activities during the year Service to the community Program benefits : Students are ensured to complete a minimum of 30 college credits prior to graduation Periodic enrichment activities - Personal guidance and academic counseling Periodic status meetings with program director to ensure successful completion of courses College counseling and organized visits to universities Gateway to College Columbus College and Career Counselors will arrange periodic meetings with parents and students to explore college and career opportunities Preparation for PSAT/SAT examinations SAT 2 examinations upon completion of AP or Honors courses Induction into Honor Societies Ivy League college tours include: Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, Brown University, Columbia University, Princeton University, and University of Pennsylvania. Field trips: Past Mas Scholar field trips have included visits to the Everglades National Park, Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens, operas, theatre, museums, Hispanic Heritage Lectures, and art and music lectures. Students and faculty The students are 84% Hispanic, 13% White, 2% African-American, and 1% combination of Asian/Pacific, Pacific Islander and Native American/Alaskan. The student-teacher ratio at Christopher Columbus High School is about 15:1. The professional staff includes 17 Marist Brothers, 100 laypersons; 2 librarians/media specialists and 9 counselors/advisors; 45% hold an advanced degree; 60% have over 20 years of teaching experience, and half have been with the school well over 15 years. Many Marist Brothers hold positions at Columbus including president, guidance counselors, career and college advisors, and teachers. Clubs and social life Although the school is an all-boy institution, the social formation of the students includes girls from neighboring co-ed St. Brendan High School in after-school clubs. Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, the Catholic all-girls sister school to Columbus, handles the cheerleading for the Columbus sports teams. Christopher Columbus High School also plays host to both Homecoming and Prom events each year for their students and their dates. Columbus is home to one of the best broadcast journalism programs in the country (CCNN Live). They have been three times Student Television Network National Crazy 8 champions. They have also been recognized by the National Scholastic Press Association, Florida Scholastic Press Association, and National Federation of High School (NFHS). They have won 29 Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Student Production Awards (Emmys) and 5 National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences National Awards. Athletics A member of the Florida High School Activities Association and the Greater