Are Catholic High Schools for Everyone? 3 Myths Debunked
Do you want the short answer? YES! With 16 different Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, there is a home for every student, a roadmap for every future, and a community that will love and support your young person as they become who God intended them to be.
Let’s dispel a couple myths about just who belongs at a Catholic high school.
Myth Number One: Catholic high schools are only for Catholics.
Not true, explains Dr. Kathleen Cepelka, Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
“Catholic schools were founded as a means to educate all children,” said Dr. Cepelka. “More and more, we are having parents come to us who are not Catholic but want that character formation for their children. They want their young people to have a moral compass.”
The basis of that character formation in the high schools of the Archdiocese is, of course, the Gospel. And while Catholic identity is an integral part of each of the schools, the values and virtues that teachers and staff seek to instill in the students transcend religion, said Dr. Cepelka.
“Our schools have the expectation of charity, of forgiveness, of sacrifice, of generosity, of prayer, of respect, of justice,” she said. “People of all faiths want their young people to not only know the difference between right and wrong, but to be with others that are living lives steered in that moral direction.”
Myth Number Two: Catholic high schools won’t prepare you for the trades.
While the academic instruction offered at Catholic high schools provides a necessary foundation for students who desire to attend college, young people who see a future in the trades can also find a curriculum that works for them.
For instance, Messmer High School in Milwaukee has a reputation for particular support of students who plan to go into the trades immediately after high school graduation, and they’re doing exciting work to expand those offerings in the near future. To learn more, reach out to Messmer directly at 414-264-5440.
Myth Number Three: Catholic high schools present a narrow worldview.
Actually, it’s part of the mission of Catholic high schools to present a Catholic worldview — which is, by definition, universal.
“We look at our world through the lens of the universality of the gospel,” explained Dr. Cepelka.
Furthermore, the graduate of a Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee will be an individual who is truly prepared for a global society, she said. Schools are up-to-date on STEM education, producing young people with the knowledge and skills that make them sought-after employees around the globe.
But it’s also about more than just technology fluency — it’s exposure to the study of different languages and literature of different ethnic traditions, participation in mission work and a sense of responsibility for one’s own community and for the world itself.
“When our students get to college, they have a sense of what the obligation of a Christian is beyond their immediate environment,” said Dr. Cepelka.
Do you have questions about Catholic high schools? We’ve got answers. Contact a Catholic high school near for more information.