Archdiocese gets $1M to boost high school enrollment

MORE THAN $1 million in new grant money and initiative programs to boost high school enrollment were announced Thursday by the Philadelphia Archdiocese and the Faith in the Future Foundation, according to a statement released by the Archdiocese.

In January, the Archdiocese announced plans to close four high schools. A month later, after an appeals process, Archbishop Charles Chaput reversed the decision based on increased donations and donors pledging money to save the schools.

The Faith in the Future Foundation was established to support the Archdiocesan schools, including the four once scheduled to be closed:

The initiatives include:

* 1,000 grants of $1,000 each, for incoming freshmen;

* Students at each Archdiocesan high school will have the chance to win a $5,000 tuition grant for referring the most new students to his or her school for the 2012-13 school year. The student who refers the most new pupils out of all the high schools will win a $25,000 tuition grant;

* All high schools will host events March 22-25. Interested parents and students can register online through a new centralized online registration website, AOPregister.com, which launches Monday.

- Regina Medina