There’s a Brave new campus on the horizon

Annie Wright, Reporter

Capital Campaign 2In hopes of strengthening the Blanchet community and increasing the health and wellness of students, Bishop Blanchet High School has launched a capital campaign to raise twelve million dollars with the goal of  modernizing the campus.

The purpose of a capital campaign is to raise donations from generous corporations, families, and communities in order to improve the conditions or environment of a building.

According to President Tony DeSapio, the purpose of Blanchet’s capital campaign is to provide students and faculty the means and resources to teach, learn, and connect  both comfortably and innovatively.

The school plan has three main goals: to enhance the learning environment, to create space to deepen community, and to promote students’ physical fitness and wellness.  

To enhance the learning environment, the school hopes to remodel the classrooms by introducing new flexible furniture designs, creating a modern and efficient computer science lab, establishing an adaptable choir and drama room, and most importantly, renewing the heating system.

“We’re going to install new heating systems in every single room,” said DeSapio.

After years of students and faculty continually complaining about the sixty year old system, capital campaign has targeted its replacement as its first goal, and students are beyond excited.

“I can’t wait to  have to a consistent heating system,” said freshman Lily King. “Right now, each room is a different temperature, and it’s a blessing we’re fixing it.”Capital Campaign 3

According to DeSapio, the main focus of the campaign is to provide students and faculty with the space and instruments to develop a immense sense of community and belonging. To achieve this, the plan is to expand the cafeteria space along with the student lounge, to introduce an art gallery, to amp up the faculty collaborative spaces, and to broaden the presence of campus ministry.

As many schools push toward promoting the general health and well-being of their students, Bishop Blanchet is looking to do the same. The new improvements would not only spark a movement to inform young student about the benefits of living active and healthy lives, but it would also give students the resources to take their health into their own hands and to exercise more.

According to President DeSapio, the campaign is on the right track to creating lasting and influential changes in the lives of past students, current students, and many more students to come.

He, along with many teachers, parents, and alumni, truly believe such changes and innovations will deepen the community so incredibly  that every student who comes to BBHS will feel a sense of Brave Pride when they return.

“It’s all about being proud of your school,” said DeSapio. “It’s about giving back to Blanchet because each of us has been the beneficiary of so many generous people in the past.”Capital Campaign 1

Students, faculty, and visitors tend to find the most recent additions, such as the Library, the Don Bosco Chapel, Marge Bradburn Theater, Haggerty Hall, and  the Ernie Rose Center as the most appealing changes in the campus in the last twenty years. All of these additions are result of past capital campaigns.

The current plan is to have the $12 million raised by the summer of 2017, and to start construction by the summer of 2018.

As of now, the campaign has raised $5.6 million, with the help of very generous donors and a hard working staff of volunteers.