduating class, St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale.
- 12: smallest graduating class, ADOM Virtual School.
- 893: attended Catholic schools for 12 years; representing 29% of the graduates of seven schools that obtained those statistics.
- 98%: college-bound.
- 54%: earned college scholarships.
- 5%: recognized as national merit finalists, semifinalists, commended or Hispanic scholars.
- 5%: graduated from programs for exceptional learners (disability or impairments).
- $264.5 million: amount earned in college scholarships.
- 728,853: number of community service hours completed.
Congratulations, class of 2019. The world hopes for your wisdom, is buoyed by your faith.
ARCHBISHOP COLEMAN CARROLL HIGH, MIAMI
![Alexandra Brown, valedictorian, Archbishop Carroll High](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_AbpCarroll_Val_BrownW_1561578649.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Alexandra Brown, valedictorian, Archbishop Carroll High
![Melanie Borrego, salutatorian, Archbishop Carroll High](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_AbpCarroll_Sal_BorregoW_1561578649.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Melanie Borrego, salutatorian, Archbishop Carroll High
ARCHBISHOP EDWARD MCCARTHY HIGH, SOUTHWEST RANCHES
![Sophia Eberhard, co-valedictorian, Archbishop McCarthy High](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_AbpMcCarthy_Val_EberhardW_1561578649.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Sophia Eberhard, co-valedictorian, Archbishop McCarthy High
![Veronica Han, co-valedictorian, Archbishop McCarthy High](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_AbpMcCarthy_Val_HanW_1561578649.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Veronica Han, co-valedictorian, Archbishop McCarthy High
BELEN JESUIT, MIAMI
![Guillermo Molero, valedictorian, Belen Jesuit](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_Belen_Val_MoleroW_1561578649.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Guillermo Molero, valedictorian, Belen Jesuit
![Julian Zulueta, salutatorian, Belen Jesuit](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_Belen_Sal_ZuluetaW_1561578649.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Julian Zulueta, salutatorian, Belen Jesuit
CARDINAL GIBBONS HIGH, FORT LAUDERDALE
![Samantha Braverman, valedictorian, Cardinal Gibbons](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_CdlGibbons_Val_BravermanW_1561578649.jpg)
Samantha Braverman, valedictorian, Cardinal Gibbons
![Garnett Byrd, salutatorian, Cardinal Gibbons](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_CdlGibbons_Sal_GarnettW_1561578649.jpg)
Garnett Byrd, salutatorian, Cardinal Gibbons
CARROLLTON SCHOOL OF THE SACRED HEART, COCONUT GROVE
![Alina Suarez, co-valedictorian, Carrollton](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_Carrollton_CoVal_SuarezW_1561647115.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Alina Suarez, co-valedictorian, Carrollton
![Olivia Osle, co-valedictorian, Carrollton](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_Carrollton_CoVal_OsleW_1561647115.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Olivia Osle, co-valedictorian, Carrollton
![Caroline Dowell-Esquivel, salutatorian, Carrollton](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_Carrollton_Sal_Dowell-EsquivelW_1561647115.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Caroline Dowell-Esquivel, salutatorian, Carrollton
CHAMINADE-MADONNA COLLEGE PREP, HOLLYWOOD
![Michael Macri, valedictorian, Chaminade-Madonna](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_Cham_Madonna_Val_MacriW_1561578649.png)
Michael Macri, valedictorian, Chaminade-Madonna
![Kayla Kent, salutatorian, Chaminade-Madonna](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_Cham_Madonna_Sal_KentW_1561578649.jpg)
Kayla Kent, salutatorian, Chaminade-Madonna
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS HIGH, MIAMI
![Francesco U. Baca, co-valedictorian, Columbus](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_Columbus_Co-Val_BacaW_1561578649.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Francesco U. Baca, co-valedictorian, Columbus
![Fernando J. Salinas, co-valedictorian, Columbus](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_Columbus_Co-Val_SalinasW_1561578649.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Fernando J. Salinas, co-valedictorian, Columbus
IMMACULATA-LA SALLE HIGH, MIAMI
![Ashley Zelaya, valedictorian, Immaculata-La Salle](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_Imm-LaSalle_Val_ZelayaW_1561578650.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Ashley Zelaya, valedictorian, Immaculata-La Salle
![Lillian Sanchez, salutatorian, Immaculata-La Salle](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_Imm-LaSalle_Sal_SanchezW_1561578650.jpg)
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Lillian Sanchez, salutatorian, Immaculata-La Salle
MSGR. EDWARD PACE HIGH, MIAMI GARDENS
![Nathan Bonet, summa cum laude, Msgr. Edward Pace](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_MsgrPace_summa_BonetW_1561578650.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Nathan Bonet, summa cum laude, Msgr. Edward Pace
![Vanessa Perez-Robles, summa cum laude, Msgr. Edward Pace](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_MsgrPace_summa_Perez-RoblesW_1561578650.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Vanessa Perez-Robles, summa cum laude, Msgr. Edward Pace
OUR LADY OF LOURDES ACADEMY, MIAMI
![Carolina Paniagua, valedictorian, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_OLLourdes_Val_PaniaguaW_1561578650.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Carolina Paniagua, valedictorian, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy
![Victoria Hernandez, salutatorian, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_OLLourdes_Sal_HernandezW_1561578650.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Victoria Hernandez, salutatorian, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy
ST. BRENDAN HIGH, MIAMI
![Justin T. Prats, valedictorian, St. Brendan](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_StBrendan_Val_PratsW_1561578650.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Justin T. Prats, valedictorian, St. Brendan
![Sofia Roa-Febres, salutatorian, St. Brendan](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_StBrendan_Sal_Roa-FebresW_1561578650.jpg)
Photographer: COURTESY
Sofia Roa-Febres, salutatorian, St. Brendan
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS HIGH, FORT LAUDERDALE
![Margaret-Anne Huntley, valedictorian, St. Thomas Aquinas](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_StTAquinas_Val_HuntleyW_1561578650.jpg)
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Margaret-Anne Huntley, valedictorian, St. Thomas Aquinas
![Michael N. Anise, salutatorian, St. Thomas Aquinas](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/2019/06/2019_06_mia_StTAquinas_Sal_AniseW_1561578650.jpg)
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Michael N. Anise, salutatorian, St. Thomas Aquinas