This is going to be a very special day - and night - at Monsignor Bonner-Archbishop Prendergast High School.
And not just because our live-stream Internet show, ‘Live From the Newsroom,’ will broadcast live from the school tonight.
It’s because of what will happen for the two hours before.
The schools will welcome potential members of the Class of 2016. The tradition is alive.
They are calling it a “Taste of Bonner and Prendie.” It’s a night for eighth-graders who are considering attending one of the two high schools to visit and get a feel for the two schools.
They don’t know how lucky they are.
It took more than a little faith to get Bonner-Prendie to this point. It took $5 million bucks.
More importantly, it took the unshakeable faith of a group of boosters determined not to let the two schools and their tradition of single-sex education die.
The community was stunned on Jan. 6 when the archdiocese Blue Ribbon Commission announced that both Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast, along with West Catholic and two other high schools, would close their doors forever at the end of the school year.
It was the same tired tune – declining enrollment, skyrocketing expenses.
What happened next, however, was anything but the same. Of course, first there were tears. Then anger. Then an amazing thing happened. A community came together in a way, frankly, that I have never seen before this side of the amazing story of Tommy Geromichalos and St. Cyril's.
Spurred by a few believers, they decided you could fight City Hall, and the archdiocese at the same time.
And they won. They raised $5 million in a matter of weeks, and in the process laid the groundwork for a partnership that not only saved their school, but the three other high schools as well.
Tonight we’re going to meet some of the people responsible for the “Miracle In Drexel Hill.” We’ll be joined by Principal Bill Brannick; school President the Rev. James Olson; Annemarie Montgomery and Trish Scepansky, two parents who helped immensely with the fundraising efforts; and maybe most importantly, some Bonner-Prendie students. We’ll hear from them first-hand what they have experienced in the last month.
Remember the show will broadcast at a special time tonight. We’ll go live at 8 p.m., after the completion of the “Taste of Bonner and Prendie” event. If you’re in the area or planning to attend, by all means stop by and say hello.
Miracles do happen.
That fact that there is going to be a Class of 2016 at Monsignor Bonner-Archbishop Prendergast is proof of that.
And not just because our live-stream Internet show, ‘Live From the Newsroom,’ will broadcast live from the school tonight.
It’s because of what will happen for the two hours before.
The schools will welcome potential members of the Class of 2016. The tradition is alive.
They are calling it a “Taste of Bonner and Prendie.” It’s a night for eighth-graders who are considering attending one of the two high schools to visit and get a feel for the two schools.
They don’t know how lucky they are.
It took more than a little faith to get Bonner-Prendie to this point. It took $5 million bucks.
More importantly, it took the unshakeable faith of a group of boosters determined not to let the two schools and their tradition of single-sex education die.
The community was stunned on Jan. 6 when the archdiocese Blue Ribbon Commission announced that both Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast, along with West Catholic and two other high schools, would close their doors forever at the end of the school year.
It was the same tired tune – declining enrollment, skyrocketing expenses.
What happened next, however, was anything but the same. Of course, first there were tears. Then anger. Then an amazing thing happened. A community came together in a way, frankly, that I have never seen before this side of the amazing story of Tommy Geromichalos and St. Cyril's.
Spurred by a few believers, they decided you could fight City Hall, and the archdiocese at the same time.
And they won. They raised $5 million in a matter of weeks, and in the process laid the groundwork for a partnership that not only saved their school, but the three other high schools as well.
Tonight we’re going to meet some of the people responsible for the “Miracle In Drexel Hill.” We’ll be joined by Principal Bill Brannick; school President the Rev. James Olson; Annemarie Montgomery and Trish Scepansky, two parents who helped immensely with the fundraising efforts; and maybe most importantly, some Bonner-Prendie students. We’ll hear from them first-hand what they have experienced in the last month.
Remember the show will broadcast at a special time tonight. We’ll go live at 8 p.m., after the completion of the “Taste of Bonner and Prendie” event. If you’re in the area or planning to attend, by all means stop by and say hello.
Miracles do happen.
That fact that there is going to be a Class of 2016 at Monsignor Bonner-Archbishop Prendergast is proof of that.
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