FORT SMITH — When the first bell rang at Trinity Junior High School in Fort Smith Aug. 17, a student body that more closely resembles the Catholic population in Fort Smith walked through its doors.
As Catholic junior high school tuition ($4,000) gradually approached the cost of a year at University of Arkansas at Fort Smith ($4,470), it had become difficult for many to afford.
The Trinity Educational Trust has been successful in helping deserving students attend Trinity Junior High School. Through two scholarship programs — the Catherine McAuley Endowment and the Adopt-a-Student Program — the trust is providing scholarships to 42 students in the 2009-2010 school year. Eighteen percent of the student body receives assistance, benefiting the entire student body with an economically and culturally diverse population.
“Since these two programs began, we have been able to assist 109 students,” Sister Judith Marie Keith, RSM, trust director, said. “Having these children here, primarily first-generation Mexican, Vietnamese and others, brings in cultural diversification that gives the school a new dimension.”
The first scholarship program, the Catherine McAuley Endowment, was launched to help Catholic school students from the three “feeder schools”– Immaculate Conception, Christ the King and St. Boniface — attend Trinity. In the 2009-2010 school year, 27 students will be assisted through the $1 million endowment fund.
In 2007, Sister Judith Marie and one of the executive committee members visited Sister Josefina Gutierrez, MSC, who formerly worked in Hispanic ministry at Immaculate Conception Church. She said that there were 1,000 students in PRE programs in the Fort Smith area who attended public schools and thus didn’t meet the criteria to receive Catherine McAuley scholarships.
“Sister Josefina made us aware of very active and good kids, primarily first-generation Americans, who would love to attend Trinity — 1,000 in Fort Smith area parishes and growing every year. Many kids were leaders in their PRE programs, and she worried that many were exposed to invitations to join gangs and vulnerable,” Sister Judith Marie said.
When Sister Judith Marie brought this need before the executive committee, the Trinity Educational Trust launched the Adopt-a-Student program. The Sisters of Mercy provided three years of seed money for the program — $25,000 each year — to give Trinity time to develop its own funding.
“Our vision is driven by value, and that value is a commitment to have a preferential option like Jesus. Our religious community has focused on serving women and children, primarily through education and health service, and that justified the sisters’ investment in Trinity Junior High School,” Sister Judith Marie said.
The Adopt-a-Student program is designed for Catholic students attending PRE programs who are academically capable and have an interest in attending Trinity. The students must actively participate in parish life. The Educational Trust is committed to providing $2,500 per student, with the remaining funds coming from the parish, the family and other available sources. The program, which is designed to fund 21 scholarships, is assisting 15 students in the 2009-2010 school year.
Because the Sisters of Mercy grant is ending this school year, a committee was formed to raise $350,000 in a pledge drive. Eventually $750,000 to $1 million will be required to permanently fund the program.
“Our goal is to raise 50 percent or $350,000 of the required funding by July 2010,” Joe Dickinson, Adopt-a-Student Committee chairman, said. “$200,000 will be raised from individuals and businesses who embrace the mission of Catholic education and want to participate. The remaining $150,000 will be funded with special events and grants… For those who participate, cash or a pledge of $1,500 over a three-year period is required to adopt a student, but of course, we will be happy with any support.”
Surrenah Werley, director of religious education for Immaculate Conception Church, who supervises a program of 550 PRE students, is one of the Adopt-a-Student program’s most enthusiastic supporters.
“I don’t have to promote the program,” she said. “Families come in all the time and express the desire to put their children in Catholic schools. God brings the people to me that should have the scholarships.’
“If a child is struggling academically I’m honest with them and say, ’I don’t think this is a good fit.’ It takes some time to figure out which students are a good fit. … I’m very thankful that the Trinity faculty is very supportive of the effort and doing everything they can to help these children succeed.”
