In photo above, Casey and Amanda Valine and their sons, Nolan, 7, and Owen, 11.

Catholic schools have long attracted Catholics and non-Catholics alike to their educational environments which focus on high quality, Gospel-based education. The Church regards Catholic schools as important in assisting families to educate their children, but also instrumental in sharing the light of Christ with all people. The National Catholic Educational Association reports that more than 20 percent of students enrolled in Catholic schools are non-Catholic.

While attending St. Polycarp School in Stanton, the first time a television was ever wheeled into the classroom was for watching the various Apollo space missions. With each launch we were brought closer to the national objective: to be the first to put a human person on the moon. I remember my classmates and me, with eyes wide open, seeing the earth spinning in dark space. It was the first time humanity had ever glimpsed our planetary home. The vastness of the world suddenly became much smaller as the boundless reaches of the universe enveloped the bright blue orb.