Lexington Catholic High School Presents Academic Awards Ceremony
May 13, 2026
As we complete another school year, it is both an honor and a privilege to be able to share this evening with each of you as we celebrate the achievements of our students.
I am proud of our students who have persisted and achieved the accolades they are being recognized for this evening. Their dedication, resilience, and determination are a true representation of living the mission of this school. They exemplify the ideals that have been the hallmark of this institution for over 75 years.
Thank you to all our parents, families, and friends who supported these students and our school community. Your prayers, encouragement and understanding continue to allow us to educate our students in “Mind, Spirit, and Body.”
Finally, a special thank you to the Lexington Catholic High School faculty and staff who continue to devote their livelihood to the ministry of Catholic education. Their work and dedication affect the lives of all our students well beyond their four years of high school. They continue to be models of servant leadership to those we are blessed to count among our student body.
On behalf of the faculty, staff, and administration, congratulations to each of the hard working, dedicated, amazing students with us this evening and the parents and families that support and encourage them.
In His Name,
Mr. Mathew George, Ed.S. Principal
Community Recognition and Achievement Awards
Junior League of Lexington Community Impact Award
This award is presented to a senior girl for outstanding volunteer service to the community.
Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of Scouting America. Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank.
The United States Air Force Academy Appointment
The U.S. Air Force Academy is one of the top universities in the country and develops outstanding leaders and officers of character who exemplify courage, dedication, and a desire to serve others as they make a difference in the Air Force, Space Force, and the world.
The United States Military Academy West Point Appointment
An appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point is a distinct and rare honor. The mission of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point is “to educate, train, and inspire the Corp of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army.”
Joseph K. Ford St. Joseph CHI Award
The Joseph K. Ford Scholarship was established by the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation to honor Mr. Ford’s service and commitment to living our Catholic values. He was the co-founder of Dean, Dorton & Ford public accounting firm; where his leadership and ability to build and manage relationships was instrumental in the on-going success of the firm. Mr. Ford served the Saint Joseph Hospital Board of Directors as the Finance Committee Chair and as a member of the Executive Committee. He was a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather; dedicating several years to supporting Catholic Education. He was a former chair of Lexington Catholic High School’s Board of Directors and provided instrumental guidance to the school in financial management and investing in Athletic programs for growth. A Scholarship in the amount of $1000 will be awarded to a graduating senior from Lexington Catholic High School who aspires to serve others in their chosen field of study for Allied Health, Nursing, or other Public Service.
Junior Scholastic Awards
Brandeis University Book Award
This is to recognize an outstanding junior in the top 10% of the class who demonstrates a commitment to civic engagement, community service, political activism, social justice, or volunteer work.
Dartmouth College Book Award
This is given to a junior who ranks in the top 10% of their class, is of strong character, a positive influence on the school community, excels in at least one non-academic area, and is a candidate for entrance into a college/university of highest academic caliber.
University of Louisville Yarmuth Book Award
This award is presented to a junior who shows academic promise, is in the top 20% of their class, demonstrates intellectual curiosity, and is community service-minded.
Chatham University Rachel Carson Healthy Planet Award
The Rachel Carson Healthy Planet Award is awarded to a junior nominated by the faculty who has a strong focus on environmental ethics and engagement, social justice, leadership, and stewardship within their community.
Fine Arts Awards
Lexington Singers’ Outstanding Vocalist Award
This award is given by Lexington Singers to encourage life-long singing. It is given to an outstanding senior vocalist who also exhibits community involvement, an enthusiastic spirit, and a love of all types of music.
National Society of Arts and Letters
The Kentucky Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters presents these awards in recognition of outstanding achievement in the following creative arts: Creative Writing, Music, Visual Art, Drama, and Dance
National Society of Arts and Letters/ OUTSTANDING SENIOR IN THE CREATIVE ARTS
An award presented to a senior in recognition of outstanding achievement in the creative arts.
Lexington Catholic Vocal Music Award
This award is intended to recognize and encourage vocal music study at an accredited college, conservatory, or university.
National School Choral Award
This award is the highest honor high school choral performers can receive. It recognizes the dedication and musical achievement of the top two choral students.
Lexington Catholic Award for Achievement in Theater Arts
The Lexington Catholic Award for Achievement in Theater Arts is presented in recognition of a student’s talent, commitment, and passion to the LCHS theater program. This scholarship was established by an LCHS family to support the flourishing of the theater program and to inspire students to create for others.
The Collin Cox Scholarship (Junior)
This scholarship is given to a returning junior who displays excellence in art and is enrolling in AP Art for next year.
The Collin Cox Scholarship (Senior)
This scholarship is given to a graduating senior who has excelled in studio art at LCHS and intends to study art in college.
Academic and Leadership Recognition Awards
National Merit Finalist
Students recognized as National Merit Finalists are judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.
Top Ten Scholars
This is to recognize students in 12th grade who, based on their cumulative GPA, are recognized for their academic excellence.
Top Ten Scholars for Underclassmen
This is to recognize students in 9th, 10th, and 11th grades who, based on their cumulative GPA, are recognized for their academic excellence.
Hugh O’Brian Leadership Award/HOBY
For more than five decades, HOBY has inspired young people to make a difference and become catalysts for positive change in their home, school, workplace, and community. As America’s foremost youth leadership organization, HOBY has a long history of successfully motivating young people to develop into outstanding leaders.
The Governor’s Scholars Program
The Governor’s Scholars Program strives to enhance Kentucky’s next generation of civic and economic leaders. Established in 1983, the program provides academic and personal growth through the balance of a strong liberal arts program with a full co-curricular and residential life experience. Students must compete with others from across the state.
The Governor’s School of the Arts
The Governor’s School of the Arts is a center for innovation that develops excellence, nurtures creativity, inspires artistic vision, and builds communities with a passion for the arts.
St. Francis Award, Freshman and Sophomore
This award recognizes one outstanding freshman and one outstanding sophomore who have exceeded their service requirements with a variety of community involvement.
Saint Thomas More Award
This award is given to the senior who has made the largest improvement in GPA from first semester freshman year through 7th semester senior year.
Lexington Catholic High School Scholarship Awards
The Daniel and Mary Stewart Kennedy Future Educator Scholarship
The Daniel and Mary Stewart Kennedy Future Educator Scholarship is awarded annually at the Spring Awards Ceremony to a graduating senior at Lexington Catholic High School who aspires to pursue a career in education. This scholarship honors a student who demonstrates both academic commitment and a passion for shaping the future through teaching.
The
Dominic Bilotta and David Cervoni Scholarship
This LC tuition scholarship is given in honor of LC students Dominic Bilotta and David Cervoni. It is awarded to a junior boy and girl with school spirit who is strong academically, well-rounded, perseverant, kind, and moral.
Joseph K. Ford Memorial Scholarship
Joe Ford had a long-standing relationship with Catholic education. Having graduated from Flaget High School in Louisville and after moving to Lexington and being very active in both Christ the King School and the Cathedral of Christ the King, he fully understood the importance of Catholic education. He became involved with Lexington Catholic High School in 1990 when the oldest of his five children was a freshman. He remained actively involved for the next 17 years. The recipient of this scholarship embodies leadership, commitment to community and Catholic education, and dedication to family, friendship and faith.
The Joe Bieschke Memorial Scholarship (Senior)
This award, given in memory of Joe Bieschke, is presented to an outstanding senior who strives for perfection and shows exceptional determination to develop his/her talents.
The Joe Bieschke Scholarship (Underclassman)
Mr. and Mrs. Pat Bieschke award this scholarship to an underclassman in memory of their son, Joe.
Jeremy Letton Memorial Scholarship
Jeremy was a member of the Class of 1989 and lost a long and courageous battle with kidney disease in January 2013. Jeremy greatly valued the education he received at LCHS, which prepared him for a lifetime of success. Jeremy’s family and friends started this scholarship to honor a current LCHS student who has met challenges in his/her life with the same grace, honor, and dignity as Jeremy.
John Francis and Elizabeth Geary Murphy Scholarship
This award is given to two returning Lexington Catholic High School students currently in grades 9-11, who are above-average students, of good character, and who are judged by their teachers to be serious and hard-working.
The James H. Brooks & Aaron C. Howe LCXC Merit Scholarship
This $2,000 scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior class member of the men’s and women’s cross-country team for academic excellence and leadership.
Mark Batson “Living A Dream” Scholarship
This was established to honor Mark Batson, former Lexington Catholic social studies teacher. This scholarship is awarded to a junior who enjoys history, a good story, and a funny joke.
Harry S. Cramer Scholarship
This $1,000 tuition scholarship is awarded to an underclassman of the Catholic faith who exhibits determination and wants to excel and work hard at everything he or she does by showing a strong goal setting ability.
Sister Marie Gangwish - Underclassman for Excellence in Math and Science
This $500 tuition assistance award is awarded to an underclassman who excels in math and science.
High Marks Achievement Award
Established in May 2023 by David Fraley, (in honor of his son, Christian, a 2024 LCHS graduate who participated in High Marks), the High Marks Scholarship provides $1,000 to a graduating senior who received support from High Marks during their high school career for learning differences from the High Marks program.
The Captain Matthew Roland Memorial Scholarship
This $1000 scholarship is awarded in honor of Captain Matthew Roland, a 2006 graduate of Lexington Catholic High School, and a Special Tactics Officer who was killed in Afghanistan in 2015 while bravely serving his country. This award is given to a senior whose parent/s are military veterans and who has strong academics, character, leadership skills, and a commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
The Joyful Knight Award: Honoring a Life of Joy and Kindness
In memory of Father Norman’s boundless joy and love for all people, the Joyful Knight Award celebrates a current Lexington Catholic student who embodies his spirit. Father Norman touched the lives of everyone he met with his kindness, humility, and unwavering love of God, and this scholarship honors a student who brings that same joy to our community. The recipient of the Joyful Knight Award is a fan of Lexington Catholic sports, an active participant in the arts, and someone who lives out our school’s Core Values in Mind, Spirit, and Body.
The Father Norman Fischer Vocation Scholarship: Supporting Future Spiritual Leaders
Father Norman Fischer’s life was defined by his deep faith and commitment to serving God and others. The Father Norman Fischer Vocation Scholarship is dedicated to a graduating senior who is contemplating a religious vocation or a life of service. Nominated by the Spiritual Life Department, this student has demonstrated a commitment to their faith, a passion for service, and a desire to lead a life dedicated to spiritual growth.
Love Like Eli - Pure of Heart
Eli Sloan, a member of the Class of 2027 at Lexington Catholic High School, lived with quiet strength, deep faith, and a pure heart, courageously fighting renal cell carcinoma while overcoming physical challenges. He made every person he met feel seen, valued, and loved, teaching others that true inclusion begins with understanding and kindness. After Eli’s passing in March of 2026, The “Love Like Eli – Pure of Heart” Award honors his legacy by recognizing those who choose to live as he did: putting faith first, widening their circle, embracing differences, and loving others with compassion and intention.
Lexington Catholic High School Commemorative Awards
The Lee McGrath Service Award
The Lee McGrath Service Award recognizes one junior girl and one junior boy who embody Christ’s call to “Love one another” through Christian service to the poor, hungry, homeless, and those in our community who are in need.
Sally Stevens Heart of a Champion Award
This award recognizes a senior who exemplifies the leadership qualities of faith, wisdom, and collaboration- the same qualities that Sally Stevens has shown throughout her career as a student, teacher, and principal at Lexington Catholic High School. In addition, the student should truly have the heart of a servant. This student is one who has far exceeded the expectations of Lexington Catholic High School’s service requirement.
Father Robert Bueter Memorial Award
Father Robert Bueter was a Jesuit priest who served at Lexington Catholic from 1990-1999. He was principal for one year and president for eight years, raising enrollment from 325 to over 750 students. As a passionate sports fan, he expanded athletic facilities and started the football program. After he passed away in 2019, this award was created to honor his commitment to the school and its students. The recipient exemplifies the Jesuit value of magis, going beyond what is expected, and interacting with the world with generosity, excellence, and empathy.
The Girl and Boy of the Year
Awards
Underclassmen Girl and Boy of the Year Awards
This award is presented to students selected by the faculty who represent the spirit of Lexington Catholic, and who epitomize the values of their school: Christianity, integrity, reliability, motivation, hard work, and commitment to God, family, school, and community.
Conclusion and Prayer Principal Mathew George
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Lexington Catholic Acapella Group: Knight Life
Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish and School
The Honors Committee
Triple Play Productions
Lexington Catholic Faculty and Staff
Lexington Catholic High School proudly celebrates this year’s award recipients. Your hard work, dedication, and achievements inspire us all. Congratulations to each of you on this well-deserved recognition.
Lexington Catholic High School Prayer
Live in me, faithful God. So live in me, That all I do be done by you, That all I think, and all I say, Be your thoughts and words this day.
Mother Catherine Spalding...pray for
us.
Faculty & Staff of 2025-2026
Mathew George, Principal Rob Rumpke, President
Michael Allen
Rachel Arauz
Kathy Arms
Courtney Bailey
Lawrence Banks
John Barnes
Jeffrey Benjamin
Rebecca Bernotas ‘95
Ryan Black
Daniel Bowling ‘07
Lea Anne Box
Ruth Boyd
Anne Bradford ‘92
Esther Breeding ‘80
Todd Bretz ‘84
Mark Brown
Kevin Bruggeman ‘93
Brian Carmer
Mathilda Carter ‘81
Timothy Carter
Melissa Cashman ‘88
David Clark
Sommer Cook
Rhonda Cosgrove
James Cox
Michael Crocetti
Monica Diez
Stephen Dorsett
Kathleen Elliott
Tim Fuamatu
Katherine Gartland
Mathew George
Carmen Geraci
Cory Gilbert
Yvonne Henley
Tonya Hickey
Greg Hilvers
Greg Jacobelli
Evan Johnson
Jeff Kaufmann
John Keane
Ronald Kelly
Kristian Klaene
Patrick LaMar
Kelly Lindsey
Jonathan Loman
Samuel Mandt
Kristen Marshall
Jake McCullough
Colleen Milburn
Devon Miller
Mira Monk
Laura Moses
Meredith Mullins
Lindsay Munson
Shane Munson
Connor Noonan ‘14
Kathleen Noonan
David Nurnberg
Katie Owen
Hannah Peace
Aaron Perkins
Laura Prather
Ryanne Pults
Terry Quigley
Julianne Rainey ‘99
Lori Rink
Carol Ritchie
Carrie Roberts
Russell Robida
Daniel Ruff
Rob Rumpke
Nicki Ryan
Brandon Salsman ‘92
Rachel Scanlon ‘89
Lee Anne Schlarman
Pam Schneider
Cynthia Smith
David Smith ‘92
Josh Smith
Micah Smith
Nicholas Smith
Nigel Smith
Adam Sovkoplas
Donna Steffen
Rebecca Sterlitz
Cindy Stokes
Michael Tate
Lee Tegt
Jeff Terhune ‘78
Leslie Thomas
Christopher Toombs
Anthony Valentino
Robert Vanover
Anna Wagner
Franco Walls
Susan West
Timothy Wiesenhahn ‘85
David Wu
The Mission
Lexington Catholic High School is a community rooted in Catholic faith and virtue, dedicated to spiritual, moral, and academic excellence. We nurture each student and prepare them to succeed and thrive in all aspects of life.
The Vision
Our Catholic Vision is to lead our students to Christ by inspiring lives of purpose and servant leadership through the education of their Mind, Spirit, and Body.
