This school year brings about Loyola’s departure from the Cum Laude Society, an academic organization awarding the top 10 percent of the junior class and the top 20 percent of the senior class based on a student’s cumulative, weighted GPA. Loyola has participated in the Cum Laude Society for over 40 years.

Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Scheduling Andrey Aristov ’80 said, “The Cum Laude Society is an external entity that had no affiliation with Loyola High School. After we evaluated their program over the past few years, we realized they aren’t really adding anything that we can’t do ourselves, and they were an expensive organization to be a part of.”

According to Aristov another reason for Loyola’s departure from the Cum Laude Society is the fact that the seniors will not get a chance to boast their achievement on college applications, for they will already have been accepted into a university by the time each inductee in the Society is announced.

Counselor Dele Varga said, “It’s not relevant anymore for [Loyola students] to be in the Cum Laude Society because most of them are either AP scholars, or they’re scholar athletes. Having this Cum Laude Society doesn’t do anything for them that’s valuable as they go on to college or to put on resumes.”

According to Aristov, Loyola will be recognizing certain, high achieving students through means of internal awards.These internal awards include Highest Honors or Cum Laude; Magna Cum Laude, for the higher achieving students; and Summa Cum Laude, for the highest achieving students. The requirements to receive these awards will be released in the Fall.