“We’re the best at getting better,” says Mike Dehring, Assistant Vice President of Enrollment at St. Xavier High School. “We’re always looking for ways to improve our school so that the student experience can be as great as it can be.”
St. X is in the midst of a strategic plan to enhance its campus, including looking for ways to improve classrooms and other facility offerings. That tendency for self-reflection and improvement can also be seen in the academic achievements and community impact of its student body.
Founded in 1831 by Cincinnati’s first bishop, Edward Fenwick, St. X is Cincinnati’s oldest high school. It is a private college preparatory all-boys school located in Finneytown since 1960. Its mission: To assist young men in their formation as leaders and “Men for Others” through rigorous college preparation in the Jesuit tradition.
“We’re trying to get students to look beyond themselves, to ask themselves how they might use their gifts and talents to benefit others,” Dehring says.
Over 90% of St. X students complete some type of service during the school year, such as being part of the annual canned food drive — one of the largest in Cincinnati — or becoming involved with organizations like the Big Brothers Program. Students might serve as mentors, and some attend service classes that allow them to complete community service projects during the school day.
A focus on solid academics is what St. X is known for, however.
“When you’re looking at a student body with an average ACT score over 28, with an AP pass rate above 90%, you’re talking about really good students,” Dehring says. “You are also talking about an incredible faculty that takes care of those students, one that helps them to be extremely successful.”
Additionally, over 90 extracurricular activities are offered at St. X, which include academic clubs, athletics, competitive clubs, cultural diversity groups, music and arts, and school publications.
Admission to St. X is selective and is based on academic performance. The admissions committee considers carefully a holistic view of each young man during the process.
Dehring also notes an initiative to make the school more affordable.
“We’re offering about $900,000 in financial aid for the incoming freshman class and about $900,000 in additional merit scholarships,” he says. Last year, over 40% of St. X students received financial aid; a total of $4.6 million in financial assistance was offered.
Initiatives to make the school available to those without financial means reflect the inclusivity of what has become known as the “Long Blue Line” – a phrase noting the lifelong impact of being an alumnus of St. X.
“We hear stories about how having attended St. X can really open doors in terms of career opportunities,” Dehring says. “There’s certainly some truth there, and that might be best reflected in the way that alumni give back to the school. St. X is fortunate to receive support from above 40% of our alumni, which is quite extraordinary.”
St. X also partners with its alumni to provide career assistance to help students “use their God-given abilities,” Dehring says. “The way alumni come back to speak or provide internships for our students is remarkable.”
That’s a testament to the impact of an education at St. X. Young men become successful adults with an understanding of service to the community and return to St. X whenever they can to contribute to a campus that made a difference in their lives.
“High school is a really important time in an individual’s life,” Dehring says. “The way a school respects and treats its students manifests itself in that giving.”
Know a young man who could become a “Man for Others?” Visit stxavier.org for more information.