Measuring Success: Class of 2017

"Coming together is the beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success."

This post is dedicated to the Memphis Catholic Class of 2017 and the faculty and staff members I have had the pleasure and privilege of working with over the past two years. (#1 below is a list of successes achieved by the Class of '17)

Memphis Catholic Class of 2017

Henry Ford said that, "Coming together is the beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success." Success is no accident and there is no secret to success. Success happens when you put your mind, heart, body, and soul into your actions no matter how great or small. It is the result of preparation and hard work. And, success isn't achieved in a vacuum. It takes teamwork.

Administrators, teachers, and staff members work together at Memphis Catholic to educate the nearly 270 students in grades 7-12. These educators have earned a combined 44 degrees from 18 different colleges/universities with 13 educators having earned a master's degree or higher. 13 of these degrees have been earned at the University of Memphis and 10 from Notre Dame. (#2 below is a list of colleges/universities the members of the Class of '17 will be attending)

The reason for the previous paragraph to say these educators came together from everywhere to teach at Memphis Catholic. "Coming together is the beginning."

Principal Kevin Kimberly is one fantastic leader. Is he a taskmaster? Does he expect excellence from his staff and students? Is he intelligent? Is he a no excuse and no nonsense person? Is Memphis Catholic better because he is the leader? Does he love his team and students? And, does all this pave the way to student success? The answer to all these questions is resounding YES! He holds the parents to the same standards as the students and his staff. No one gets a free-pass with Mr. Kimberly. You earn everything you get. He is the leader of the school and he leads from the front. He makes sure that everyone and everything stays together and moves forward. "Keeping together is progress."

Working together is the culture that has been created at Memphis Catholic. Our high schoolers learn to work together through the Education that Works (ETW) program. Even though we are not a Cristo Rey school, we follow their model in that all our high schoolers have an internship. After four years of high school at Memphis Catholic, our graduates will have had four-years of internships (#3 below is a list of all the ETW sponsors). Our students work in some of the top businesses in Memphis. They learn the importance of working as a team. And, they learn at a young age what it takes to succeed in the business world. They work with highly educated and motivated mentors. They know it takes hard work and teamwork to succeed and they aren't afraid of success. "Working together is success."

Is there one reason more than any other the students of Memphis Catholic are succeeding? Yes, there is one reason and it is that the school is Catholic! We are a school of faith. We educate our students because we are Catholic/Christians! We believe God loves us and our schools are here for a reason. We believe that Jesus Christ suffered and died for our sins.

Jesus said in order to inherit eternal life, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Luke 10:27) This is what we do in mind, body, heart, and soul.

Our community is very diverse with students coming from 35 zip codes in the Memphis metropolitan area and 9 different countries. The majority of our students are African-American (58%) with 26% Hispanic/Latino, 7% Caucasian, 5% African, 4% multi-racial, and 1% Asian. Many of our families are either one-parent families or encounter significant financial hardship, or both, but the goal of this school is to provide a Catholic education for students who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford it.

The successes achieved by the  Class of 2017 are outstanding and it mirrors the successes of the Class of 2016. The culture has been created and the wheels are in motion to ensure continued success.

Thank you to everyone who plays a part in helping our students succeed from donors to the faculty and staff to the parents to the students to the volunteers to those who pray for us. Thank you.

1. Statistics from the Class of 2017:
35 Seniors
100% graduation rate
100% 4-year college acceptance rate
100% college attendance rate
67 unique colleges
$3.54 million in scholarships
19 Tennessee Hope Scholarships recipients
28 Attended Memphis Catholic H.S. all 4-years
7 attended Memphis Catholic for 6-years
13 National Honor Society members

2. Colleges attending:
10- University of Memphis
4- Southwest Tennessee College
3- Christian Brothers University
3- Philander Smith College
2- Mississippi Valley State University
2- University of Mississippi
1- Austin Peay State University
1- Carson-Newman University
1- Cumberland University
1- Fisher College
1- Freed-Hardeman University
1- Kentucky Christian University
1- Lane College
1- Maryville University
1- Spalding University
1- University of Oklahoma
1- Voorhees College

#3. Education That Works Sponsors
A to Z Construction Services
Adams Keegan
ALSAC
American Residential Services
AutoZone
Baptist Memorial Health Care
Cargill Cotton
Cloverleaf Animal Hospital
FedEx Express
Gerber Taylor
Greystone Servicing Corporation
Interactive Solutions
Kroger
Landmark Community Bank
Le Bonheur
MLG&W
Monogram Foods
nexAir
Pediatric Dental Group
ReTrans
Rhodes College
Southern Eye Associates
St. Paul Gift Store
RGT Management
Southeastern Asset Management
The Day Foundation
Thomas & Betts
Wharton Charitable Trust
Plus 10 Family and Individual Sponsorships

If you would like to join our list of sponsors for Education That Works, please contact me. You will be helping to make a positive difference in the lives of our students.

God bless you,
Didier Aur