The Howley Foundation awarded a $750,000 grant to Trinity High School in Garfield Heights to enhance the school’s Medical Care and Information Technology certification initiatives. The grant will be distributed over the next two academic years.
Through this partnership, Trinity students will be able to earn certifications that can pave the way for career opportunities. These certifications will enable graduates to either enter the workforce in high-paying, full-time positions immediately after high school or work part-time while pursuing higher education.
The current medical certification program includes the highly sought-after Patient Care Technician certification, which is in demand at health care facilities. Additionally, Trinity is developing the State Tested Nursing Assistant program as part of its future plans to further expand its offerings. School officials said in the IT field certifications such as A+ (CompTIA IT Fundamentals), Networking+ and Security+ will provide students with a strong foundation for careers in the rapidly growing technology industry.
In addition, Trinity recently received licensure from the American Medical Certification Association to serve as an official testing site, which allows students to take nationally recognized certification exams that validate their skills and expertise, further enhancing their employment opportunities.
“This is a transformative investment from The Howley Foundation for the young people at Trinity High School,” said William Svoboda, Trinity president and principal. “Through the generosity of The Howley Foundation, our students now have multiple paths to high-quality educational and career opportunities with certifications earned while still in high school. With tremendously grateful hearts, we thank The Howley Foundation for their trust and faith in our young people and in the Trinity High School family.”
“We believe that the best way to create social and economic mobility and improve lives is to provide good education opportunities. We believe a quality education combines both strong academic programs and a component of character formation. Through our scholarship program, we have gotten to know Trinity High School and think highly of its career readiness programs. We are happy to be able to support additional opportunities for Trinity students,” said W. Nicholas Howley of The Howley Foundation.
Svoboda said the partnership reflects Trinity’s commitment to provide students “with exceptional educational experiences and practical career readiness. The Howley Foundation grant ensures that Trinity students will be well-equipped to meet the needs of the workforce and achieve personal and professional success,” he added.
Nick and Lorie Howley established their family foundation in 2003, with the intent of helping students receive the best education possible, regardless of economic means. The Howleys said education is one of the most important catalysts to promote positive change in individuals and society. Starting with one student scholarship in a local Cleveland Catholic high school, they have grown the foundation and the Howley Scholars Program to tuition assistance for approximately 1,400 scholarship students annually, as well as program assistance and other support at the primary, secondary and college levels and post-secondary workforce development programs. The foundation operates primarily in the Cleveland and Philadelphia areas.
Trinity High School is a coeducational Catholic school guided by the Franciscan values of kindness, community and service that educates diverse young adults, helping them grow to become compassionate thinkers and leaders through immersive spiritual experiences, a comprehensive college and career curriculum and an innovative Pre-Professional Internship Program. This school year, Trinity has 440 students in grades 9-12.