Involvement

At St. Charles, the accent is on involvement. While the academic program emphasizes a broad experience of the fundamental disciplines, co-curricular offerings encourage and develop the individual talents and interests of students. A great variety of activities and organizations provides the opportunity for more than two-thirds of the student body to participate. In their involvement, students find both the challenge and the pleasure of working with others; school spirit is fostered by this discovery of mutual growth through cooperation.

Every year, the entire faculty and many parents are engaged in these activities, as well, extending the business of education beyond classroom walls into the workshop and theater, and further to the playing fields and neighborhoods of the city. Social and cultural, artistic and competitive aspects of the human personality all find expression and direction, so that the St. Charles student leaves high school a well-rounded man.

Co-curricular activities cover a wide spectrum. Various language clubs enrich classroom instruction. The Theater Department presents high-quality productions each year which are open to the public and provide valuable experience in speech, music and art. "The Carolian" is the official school newspaper, written and edited by the students themselves. The nationally recognized "ln the-Know" team practices regularly during the year for competition on the televised high school quiz program. The Chess Club and the Ski Club provide further opportunity for involvement.

The Borromean Chapter of the National Honor Society is made up of students selected for scholarship, leadership, character and service. The Student Council is made up of elected representatives of the student body who serve as liaison between faculty and students, and sponsor charitable, cultural, social and athletic programs and activities for the school.

The St. Charles tradition of excellence extends to its athletic fields and courts. St. Charles is a charter member of the Central Catholic League, a highly-competitive high school athletic conference in the central Ohio area. Maximum participation is the basic priority, and thus the school fields thirteen interscholastic sports: baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball and wrestling.

Since two or three levels of competition are available in all these sports, high involvement is possible at each grade.
Over half the student body participates in interscholastic sports. The addition of lacrosse, hockey, and volleyball to the program rounds out a broad variety of opportunities for practically every kind of athletic interest and talent.

Through these teams and the regular physical education classes, every student has the chance to become more fit and to enjoy the benefits of competitive athletics. Academic eligibility standards require the student-athlete at St. Charles to realize he is a student first. The discipline, dedication and self-sacrifice he learns in sports will carry over into his academic performance, and ultimately into his future life.

Over the years, the Cardinals have been proud, not only of their impressive records, but also of the high standards and principles that come to life in their teams. Much of the spirit of an all-bovs' school derives from the enthusiasm and support of its teams' fans. Active booster clubs for each sport bring many parents to participate in their sons' school life, and thus into the mainstream of Cardinal pride.