Schools

Mount De Sales Launches Public Campaign For Turf Athletic Field

Principal: 'If we are helping them academically, then shame on us if we can't help them in athletics as well.'

Supporters of are hoping to keep building fundraising momentum as the school moves into the second phase of its capital campaign to construct a $1.5 million turf athletic field.

On Friday, members of the school community gathered outside for an unveiling of the sign for the field. Construction of the field, which will be completed in the fall of 2012, will start at the end of lacrosse season in the spring.

So far the 159-year-old school has raised $620,000 for the project. School supporters said they hope to raise the remainder of the money through the public phase of the campaign and are targeting donations from alumni and the community at large.

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The school has been successful in past fundraising efforts.

It raised $5.5 million in two years for a for the Dominican sisters and a new HVAC system for the school.

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The current athletic field is not regulation size and therefore cannot be used for soccer games. It is currently used for field hockey, lacrosse and physical education activities.

Also, Principal Sister Anne Catherine Burleigh said students using the field have to deal with soggy field conditions due to poor drainage and poor field quality. There are also no stands or bathrooms at the field.

The new field will be designed by Ripken Design.

Members of the board of trustees at the school and Sister Anne Catherine said the quality of the athletic programs is just as important as the academic rigor of the school.

"If we are helping them academically, then shame on us if we can't help them in athletics as well," Sister Anne Catherine said.

Playing sports is part of developing the maturity of the whole girl, she added.

The school's sports programs have grown along with the school's enrollment in the past few years, which is more than 500 high school girls. Roughly 60 percent of the students participate in athletics. A gymnasium was constructed on the property in 2000.

The total cost of the capital campaign, which funds a variety of school projects, is $15.5 million, with the third phase including a construction of a fine arts center.

Board members said they were pleased with the success of the first phase, which was the largest amount of money the school ever raised.

"Nobody thought that we could raise that money in these economic times," said Joe Geier, vice president of the board.

Board members noted that the school has come a long way. When its enrollment was significantly lower, parents would sell candy bars in the community to help the school make its payroll, members said.

More information on the capital campaign is available on the school's website.


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