Sandusky Central Catholic School Vicar, Father Michael Roemmele, was very excited to share the school’s “Big Announcement” today.
Over the past few years SCCS has begun a renaissance on campus. From the newly renovated Panther Performance Center, to the One Connected Campus concept and students’ multiple Expressions of Faith, SCCS is leading choice for not only a Catholic education in Sandusky but also the top choice for a superior academic education in the area.
The school was founded 100 years ago on the generosity of Catholics who wanted to ensure that all kids have the opportunity to attend a Catholic school committed to excellence. Through the years SCCS has been blessed by the generosity of families and individuals who have shared their time, talent, and treasure.
Dick and Judy Kinzel are one couple that continue to support Sandusky Central Catholic School. Both are products of Catholic education in the Toledo area. Their many gifts over the years have had an enormous impact on the school. One of their largest and most recent gifts: the beautiful scoreboard and digital screen in “the Den” was put to good use today as part of the announcement. It remains the only indoor digital scoreboard in any high school in all of Erie County. Dick and Judy personally understand the importance of a quality Catholic education. They both believe in the mission of SCCS of strengthening the body, challenging the mind and enriching the spirit, and are proud to be Panthers.
“I am honored and humbled to announce today that that the Kinzel’s have committed $1 million to help continue our renaissance. Thank you, Dick and Judy. Thank you for your trust and confidence,” Father said to thunderous applause before the entire student body.
This gift is the largest one-time donation in the history of the school. “This generous gift, at the wishes of the Kinzel family, will be directed towards enhancing our campus and making it an institution that is efficient, cutting edge, and beautiful. Current and future students, families and administrators will benefit immensely, assuring we are well-positioned in an increasing competitive environment,” Father continued.
Several key projects that will be part of the gift include:
New windows for the Jefferson Street building; Starting this spring, each of the windows in the oldest building of campus will be replaced with high efficient windows that will keep the building air-tight while still matching the beautiful architecture of the building, with the cornerstone laid in 1909.
A number of public spaces in the building will receive facelifts to be more welcoming and comfortable for all who walk through them. This includes updated restroom facilities at the new main entrance and enhancements to the grand hallway and other areas of the school.
The third part is the centerpiece of Dick and Judy’s $1 million gift. ““The Den” has long been a central hub for our school—a place where our students spend a lot of time and where most of our visitors experience our school. With this gift, the physical gym and the surrounding areas leading into this space will be completely transformed into the Kinzel Center. The renovations include a total remodel of this space into a state of the art facility that will not only be pleasing to the eyes, but will also be more functional. The vision is a place where student athletes will compete with pride in a top-notch athletic complex. Along with student athletes that will benefit, this vision also incorporates the performing arts where premiere musicals, art shows and live performances will take place. This vision also includes keeping our SCCS traditions in house, where we can host fundraisers, speakers and other special events. This will not only allow us to show off our beautiful school, but will also save us a substantial amount of money. I am happy to announce the plans for bringing our graduation commencements back to our school for the Class of 2016,” Father beamed.
The basketball court will remain named “the Den.” The Kinzel Center is the performing arts & athletic center for Catholic youth in Sandusky.
To kick off the Kinzel Center transformations, new LED lighting will be installed immediately after Christmas break. This lighting, generously donated by Tim and Stacy Boals at this past weekend’s Winter Gala, will save the school thousands of dollars in electric and maintenance expenses. To summarize, there is a lot of work that will be taking place on the SCCS campus in the month’s to come.
Our goal is to
increase enrollment, promote our faith-filled mission and continue to provide students
with an excellent education.