All Saints School Alumni Achieving Success

When All Saints Catholic School System was formed 10 years ago, it encompassed students from all 10 Kenosha and Pleasant Prairie Catholic parishes. By bringing all the elementary schools under one regional umbrella, school officials hoped for an excellent and affordable Catholic education for area children.

After completing their 10th year in the spring, Sue Wendorf, director of admissions and marketing at All Saints, said they recently realized how much their alumni population is not only growing but achieving high honors and making a difference in the world.

“This year, a specific group of alumni caught our attention. Six of our Class of 2017 alumni earned top honors such as Valedictorian, Salutatorian, or Summa Cum Laude, at our local high schools here in Kenosha and surrounding areas,” she said.

The students are Christopher Doan, St. Joseph Catholic Academy-Valedictorian; Sofia Ricker, Tremper High School-Valedictorian; Sarah Neu, Bradford High School-Valedictorian; Mia Prince, Bradford High School-Salutatorian; Camren Cheney, Shoreland Lutheran High School-co-Salutatorian; and Paul Capelli, Westosha Central High School-Summa Cum Laude.

The high achievement among All Saints alumni reinforces the students’ overall level of preparedness when they graduate and move on to high school and beyond.

“When students attend All Saints Catholic School through eighth grade, not only are they being formed with a foundation of values and the Catholic faith, they are also rigorously prepared academically for high school and beyond,” said Wendorf. “Many of our alumni, regardless of the high school they attend, place in the top 10 percent of their graduating class.”

All Saints Catholic School Principal Kelly Neu attributes much of the student success to the family atmosphere present in all the classrooms.

“I think we do well because we have high expectations, and that because God gave each of us incredible gifts, we are expected to nurture them, develop them and work toward becoming the best people we can be,” she said. “This is not only true of learning academic content but also developing skills in studying, time management, problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration and cooperation, along with special talents related to athletics and or fine arts. It’s not a choice; it is what we do. Parents play a part in this as their child’s first teacher and coach.”

The teaching staff is committed to helping each of the students achieve their highest potential. Integral to student education is the staff’s commitment to the Catholic faith.

“Our faith stands out as being what we are. We weave it into our daily routines, not as something supplemental but as our basis for each day. Teaching our students how to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord, is something that is dear to us. We know we are not perfect but are on a journey toward being like Jesus,” she said. “When something goes right, we give thanks. When we are in need of help, we pray for help. We make daily prayer a normal thing.”

A frequent comment that Neu hears from parents of children transferring to All Saints is how quickly their child progresses and learns, especially in the first year. In subsequent years, the parents expect their children to advance rapidly and increase their knowledge.

“My own daughter said that it was because of her foundation at All Saints that she could go on to do so well in high school and to become valedictorian,” said Neu.

As All Saints celebrates its 10th anniversary, Wendorf said they are proud to see their ASCS alumni living out their faith and using their gifts to achieve high honors.