State Sens. Christine Tartaglione and John Sabatina Jr. visited Father Judge High School last Friday afternoon to present a $1.5 million state redevelopment grant to assist in the construction of a state-of-the-art welding lab and the expansion of an academic excellence center.
Among those in attendance were the enrollees in Judge’s welding program.
Tartaglione, whose district includes Judge, announced in August that she had secured $1 million in funding for the Friends of Father Judge High School Inc. through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.
Sabatina, a Judge graduate, later arranged for another $500,000.
The Rev. Joe Campellone, president emeritus of Judge, served as emcee for the news conference.
Brian King, Judge’s current president, presented Tartaglione and Sabatina with framed portraits of the front exterior of the school, in appreciation of their efforts.
Longtime board chairman Bill St. Clair, a Judge graduate, said the money for the welding program will further cement the school’s status as a community treasure.
“We believe Father Judge is the rock of Northeast Philadelphia,” he said.
Welding instructor Joe Williams brought Tartaglione and Sabatina into the classroom, where he quizzed the students on welding terminology.
Principal Peter Chapla explained that 80 sophomores applied for the program. After a screening process, 48 were selected. The goal is to offer the program to 72 students per year. A student needs to remain in the program for three years to be certified.
Irene Hannan, CEO of Faith in the Future, said Judge’s welding program can serve as a model throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Tartaglione, minority-party chairwoman of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee, called the 48 sophomores “trailblazers.” She said the welding profession is filled with job openings that offer a nice package of pay, benefits and pension. ••
