Wauwatosa and Mount Mary to be Site of Inaugural Catholic Schools Walk

On Saturday, November 2, Mount Mary University and the Menomonee River Parkway will be a little busier than usual. That’s because Catholic schools from throughout southeastern Wisconsin will be hosting their inaugural “Soles for Catholic Education” two-mile Walk in Wauwatosa. These Catholic schools are located in your community: Christ King, St. Joseph, St. Jude the Apostle and Wauwatosa Catholic.

According to organizers, the inaugural “Soles for Catholic Education” two-mile Walk, being held at Mount Mary University, is hoping to draw thousands of students, parents and alumni from the archdiocese’s 110 schools, as well as walking enthusiasts from the community. Archbishop Jerome Listecki will also be there in his red high-tops along with Wisconsin’s Morning News host Gene Mueller, from WTMJ AM, who will serve as the event’s official emcee.

According to Archbishop Listecki, “This walk was created to raise visibility for the Archdiocese’s 110 Catholic schools while celebrating the many benefits of a Catholic education, including academic rigor, Christ-centered faith formation and, overall, a holistic approach to education which includes mind, body and spirit.”

Recent statistics cite that during the 2012-2013 academic year, there were 31,825 students enrolled in the 110 Catholic schools in southeastern Wisconsin. Catholic high schools had a 99 percent graduation rate with 94 percent of its graduates heading on to college. In addition, Catholic school students averaged 23.4 on their ACT test scores, compared to the state average of 22.1. The archdiocese’s secondary schools also reported that their graduating seniors were awarded more than $54.4 million in college scholarships.

Archbishop Listecki says these are pretty impressive statistics in an era when schools’ performance ratings are under constant scrutiny.

However, the cost of attending a Catholic school can be prohibitive for families, especially during these challenging economic times. Organizers say that one of the reasons the “Soles for Catholic Education” Walk was created was to help eliminate this barrier by raising money for tuition assistance.
Pledge dollars raised by walkers stay with their school to support tuition assistance.

Still time to register
It’s not too late to participate in the walk or provide pledge dollars to those already registered. Registration is $10. To register, pledge or get more information on the “Soles for Catholic Education” Walk, visit www.catholicschoolswalk.org.

“Creating this event has really been a labor of love by so many individuals and organizations who support our Catholic schools,” said Archbishop Listecki. “There are many Catholic school graduates in our community who are proud of the education they received. They are excited to have this event to help spread the word about our quality schools. It’s going to be a fun day.”

Sponsors
The Stollenwerk family is co-chairing the inaugural “Soles for Catholic Education” Walk. Wisdom sponsors for the event include: Catholic Financial Life; Liturgical Publications; SMV Learning Support Program; the Stollenwerk Family Foundation; and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. Gift of Understanding sponsor: Cousins Subs. Gift of Counsel sponsors include: Emerald Isle Marketing PR; Geiger, Inc Awards & Apparel; GO Riteway; The Robert and Jeanne Piekenbrock Foundation – Scherper, Reiman, Swain, Piekenbrock and Hennelly Families; Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C. Attorneys at Law; Sargento; The VanHimbergen Family; and Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C.