Campaign
Leadership Team
John Mastrantoni ’76
Honorary Chair
Tom Bestpitch ’96
Co-chair
Shawn Connolly ’90
Co-chair
Tom Quinn ’76
Co-chair
“While we have time, let us do good.”
- Saint francis of assisi
as
we approach our hundredth anniversary, there is an opportunity to assume a n even greater transformational role in the life of St. fra ncis hig h School.
For nearly 100 years, St. Francis High School has inspired young men to be leaders in their communities known for their faith, integrity, and service to others. Our graduates are not only successful in college and business but are also devoted sons, husbands, and fathers. The education they receive here, deeply rooted in our core values of humility, respect, excellence, and brotherhood, gives them a strong foundation for fulfilling and meaningful lives.
As we prepare to commemorate a century of Catholic Franciscan education in Western New York and celebrate all we have accomplished, we also look forward to the next 100 years at St. Francis High School with enthusiasm, purpose, and vision. now is the time to move forward with a courageous transformational plan to ensure future generations of young men have access to a topnotch, life-changing experience that prepares them to make a true difference in the world.
With the launch of our campaign, we invite you to join us in this exciting new chapter for St. Francis High School. Our case for support outlines the vision, priorities, and impact we will achieve together. As demonstrated throughout our proud history, every accomplishment has been made possible through the unified commitment of our St. Francis community.
Now, as we move forward, we ask for your partnership, your prayers, and your support. Together, just as our patron saint implored, let us do good.
Peace and good,
Fr. Matthew Foley, OFM Conv. President
St. Francis High School is a roman Catholic, Franciscan college preparatory school that serves young men of diverse faiths and backgrounds from around the world.
Conducted by the Conventual Franciscan Friars, the entire school community works to develop the whole person through academic excellence, religious principles, and a wide variety of extracurricular activities.
imbued with the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, we prepare young men to use their knowledge for the good of society and to see god in all people, especially the poor, neglected, and marginalized.
We envision a brotherhood of graduates who will live the gospel of Jesus Christ and become leaders who are known by their faith, critical thinking, creativity, service to others, integrity, self-discipline, concern for the environment, and an openness to lifelong learning.
For almost 100 years, St. Francis High School has provided an outstanding Catholic Franciscan college-preparatory education to young men from throughout Western New York and beyond. Founded by +Fr. Justin Figas, OFM Conv. and owned by the Conventual Franciscan Friars of the Our lady of the Angels Province, the school is known and respected for its balanced approach to education, which strives to form the whole person— intellect, body, and spirit.
respectful of Fr. Justin’s vision and mindful of the diverse needs of the modern student, St. Francis High School has developed highly regarded academic and co-curricular programs while striving to keep a St. Francis education affordable. Historically, the school has demonstrated a commitment to properly support its students and programs through capital improvements and a generous financial aid program. The following enhancements have taken place over the last decade:
2014 michalek l ibrary renovations
2016 redevelopment of the school’s outdoor athletic facilities, including the installation of a multi-sport synthetic playing surface (Polian Family Field), an eight-lane track, lighting, scoreboard, fencing, gateway entrances, parking lot, and a building (gacioch Family Athletic Center) that houses two team rooms, restrooms, a concession stand, an officials room, storage and an indoor/ outdoor hospitality space for viewing and social events.
2017
Jeff Sgroi memorial Baseball field dedicated including a new playing surface, dugouts, scoreboard, bullpens, outdoor batting cages and fencing.
2022 upgrade of instructional technology with the installation of new SMArT interactive flat panels that are compatible with our students’ Chromebooks and are iQ touch screen capable.
We are ready to take the next steps in the school’s transformation as delineated in our strategic plan, “Building Tomorrow’s l eaders Today,” which identified strengthening our financial resources and creating an exemplary learning environment as primary objectives.
2025
russell J. Salvatore Student Dining room completed
2022
esports arena opened
our visionandgoals
During my years at St. Francis High School I have had the pleasure to teach Spanish to thousands of students, including many whose fathers I taught early on in my career. I also am proud to work with former students who are now my respected colleagues.
Over the course of four years, through academics, fine arts, sports and service opportunities, these young men become the best versions of themselves. I feel very proud to work with such dedicated and talented teachers, coaches, staff, and administrators. I have met so many individuals who are part of this wonderful faith community, built upon the virtues of brotherhood, humility, excellence and respect.
It has been an incredible 40+ year journey and I am excited for the upcoming 100th anniversary of our school. Faces, buildings and facilities may change but the spirit of St. Francis will always live on and shine through at this very special place that we can always call home.
- Norma Hess, Spanish Teacher
rancis High School continually evaluates its programs and facilities to make certain our students are provided with the necessary and appropriate tools needed to become wellrounded young adults.
We recognize that the first step to ministering to our students is ensuring that financial challenges do not prevent any deserving young man from attending St. Francis. Access and affordability remain at the center of our mission, just as Fr. Justin intended. To that end, significant endowed funds in support of students must be secured. in looking to the future, we know that having modern facilities that mirror the innovative and holistic academic experience we offer must be a priority. Implementing the proposed comprehensive renovations will provide a complete and finished campus for future generations of Red Raiders.
building on its rich history as a proud member of and community leader in Western New York, St. Francis High School is poised to reach new heights. As we head towards our second century of excellence, our faculty, staff, and administration remain committed to our future and dedicated to constantly improving the experience our young men and families can expect from our premier Catholic, Franciscan college preparatory school.
Securing our future - endowment/Scholarship funds
$13.5 million
With nearly 80% of our young men receiving some type of financial aid, we must grow our endowment to sustain our mission and help as many as possible while becoming less reliant on annual fundraising and tuition dollars. building an appropriate endowment has been identified as the top campaign priority and is critical to ensure St. Francis High School’s ability to thrive in the future. Comprised of gifts where the donated principal is invested, it provides a permanent and perpetual source of financial support for St. Francis High School. The income generated is used primarily to make a Franciscan college preparatory education accessible to talented and deserving students.
The foundation of our Football program is Do the Right Thing & Don’t Cheat Yourself. Those are our rules. They encompass all that we need to aid these young children to become young men. That is harder and harder every year.
In these present times, St. Francis is needed more than ever. The need for discipline and accountability is dire. Discipline is doing what you are supposed to do when you are supposed to do it, and do it to the best of your ability. Accountability is being held to a standard that raises your integrity along with those around you. I am deeply impressed with the amount of sacrifice that takes place here every day. Faculty, staff, administration, students, parents but especially the coaches that I have been around for over 40 years. The genuine concern for each player as if they were their own sons, is palpable.
When I look upon my years at St. Francis I can’t help but wonder how I stayed here so long. The fact is it doesn’t seem that long. Time has flown by. I have reflected on what has kept me here, the students and especially my football players. I think we have the best students anywhere. Now don’t get me wrong, when they are freshmen, it is the most trying time. Once they buy into St. Francis, you can see the change in them. It is so satisfying to see students who come in as children and leave as young men ready to take on the world. They are confident in their abilities and content, knowing they have faced many challenges that enabled them to grow as people. Some failed many times, but kept at it until they earned success! For others, it came easy, but they had to learn how to handle success. We all have grown, especially me.
Relationships are the essence of life. I have been blessed by all the players who have passed through these halls. I hope someone else will get the chance to live a life fulfilled by the opportunities afforded me through the support of all of you. It is essential that we put St. Francis in a position to continue our mission knowing that we are Doing Good!
- Jerry Smith
Campus improvements $5.65
million
Our facilities should reflect the excellence and achievements of our academic, athletic, and fine arts programs and properly support them. Several areas have been identified as needing significant improvement to meet that standard.
phaSe i – nearing Completion
fitness Center/ath letic Training room
$1.35 million
Opened in 1993 in what was intended to be a storage area, the current Fitness Center does not meet the needs of our community and is severely outdated. Once used almost exclusively by interscholastic athletes, fellow students, faculty and staff now frequently use the facility, reflecting a societal shift where wellness and physical fitness is top of mind. in addition, training methods have changed considerably, incorporating new and different types of equipment and techniques. The Fitness Center and Athletic Training room will be relocated to what is currently the Activity Center and include new flooring, lighting, wall coverings and HVAC. New equipment will be purchased, the bathrooms updated and an office added for supervision.
performing arts Wing
$600,000
Chorus and instrumental Music are essential components of our Fine Arts Program. The nearly fifty students participating in chorus and sixty musicians on campus not only perform regularly but are the foundation for our fall drama and spring musical each year. Appropriate and dedicated facilities are needed for them to fully explore and develop their talents. A reimagined 3500 square foot footprint, including new rooms for chorus and instrumental music, will be developed at the end of the first floor of Justin Hall and the lower level of Alumni Hall. in addition to acoustically treating the rooms, new ergonomically correct furniture and adequate storage will be purchased.
russell J. Salvatore Student Dining room
(CompleTeD)
lunch should be an enjoyable and relaxing part of the school day. it should be a time to take a break from classroom work, recharge, and build relationships with classmates while getting the nourishment they need to finish the day strong. Students who regularly eat a nutritious lunch and have an opportunity to decompress and do better academically, feel more connected to the school, and have fewer behavioral issues. Thanks to the generosity of russell J. (russ) Salvatore, our student dining room has been transformed into a welcoming and a comfortable space that will make a true difference for the mental and physical health of our current and future students.
phaSe ii
Classroom modernization
$1.7 million
St. Francis High School’s academic program is designed to challenge, engage and encourage students to reach their full potential. Nearly 100 percent of our students go on to attend a college or university of their choice earning an average of $198,000 per student in scholarships. These achievements have been accomplished in classrooms worn down over time. This project includes 20 classrooms in Justin Hall being completely renovated and implementing modern technology, lighting systems and furniture. These upgrades will provide a state-of-the-art learning environment where teachers and students flourish.
Student Center
$600,000
St. Francis High School continually seeks to meet the needs of modern- day students as we carry out our mission as a Franciscan College Preparatory School. Creating a Student Center will establish a central hub to foster academic growth and meaningful connections among our student body in welcoming and appropriate spaces. The Center will be located on the first floor of Friars Hall and house a l earning l ab, Student Commons and a Business academy that will be in a distinct and dedicated space within the Michalek library. These vital elements will enhance the overall student experience and provide unique study and social areas, while creating a “heart of the campus”.
phaSe ii
gymnasium upgrades
$800,000
Originally constructed in 1954, the main gymnasium is home to our volleyball and basketball teams. it is also used for wrestling matches, practices, physical education classes and a multitude of intramural sports and campus functions. While the current facility has character, it needs significant renovations to properly and safely serve our red raiders and visitors, and once again become a home gym we can be proud of. Mechanized bleachers and baskets will be installed along with new padding for both gyms. An additional practice space intended for wrestling will also be created.
STeam Center
$600,000
recently St. Francis High School established an Academy of Science and engineering to develop specific and essential 21st-century skills among our students through hands-on learning, creativity and critical thinking. The foundation of this program is an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates elements of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STeAM). Having a state-of-the facility to properly support this program is critical to its continued success and growth. The STeAM Center will include an instructional/lecture space, an innovation Hub and a Design lab. These facilities will provide students with access to modern tools, equipment, and software for design, prototyping, and experimentation and serve as a resource center for extracurricular activities such as competitive robotics, maker clubs, and community workshops.
St. fra ncis fund
$1.35 million
Our largest source of unrestricted income, annual gifts, are the lifeblood of St. Francis High School’s fundraising efforts. We count on the yearly contributions of alumni, parents, grandparents, faculty, staff, and friends of the school to help underwrite the cost of a St. Francis education. Contributions to the St. Francis Fund allow us to supplement tuition assistance, retain our outstanding faculty and staff, sustain our operations, and maintain the facilities.
Naming Opportunities
• Fitness Center: $750,000
• Theater: $500,000
• Tunnel: $300,000
• Performing Arts Wing: $300,000
• STEAM Center Wing: $250,000
• Student Center Wing: $250,000
• Student Center Business Academy: SECURED
• Instrumental Music Room: $150,000
• Student Center Commons: $100,000
• Alumni Hall Foyer: SECURED
• STEAM Center Innovation Hub $75,000
• Chorus Room: $75,000
• STEAM Center Design Lab: $50,000
• Student Center Learning Lab: $50,000
• Learning Lab: $50,000
• Fully Endowed Scholarship: $300,000
• Partially Endowed Scholarship: $50,000
Recognition Opportunities
• Justin Hall Classroom (20): $50,000
• Theater Dressing Room (2): $50,000
Call to Action
$20,500,000
“it was like a missing piece of my life was found.”
I have really benefited from the one-on-one experience with my teachers and coaches at St Francis. At public school, I felt disconnected and was longing for something more. I grew up as an only child so when I came here and discovered the brotherhood that existed, it was like a missing piece of my life was found.
But my story is not done. I still have two more years here that will be filled with growth. I know I have been given this amazing opportunity because of the generosity the St. Francis Family and I plan on making the most of it.
- Justin Lombardo ’25
ways to support Celebrating the Past, Securing the Future The Campaign for St. Francis High School
Numerous opportunities exist for donors at all levels to make a difference as we prepare to commemorate our first 100 years and provide the foundation for the next century of Franciscan secondary education in Western New York. You can participate in the campaign by making a commitment that provides flexibility and time to complete your commitment. We are excited to bring these improvements and support to our students as soon as possible; therefore, we hope that most commitments will be completed within 36 months. However, if a longer period is required to complete your commitment, we would be pleased to work with you to arrange such a gift.
When deciding how you can best help support Celebrating the Past, Securing the Future, there are a variety of giving options to consider. Each presents certain advantages and all are tax deductible within the limits specified by the IRS code. We would recommend that you consult with an attorney and/or a financial advisor when planning your commitment.
giFTs OF Cash qualify for a charitable deduction in the calendar year given and are limited to 50 percent of your adjusted gross income annually. Any amount given over this limit is eligible for a five-year carryover.
giFTs OF appreCiaTed seCUriTies held for more than one year allow a donor to use the full value of the security at the time of donation as a tax deduction while avoiding the capital gains tax that would be imposed if the security were sold.
giFTs OF prOperTY, including a residence, undeveloped land, vacation home, jewelry, art, etc., can significantly benefit the school and the donor. The specialized help of appraisers and tax advisors is necessary to make such a gift.
giFTs OF LiFe insUranCe can provide a relatively low-cost way to make a sizable gift. It is important to consult with your attorney or tax advisor.
BeQUesTs and LiFe paYmenT pLans are excellent ways to participate in the campaign at levels you might not ordinarily consider. These include a bequest in one’s will and various trust instruments. Our team of professionals will be happy to assist your financial advisors in finding an attractive plan for your situation.
While there are several avenues to make your gift, the main consideration in making any type of gift to the campaign is to find the way that best accomplishes your philanthropic goals while supporting an institution in which you believe and value.
For further information about Celebrating the Past, Securing the Future: The Campaign for St. Francis High School please contact:
Friar Matt Foley, OFM Conv., President
716-627-1200 ext. 452
foleym@stfrancishigh.org
Paul Bartell ’88, Vice President of Development
716-627-1200 ext. 465
bartellp@stfrancishigh.org
