CCS Report Card

CCSreportcard DECEMBER 2023

Campaign for Catholic Schools: Changing lives. Every day.

“Two of the greatest gifts I received from my Catholic education are the practice of daily prayer as well as a supportive community that taught me how to serve others... After graduating I‘ve found myself working with students like me that were the first in their families to go to college... Thank you for supporting me as a young student and for setting me on a path to be able to help others.”

John Gabelus Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy ‘08 Boston College High School ‘12 Boston College (BA) ‘16 Boston College (MATM) ‘18

$15 Million in Celebration of 15 Years of Life-Changing Work!

Thank you to all who joined us last month for our 15th Anniversary celebration as we honored Cardinal Seán O’Malley and Campaign for Catholic Schools (CCS) Chair Jack Connors for their leadership of this work to rebuild Catholic education over the last 15 years. Since its organization, CCS has served over 26,000 students in Brockton and Dorchester.

There were many memorable moments, but we think all who attended would agree that hearing from our students, alumni and teachers was the best part of the evening! Thanks to your support, we are providing a strong Catholic education for these wonderful young people.

Thanks to Dinner Chair, Bob Atchinson, and his amazing dinner committee, we were thrilled to reach our dinner goal of $15 million which will provide new educational and teacher support resources for our Academies as we look to the future.

(See inside for more)

Celebrating 15 Years of Rebuilding Catholic Education Highlights from the Evening Our Students Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy (SJPIICA) and Trinity Catholic Academy (TCA) students greeted guests as they arrived at the Seaport Hotel and led the opening prayer read in English, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Spanish, and Polish, representing 4 of 17 languages spoken at CCS co-sponsored Academies.

Our Alumni Samuel Cintra, Emilly DaSilva, John Gabelus, and Isis Whitney shared their stories and the impact that Catholic education has made on their lives. We were proud to hear of their successful careers in science, business, education, and nonprofit work, all with a common goal of giving back to their community.

Our Teachers We heard powerful testimonials from Kate Brandley, SJPIICA Regional Director and Bridget Crane, TCA teacher. Bridget said, “For our students, school is home... no one feels that more right now than my student who, being enrolled in three different schools in three years, now feels safe. He is now known, he is now loved, and he will be called to excellence.” Thank you to our outstanding teachers who are critical to supporting hundreds of students a year.

Honoring Our Leaders The Jack Connors Good Samaritan Award for Outstanding Character was created in honor of Jack’s 15 years of leadership as Chairman of the CCS Board. This new award and scholarship will be presented annually to a student in grades 4-8 at SJPIICA and TCA, who best exemplifies the qualities of the Good Samaritan.

Cardinal Seán O‘Malley received the SJPIICA’s Jack and Eileen Connors Founders Award for his work to strengthen Catholic education which led to the eventual creation of CCS and SJPIICA. This elite honor is awarded periodically to recognize extraordinary personal or professional commitments to SJPIICA, specifically in areas of leadership, administration, volunteerism, faith formation, fundraising, and teaching.

Join us as we continue the work of Cardinal O’Malley and Jack Connors to rebuild urban Catholic education. Scan here to donate. Thank you.

Other Happenings at

CCS

Association of Fundraising Professionals Honors Mary Flynn Myers On November 15, Mary Myers, CCS co-founder and VP of Strategy & Development, was honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Massachusetts (AFPMA) with the 2023 Lifetime Achievement in Fundraising Award. Through her work at CCS, Mary has positively impacted the lives of thousands of families throughout Greater Boston. Prior to CCS, Mary held leadership positions with the Boston Public Library Fund, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, UMass Medical School, United Way of America, and United Way of Central Maryland. Congratulations Mary and thank you for all that you do!

Building on Success: Investments in Facilities Improve Student Outcomes Research shows that students who attend schools with well-maintained, updated facilities perform better on tests, have higher attendance rates, and are more likely to graduate. Additionally, school buildings that are kept in good condition and regularly upgraded contribute to a positive learning environment that supports the physical, mental, and spiritual growth of each child.

At CCS co-sponsored Academies, many of our students spend their entire day (6:30am-6:00pm) on campus. As teacher Bridget Crane put it, “for our students, school is home.” This is why we believe that investing in school infrastructure is an investment in the success and well-being of our children. Take a look at some of our most recent improvements at Trinity Catholic Academy (TCA).

In 2007, CCS fully renovated both the TCA Upper Campus and Lower Campus. Since then, CCS has partnered to enhance facilities, make classroom technology upgrades, and expand early education, supporting the overall culture of safety and giving students spaces to grow. Recent projects include a new playground, student fitness room, and outdoor basketball court.

Catholic Education and Devin McCourty: Two Game Changers!

Three-time Super Bowl champion, two-time Pro Bowl champion, and number one Catholic education champion, Devin McCourty, New England Patriots All-Star and Catholic school alum, supercharged our June CCS meeting at Boston’s UMass Club. A product of Catholic education, Devin spoke to CCS leaders and alumni on the transformative power of Catholic schools and how his own education made a lasting impression on him.

Having lost their father at a very young age, Devin and his twin brother, Jason—also a former NFL player and teammate—watched their mother struggle with the financial burden of sending them to a Catholic school.

Fortunately, financial aid eased the strain and both young men recognized how fortunate they were to receive this special gift. ”Luckily, aid was available for us. It gave us the opportunity to go to Catholic school and it changed our lives.”

We are grateful to Devin for sharing his Catholic School success story and for inspiring countless young people to work hard and pursue their dreams… both on and off the field.

Cambridge Savings Charitable Foundation Grant Boosts STEM Advancements at Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy CCS has received a $37,000 grant from the Cambridge Savings Charitable Foundation (CSCF) that will help create a new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) program at SJPIICA this fall. The grant will provide robotics devices for 700 students at the SJPIICA Uphams Corner/ Columbia and Neponset campuses.

Since 2018, CCS and its Academies have focused on strengthening its STEM curriculum, hiring new faculty and coaches, and instituting professional development training for teachers. This generous grant will advance the school’s STEM initiatives while supporting the diverse student body and their academic interests. This award will also improve quality science and mathematics education for the next generation of students and better prepare them for the world they are entering in high school, college, and workforce. Thank you CSCF!

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Photo credit: Dave Green

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