Father Judge High School has received a $200,000 grant from the Connelly Foundation for the 2019-20 academic year to support its welding program, within the school’s new Career & Technical Education curriculum.
Back in April, the Archdiocesan Educational Fund have the school’s welding program $150,000.
Father Judge intends to implement additional course offerings in CTE over the next five years as part of its strategic plan, including Biotech, Business, Construction Trades, Culinary, Engineering and Entrepreneurship.
In addition, school leadership is conducting a feasibility study to add Automotive and Aviation Technologies to the program by 2023 in partnership with local businesses.
“Faith in the Future is grateful to the Connelly Foundation for its investment in the CTE program at Father Judge and in the future success of its students. This announcement is a testament to one of Faith in the Future’s guiding principles — individually excellent, better together,” said Irene H. Hannan, CEO of Faith in the Future, which was launched in 2012 and manages the 17 high schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as well as the four schools of special education.
Judge president Brian King said, “I am honored that the Connelly Foundation, an iconic institution and passionate supporter of Catholic education in the Philadelphia region, has selected to support our application. The Connelly Foundation has a history of supporting creative new ideas and programs that have bolstered and complemented the quality Catholic education provided in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. We intend to keep that tradition alive as well as leverage the generosity of the Connelly Foundation to implement our inaugural welding program in the fall of 2019.”
Judge principal Peter Chapla said, “We are deeply grateful to the Connelly Foundation for its generosity as well as the support from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The grant will allow us to get the welding curriculum off the drawing board and turn it into a program that will produce certified welders who are ready to enter the workforce upon graduation. This is something we know resonates with all of our families at Father Judge, who come from 39 different ZIP codes in greater Philadelphia.” ••
