National Honor Roll Tabs McGuinness as Top 50 School
By Steve Gust
For the Sooner Catholic

OKLAHOMA CITY — Perhaps as important as Bishop McGuinness’ “Building Faith,” multimillion dollar commitment to its future is news that the high school is offering some of the best Catholic education possible.

The Catholic High School Honor Roll announced the selection of the best 50 secondary schools in America. The first ever Honor Roll, which will serve as an invaluable resource for students, parents and benefactors, recognizes the nationąs top 50 high schools based on their demonstrated commitment to academic excellence, Catholic identity, and civic education.

The news was welcomed by the Archdiocese.  “We are delighted that Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School has been recognized by the Catholic High School Honor Roll,” said Sister Catherine Powers, superintendent of schools for the archdiocese.  “This honor is well deserved by the administrators, faculty, staff, and students who help make Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School a great place to be educated.”  

The Catholic High School Honor Roll is an independent project of the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion & Liberty, an international research and educational organization based in Grand Rapids, Mich. McGui-nness principal David Morton said the award notes overall academic programs as well as civic promotion, social justice teaching and quality of faculty.

“We’re very honored by this,” Morton said.  The principal added that top Catholic educators from across America, including the president of Notre Dame, did the judging for the prestigious award.

McGuinness at 801 N.W. 50th has served the Oklahoma City community since the early 1950s. Morton said there are 660 students currently enrolled at McGuinness, a bit down from 710 a few years ago.

The primary goal of the Honor Roll is to encourage schools to educate their students as effectively as possible, in a way that integrates Catholic faith and prepares students for active engagement with the world.

Advisory board member Gerard Bradley, Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame, said the Honor Roll will serve as a benchmark for all who are seeking an education informed by faith.

“It draws attention to schools that are contributing in extraordinary ways to the moral and intellectual formation of young people,” he said.

Honor Roll schools ranged from the 23-student Holy Rosary Academy in Anchorage, Alaska, to St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lau-derdale, Fla., a school with 2,100 students. The state of Illinois, with seven schools selected, led the way, followed by Texas (5) and New York and Ohio (4 each). In all, schools from 25 states made the Honor Roll. To see a complete list of the schools, please go to the Catholic High School Honor Roll Web site at www.chshonor.org.