April, 2023
Dear Alumni and Friends of St. Francis de Sales,
Spring is here (mostly) and on the southeast side of Chicago, hope is in the air!
Thank you for all your support this school year. Our school is a hub of activity! If you have dropped by our school during any of the multitude of events this year, you’ll agree – we’re busy!
I thought a few highlights would be in order:
Our partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository continues to grow, and monthly we distribute 30,000 pounds of food to more than 500 adults, children and the elderly. Further, this is a student-driven initiative! How often do you see 16-year-olds volunteering on a Saturday morning at 8am?
The class of 2023 is getting ready to graduate soon. Our 30 seniors have over 112 college acceptances! Most plan to attend college and all with scholarships. There are many positive stories including one young woman who is attending Michigan State University as a recipient of the Coalition of Women’s Initiative in Law Scholarship and another young man attending Trinity Christian College where he received the Jennie Huizenga Memorial Scholarship, President’s Honors Scholarship, Art Leadership Scholarship, Campus Housing Grant, and a Visit Day Award totaling $10,250 total in scholarship funds. Wow, we are happy for our seniors!
Our boys basketball team exceeded all expectations, fighting hard through the playoffs to become Sectional Champions!
Our students are at work! Through the Southeast Side Experience Incubator, we have 16 partners who are employing 36 students, expanding their world, and their reviews have been terrific. This first year of SSEI has been one of growth and learning, and we are optimistic about enhancing this important part of our school next year.
We are proud of the grit with which our students approach life, and it inspires me and inspires our staff to double down on our efforts.
Our families work hard to provide the best possible opportunities for their children, and we take their commitment and our responsibility very seriously. 100% of SFDS students qualify for free and reduced lunch and most live on or below the federal poverty line. We offer a great deal of financial assistance and through generous grantors, partners and donors, we fund much of it, but many of our families face struggles and need tuition support.
Please consider a gift to support our current families with tuition assistance today. A donation of any amount will provide financial aid to those families who are doing their best but need a small boost to finish strong.
