St. Edward High School is making history on two fronts this week: it was named a National Blue Ribbon School and it launched an $18 million capital campaign, ?The Courage to Act.?
The Blue Ribbon School designation, awarded to 279 schools nationally and only 50 private schools annually, comes after a year of intense examination. St. Edward is one of two non-public schools in Ohio and one of only eight statewide to earn the designation, which is based on adherence to rigorous academic and graduation standards.
James Kubacki, St. Edward president, said the capital campaign will help ensure those high standards remain and are enhanced at the school, which is sponsored by the Brothers of the Holy Cross. The campaign will provide funds to build a Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and a new Commons, a dining hall at the front of the school that will serve as a welcoming entrance. Additionally, Kubacki said the campaign will have a significant focus on growing the school?s endowment to support tuition assistance. There are 963 young men attending St. Edward, the largest enrollment since 1988, he said. By the time the campaign was made public, more than $12 million had been raised.
At a special campaign kickoff event on Sept. 29 at the school, it was announced that the largest financial gift in school history -- $2.5 million
