Back in the 1300's, Geoffrey Chaucer penned the phrase, "all good things must come to an end". So it is with this history-making year at Father Lopez Catholic High School. Most of our readers already know that we ventured into uncharted territory this year when we officially enrolled 438 students. This was the largest number of students to study at Lopez since the 1959 founding of our school in Daytona Beach.
   
Leading the way was a small, but very talented and kind-hearted group of seniors. It was a bittersweet experience last week to see the ranks of our Green Wave alumni grow by 70 as our Class of 2014 graduated. They were cheered on by family and friends, faculty, staff and school officials.

Our Valedictorian, Jason West (Princeton University), and our Salutatorian, Sidney Jackson (Johns Hopkins University) delivered eloquent speeches that made all of us proud. At the Baccalaureate Mass, Alyssa Husbands (Stetson University) and Zachary Wilson (Florida A&M University) read their impressive award-winning essays on what their Catholic education had meant to them.

For your reading pleasure, I am proud to provide you with a copy of the program booklet from our Fifty-Fifth Commencement Exercises. Please take some time to review this booklet. You will note that our recent graduates were offered acceptances to 113 colleges and universities throughout Florida and 31 other states, as well as in the District of Columbia. Take a look at the following pages that detail some 140 scholarships that had been awarded to our graduates. The total value of these scholarships is $4,848,376. That is a real tribute to these youngsters, their parents, and to their teachers and coaches at Father Lopez.

The facts indicate that our adventurous graduates are well prepared for collegiate studies. They are in demand by many colleges, and they are rewarded with a plethora of scholarships. However, if simply preparing our students for college was all that we did at Father Lopez, then we would have failed in our mission as Catholic educators.  Our greater responsibility in partnering with parents is to educate the whole person and to help our students grow in faith and knowledge.

God has blessed our students in so many ways.  We try to impress upon them that the greatest way for one to thank the Giver is to learn how to share the gift.  That is at the core of the Lopez experience, and that is part of the added value that one receives in your Catholic high school. (Please see related article on Lopez receiving the Blessed Mother Teresa Award.)

We are very proud of our most recent graduates.  I know that you join me in congratulating them and praying for their continued success. May our Heavenly Father continue to bless them, and may He bless all members of this wonderful family that is Father Lopez Catholic High School.

Kurt Bajor '15 has been chosen to represent the United States in Canada this summer. Chief Petty Officer Kurtis Bajor is a member of the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps. A member since 2010, Bajor has participated in a number of trainings and has been recognized for several outstanding achievements.

Chief Bajor will travel to Canada this summer with eight other outstanding cadets. While there, he will have the opportunity to train with and exchange cultural ideas with Cadets from Japan, United Kingdom, Sweden, South Korea and Australia. After his graduation from Father Lopez next year, Bajor aspires to be a Naval Officer and Navy SEAL.

This year's Annual Fund campaign officially ends on June 30. All donations received by that date will be acknowledged in the 2013-14 Annual Report. Monies raised are used to help us bridge the gap between tuition revenue and the higher cost of educating each student.

All gifts are appreciated. No gift is ever too small. For your convenience, you may click here to make an online donation. If you prefer, you may mail a check directly to: The Annual Fund, Father Lopez Catholic High School, 3918 LPGA Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32124.