Father Kleppner - January 11th 2004
Next week we take a collection for the St. Anthony School Program. I thought that the following information might help you better understand what a gift these programs are for the special children in our Diocesan church and what your financial support means for them.
In 1921, St. Anthony Village and Orphanage was opened on 20 acres in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. It was established by a group of Italian language parishes in the Diocese. The village provided a home and education for children primarily of Italian descent. By 1950, the trends for caring for dependent children began to change with the government taking a supportive role in their care. Thus, in 1953 St. Anthony Village changed its name and its mission to St. Anthony School for Exceptional Children and began educating children with mental retardation. By the mid-1980’s, trends in education again changed from segregated schooling for exceptional children to mainstreaming. In 1992, the St. Anthony School for Exceptional Children site in Oakmont was vacated in favor of an inclusive program housed within nine elementary schools in the Diocese – known today as St. Anthony School Programs The program has since broadened to include students with a wider range of developmental disabilities including autism. In 1995, a post secondary site was opened at Duquesne University. Today, we have a current graduate placement rate of 95% in the workforce. St. Anthony School Programs has recently been identified as a one-of-a-kind model of inclusive Catholic special education. No other program in the United States provides inclusive Catholic special education to students with mental retardation and autism in environments with their same age general education peers from the ages of 5 through 21. St. Anthony School Programs has gained national attention. For example, the Diocese of Norwich Connecticut, the Diocese of Wilmington, DE, and the Diocese of Columbus, OH have all sought consultation to replicate our successful methods. St. Anthony School Programs helps both Catholic and non-Catholic students with developmental disabilities live their life to its fullest potential intellectually, socially, academically, vocationally and spiritually. Using resource rooms as a support base, St. Anthony students receive academic instruction and attend social, recreational, and sporting activities, as well as lunch and assemblies with their general education peers. St. Anthony’s has grown by 55% over the past five years. Currently, 110 students are being served in 7 elementary schools, three high schools and at Duquesne University. The beginning of the 2003-2004 school year saw the opening of the North Catholic High School site. A strategic plan is being completed that, when implemented, will make St. Anthony School Programs accessible to all students across the six-counties of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The 2003 Opportunity Award Dinner was held on Friday, November 14, at the Westin Convention Center and was a phenomenal success! Over 520 people attended the kick-off to the 50th Anniversary hosted by Most Reverend Donald W.Wuerl. Local television personality Leslie Merrill McCombs served as Mistress of Ceremonies. Joe and Carol Massaro as well as Jay and Colleen McKenna were gracious honorary co-chairs. The 2003 Awardees were Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, employer of St. Anthony alumnus Brian Wellinger as a full-time staff member, Kennywood Park, which consistently hires St. Anthony students as members of their summer team; and The Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation, which provides exemplary leadership in the field of mental retardation and service to persons with special needs. New this year, The Annual Bonds of Friendship Award was given to a general education student who shows kindness, caring and friendship to the students in the St. Anthony Program. The award was inspired by Luke Brocks who as a student at St. Malachy exhibited these qualities. This year’s recipient was Mary Weaver, a graduate of Bishop Canevin High School. In subsequent years, a Bonds of Friendship award will be given at each St. Anthony site at the year-end award ceremony. The evening was also highlighted by a magnificent Silent Auction coordinated by board members and dinner committee co-chairs, Marianne Kramer, Pat Maida and Louise Sutton. This was our largest auction yet featuring 160 items including priceless sports memorabilia, precious children’s items, Christmas sparkles and luxurious gift items. This year something new and fun was tried, the Gumball Game! Gumball Game committee chairs, Pat Michel and Theresa Puharic, coordinated this playful game where guests bought tokens, put them into the Gumball machine and walked away with a prize including a weekend at Hidden Valley and a color television. Everyone was a winner! Mark your calendars for next year’s Opportunity Award Dinner to be held Friday October 29, 2004, at the Omni William Penn Hotel. Join us as we culminate St. Anthony’s yearlong 50th Anniversary celebration! |
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