St. Francis High School
Page 7
Paduan Scholars Program
Mr. Michael Messore, Director of Paduan Scholars Program The Paduan Scholars Program offers a challenging Honors curriculum for gifted students. The Program is named for St. Anthony of Padua, patron of the Franciscan Friars Conventual of Our Lady of the Angels Province who staff St. Francis High School. His keen intellect, strength of character and unshakable faith earned him the title “Doctor of the Church”. Paduan Scholars are expected to meet the curricular and extra-curricular requirements while maintaining a cumulative average of 95% or better. To be a candidate for the Paduan Scholars Program, a student must have demonstrated ability as evidenced by his performance on the entrance examination and high achievement in middle school. Students accepted into the Paduan Scholars Program will be offered several challenging learning opportunities. Classes will include specially crafted assignments and enriching activities designed to enhance critical thinking skills and creativity. Paduans are expected to focus on application of concepts, analysis of issues, and recognition of cross-disciplinary connections. All freshmen candidates will be enrolled in the Honors seminar during the second semester. The course specifically addresses vital skills and strategies such as time management, organization, logic and reasoning, journal writing, library research, and technology-based presentations. The goal of the seminar is to set a course of success for students in the Paduan program, in college, and in life. Paduan Scholars will have extra-curricular opportunities available to them to prepare them for making career choices. An after school program called, “A Day in the Life Of…” offers deeper insight into the daily career experiences of different professionals. Alumni and friends of the school describe how they achieved their success and answer questions our young men might have. Students may seek out an internship in a particular field of interest. The student will receive 0.25 credits upon successful completion of the internship. Paduan Scholars must attend special field trips. The field trips are designed to provide hands-on experiences and cultural enrichment that complement their classroom lessons across the curriculum. Past trips include Buffalo River History Tours, the Albright-Knox and Burchfield-Penny Art Galleries, Rich Products, Moog, Fisher Price, the Earthquake Research Facility at UB, Tifft Farm Nature Preserve, the Downtown Buffalo Public Library, and Forest Lawn Cemetery just to name a few. As a culminating, college preparatory project, senior Paduan Scholars will complete and present the Senior Paduan Capstone Project. Paduans are required to immerse themselves into a topic of study for which they have a genuine interest and complete a research-based argument and defense of their findings and experiences. The final projects must be presented to faculty and peers. The Paduan Program is an opportunity and a challenge for our most gifted students. The Program incorporates the mission of St. Anthony of Padua, incorporating “keen intellect, strength of character, and unshakable faith” to produce the scholars, leaders, and men of Christ for the 21st century.
Paduan Scholars Course Requirements Students will enroll in and complete the following courses: Freshman Year
English I Honors Religion I Honors Global Studies I - Honors Biology Honors Language Honors/Accelerated Mathematics Honors/Accelerated
Sophomore Year
English II Honors Religion II Honors AP World History Chemistry Honors/AP Science Language Honors/Accelerated Mathematics Honors/Accelerated
Junior Year
AP English Language & Composition Religion III Honors AP U.S. American History Physics Honors/AP Science Language Honors/Accelerated Mathematics Honors/AP Mathematics
Senior Year
AP English Literature & Composition Religion IV Honors
AP Elective courses required. *Higher level or Advanced Placement courses may be used as substitutes for honors courses.
“Imbued with the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, we prepare young men to use their knowledge for the good of society and to see God in all people, especially the poor and neglected, and their Brothers.”
