Kolbe Academy is hosting an in-person and online commencement ceremony for the Class of 2025.

 

Georgia Event

In-person Event: The in-person event will take place at Mary Our Queen Catholic Church in Peachtree Corners, GA. Faculty, students, parents, and guests are all welcome to attend the event in Georgia. Mary Our Queen Catholic Church has been name by Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., as a pilgrimage site for the Jubilee Year of Hope. Read more here.

 

Online Event

Online Event: Class of 2025 students may participate virtually in our live commencement ceremony, if they are unable to join us for the in-person event in Georgia. Faculty, students, parents, and guests are also welcome to attend virtually. Please note, the virtual commencement is a live streaming of the commencement event on Thursday, May 22nd.

 

Schedule for Commencement Activities

Wednesday, May 21st:

4:00 PM: Baccalaureate Mass (All Students & Families)
5:15-9:00 PM: Kolbe Family Dinner and Teen Social

 

Thursday, May 22nd:

8:00 AM: Graduate Arrival and Rehearsal
11:00-3:00 PM: Commencement followed by the Graduate Luncheon

 

Commencement Speaker - TBA

 

Faculty Speaker

Mr. Brendan Murphy, Kolbe Theology Teacher

Brendan Murphy is a homeschooling husband and father of five living in the Endless Mountains region of Pennsylvania. He has a B.A. in English and Theology from The University of Scranton (Magna Cum Laude) and an M.A. in Systematic Theology from Fordham University, where he had the great pleasure of studying under Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J. Brendan has 21 years of experience teaching theology at the parish, diocesan, and collegiate levels. Brendan is also a children’s illustrator whose work has appeared in Cricket Magazine and The Bulletin.

 

Hotel Block

Kolbe Academy has reserved a block of rooms at IHG Crown Plaza Atlanta NE - Norcross. Rates start at $132. To ensure you receive the discounted rate, please book your room(s) as soon as possible. Please be sure to enter the specific dates, since the link does not automatically populate the dates for you.

 

Diploma

Participating in our commencement ceremony is a separate process from graduating. Please see the Graduation Application Process article for more information on the graduation process. Students do not need to have completed all of their coursework to join us for the commencement event. Students have until the end of 2025 to meet their diploma requirements and can still "walk" in the ceremony.

 

Student Speaker

The deadline to apply for Student Commencement Speaker is April 1st. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 and will be required to submit a writing sample and a speaking sample. Students may apply using the link located in the Commencement Registration Form.

 

Senior Spotlight & Slideshow

When you begin the Commencement Registration form, please be prepared to upload your child's senior picture or another formal photograph of your student for use in the slideshow that is played prior to the ceremony. Files must be less than 100 MB.

 

Along with the picture, we will share your senior's name and post-graduation plans. Please have this information handy to complete the application. If your child is unsure about their post-graduation plans, "undecided" or noting one or two possible options are acceptable answers. You may contact us up until May 2nd if plans change and you would like your senior's slide updated.
 

Awards & Honor Cords

Honor cords will be provided for students who have earned Kolbe's awards. These awards are only open to students pursuing the new diploma. To be awarded cords during the commencement ceremony, a student's first semester grades from senior year must be on record no later than the first Monday of May. First-semester portfolios submitted after April 1st cannot be expedited for the purpose of cords at the commencement ceremony. If a student earns the awards, they will still receive cords, but it may be after the ceremony. You will be asked to upload your student's award review sheet(s) when registering for commencement and applying for graduation. These sheets are available for download in the High School Awards article. Students who have earned cords outside of Kolbe Academy may wear these cords once Kolbe's commencement ceremony has concluded.