Why I Donate to Kennedy Catholic Preparatory School
Mark Girolamo, Class of 1971 school. I now turn my attention back to helpI have always had a great affinity for ing Kennedy Athletics by taking on a lead role Kennedy Catholic since I graduated in 1971. I in the construction of a Student Fitness Center. grew in many ways during my four years Father Vaillancourt and I both believe that there. Not only did I receive a first-class eduthe students need a place to work out and cation, but I had the opportunity to represent learn how to pursue a healthy lifestyle. the school on the athletic fields, and also to Additionally, our athletic teams need a place make a number of great lifelong friends. The to conduct the weight training necessary to foundation I built at Kennedy allowed me to successfully compete in today’s world of high succeed at my next academic challenge, the school sports. Unfortunately, our current United States Military Academy at West Point. workout facility is a closet-like room with a After military service and a rewarding civilian pile of free weights, so there is no such center career in Investment Banking, I realized that I at our school for either student fitness or athhad an opportunity to give back to a place that letic training. had provided me so much in my personal When this project began to take shape, I development and career success. was excited at the prospect of making it hapIt was at that time that I began donating to pen and I told Father Vaillancourt that I would Kennedy Catholic, especially after being made be the lead donor on this project and help aware that the school was no longer being raise the funds to complete it. We decided it supported by the Archdiocese, as it had been would be fitting to name the center after one spun-off as an independent Catholic high of my teachers and friends who entered the school. As such, KCPS must fully fund its own building in 1967 at the same time that I started operations out of a few sources of revenue, my freshman year. I chose the name “The primarily tuition. Given the cost of running a Sister Janet Meehan Student Fitness Center.” top program like Kennedy Catholic’s, tuition Not only did Sister Janet teach at Kennedy for dollars are not enough to both fully fund the close to 50 years, but she was a coaching legschool and provide the extras that make it end in girl’s track and cross country. She was stand out as a place of excellence. Father a seven-time Westchester County Coach of Vaillancourt has recruited outstanding stuthe Year, developing many fine runners for the dents and the school’s SAT scores are among Gaels. Her leadership allowed for the very best in Westchester County. hundreds of girls to experience the It has excellent athletic teams and the thrill of competition and learn how to school’s physical plant is among the get fit and maintain a healthy lifestyle best in the area. That said, there are for the rest of their lives. Sister still areas that need significant investJanet’s contribution to the development to keep KCPS at the very top of ment of so many students was outthe local secondary school universe. standing. Who better to honor than In order to remain viable in a highly Sister Janet with such a building? competitive education business, Now I turn to my fellow Gael alumKCPS needs to offer the very best to ni and former athletes to step up to prospective students - great academthe plate. I have decided to match ics, winning athletic programs and “I now turn my attention back to helping Kennedy Athletics by taking on a lead role in the construction of a Student Fitness the first $300,000 in contributions to top-quality facilities. Center…and ask my fellow Gael alumni and former athletes to this project dollar-for-dollar. If we can I first started giving to the Annual step up to the plate.” achieve this level of donations, the Fund in order for the principal to have dream will become a reality. We’ll have a top-notch fitness center with discretionary money to attract the best scholars. Once I became more weight stations, treadmills, elliptical machines and other equipment rivalling aware of the school’s other needs, and given my history with Kennedy the best of the local fitness club world. We’ll have students getting fit and Athletics, I began donating to a number of athletics-oriented projects such preparing for the rigors of life as well as athletic teams prepared to compete as the new running track, the field lights and other items. I feel strongly that with the best of the Catholic School League. It’s a win-win. Let’s Go, Gaels. sports round out a student’s experience and also lay the groundwork for a Please join me in making it happen. healthy lifestyle for the rest of the person’s life. The benefits of a lifetime of fitness are well documented -- and a lesson that I learned well at Kennedy Regards, and throughout my adult years both in the military and beyond. Mark Girolamo ‘71 I have supported Kennedy Catholic in other ways as well; last year I led To match Mark’s generous offer, contact Fred Compton, Director of the health team that developed an actionable plan to protect the health of Advancement, at fred.compton@kennedycatholic.org. students, faculty and staff during COVID-19 while allowing them to return to The GAEL 9
