As

enrollments soar at metro high schools and the

arts take a back seat, Our Lady of Mercy, Fayette

County's first Catholic high school, will educate

a maximum of 500 students and put a special

emphasis on the fine arts as part of its college

preparatory curriculum.

OLM

will open its doors Aug. 14 for approximately 100

ninth and tenth graders. The $19 million

facility, which anchors 54 acres of land on Ga.

Highway 279 across the street from Evander

Holyfield's estate, is one of two new Catholic

secondary schools scheduled to open next month.

Blessed Trinity in Alpharetta is the other.

According

to Clay Cushman, the school's development and

admissions director, the facility is totally paid

for, based on contributions to the Building the

Church of Tomorrow campaign, supported by

Catholics in the Atlanta Archdiocese. Tuition is

$6,500 annually and scholarships based on

financial need are available, said OLM principal

John Cobis.

The

school will host an open house Saturday, July 22

from 5-8 p.m. "The whole community is

invited," Cobis added. Special guest will be

Braves pitcher Tom Glavine.

recent public relations push has netted a number

of new students, Cobis noted and "it's

growing by the day." Newspaper ads,

appearances at area Catholic churches, and

question-and-answer sessions among church teen

groups has sparked growing interest in the

facility, which features a 450-seat auditorium,

dance and drama rooms, band room, 1,000-seat

lighted stadium, gymnasium and weight rooms,

field house, baseball and softball fields,

tennis, track and field areas and computer and

science labs.

State-of-

the-art technology will provide students Internet

access from about 250 Gateway computers and

eventually, wireless capability through laptops

which may be checked out from the media center.

OLM's

"Bobcats" will compete on the AA level

next year, Cobis explained, with sports programs

probably starting off in soccer, basketball,

cross country and track. "We have all the

equipment," Cobis added, not discounting a

possible junior varsity football squad.

Unique

to OLM is its religious education, which will be

a requirement for all students. The Rev. Paul

Burke has been assigned to OLM as chaplain and

will say Mass in the school chapel.

School

hours will be 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the school

calendar similar to neighboring Fayette and

Fulton counties. Cobis said holiday times may

vary, especially around spring and Easter.

For

enrollment information about OLM, phone

770-461-2202.

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