(KAIR)--It's called a prestigious honor that has now been bestowed on an Atchison-based school.

Named as the 2024 Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann CEF School of Excellence is St. Benedict Catholic School.

According to a release, the honor is awarded annually by the CEF, or Catholic Education Foundation, to a K-8 Catholic School, in northeast Kansas, receiving support from its traditional scholarship program. The release explains that each school is evaluated based on five main criteria: Joyfully Catholic, Diligently Achieving, Intentionally Self-Giving, Prudently Managed, and Forwardly Thinking.

The award has been presented for 20-years.

St. Benedict Principal Kevin Lunsford, in the release, calls receipt of the award "a testament to [St. Benedict's] dedicated staff and collective efforts to nurture not just the minds, but the hearts and souls of our students, guiding them to become compassionate leaders who embody the values of our Catholic faith in every aspect of their lives."

In addition to bragging rights and additional funding from CEF, St. Benedict will be recognized at Gaudeamus, CEF- annual benefit gala, on Saturday, October 12, 2024, at the Overland Park Convention Center. Gaudeamus, which is Latin for “let us rejoice”, is CEF- annual fundraiser, and proceeds from the celebration support scholarships for students in need.

The Catholic Education Foundation, the release notes, was founded in 1997, and has, since then, "transformed the lives of children and families by providing access to an exceptional K-12 Catholic education at schools in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas," with the release noting that CEF is providing $5 million in scholarships to support nearly 2,000 students at Catholic schools throughout northeast Kansas for the 2024-2025 school year.