XAVIER STUDENT NAMED U.S. PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR, CLASS OF 2008 EARNS HONORS

XAVIER STUDENT NAMED U.S. PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR, CLASS OF 2008 EARNS HONORS

Xavier College Preparatory, an all-girls Catholic high school established in 1943 in Phoenix, is pleased to announce that senior Yasmine Hafiz has been named a 2008 U.S. Presidential Scholar by the United States Department of Education Commission on Presidential Scholars.

Each year, up to 141 students are named Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. The Scholars represent excellence in education and the promise of greatness in young people. Candidates are evaluated on academic achievement, SAT and ACT scores, leadership and service activities, essays and self-assessments. Ms. Hafiz will be honored for her accomplishments during the program’s national recognition events, held in June in Washington, D.C.

Ms. Hafiz is the fifth U.S. Presidential Scholar to graduate from Xavier. Xavier’s class of 2008 also included five National Merit Finalists, nine National Merit Commended Scholars, one National Achievement Scholarship Program for Black Americans Scholar and six National Hispanic Scholars.

Xavier congratulates senior Kathryn Neal, who recently achieved a perfect score on the 2008 National Latin Exam. She will be recognized with a certificate from the ACL/NJCL National Latin Exam Committee. Only 1,062 students out of over 135,000 who participated in the United States, Canada, England, China and eight other countries attained this distinction.

Xavier congratulates senior Alison Yurcak, who will receive the National Dance Education Organization’s 2008 Artistic Merit, Leadership, and Academic Achievement Award. The NDEO also recognized Sister Joan Fitzgerald, Xavier Principal, and MaryBeth Mueller, Diocese of Phoenix Executive Director of Education and Evangelization, for their commitment to and achievement in dance arts education.

Members of Xavier’s class of 2008 were accepted at 163 colleges and universities. The 241 graduating seniors garnered over $13 million in college scholarships, and all will attend post-secondary institutions.