‘It’s all about the young person’
BLOCS gala showcases students, businesses that help educate
By Christie L. Chicoine
CS&T Staff Writer
PHILADELPHIA — Haven Ogbagiorgis, a senior at West Philadelphia Catholic High School, was born in a refugee camp in Sudan. This fall, she’ll attend the University of Pennsylvania, where she’ll study English and public health.
For the newly minted Gates Millennium Scholar, tuition, room and board is all covered while she studies for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and for her doctorate.
Ogbagiorgis is one example of how students and their parents stole the show at the 2008 BLOCS (Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools) fundraising gala May 21 at the Crystal Tea Room in center city.
Personal testimonials about the impact Catholic schools in the Philadelphia Archdiocese have made in their lives highlighted the annual event.
Ogbagiorgis and her West Catholic classmate, Sara Ghebremariam, spoke about the scholarship assistance they received to attend St. Francis de Sales School and West Catholic High.
Both are among the 1,000 recipients of a Gates Millennium Scholarship out of more than 13,000 applicants from across the United States.
Although the scholarship is not affiliated with BLOCS, both students credit their Catholic education for helping them secure it.
Ghebremariam is the second in her family to be awarded the scholarship. She plans to major in engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.
In remarks directed at Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, who also attended the gala, Ghebremariam said: “I promise that you will be hearing more about me in our beloved Philadelphia — maybe one day, I will be the mayor, too.”
Cardinal Justin Rigali acknowledged all who help children through BLOCS. “It’s all about the young person, it’s all about the charity of Christ, it’s all about the love that goes out from one person to another and envelops the community,” he said.
In his remarks, Mayor Nutter acknowledged his Catholic schooling in Philadelphia — he graduated from Transfiguration of Our Lord School and St. Joseph’s Preparatory School. “What I do today is a result of a great Catholic education,” he said.
The mayor also said the City of Philadelphia would continue to work closely with the Philadelphia Archdiocese to ensure educational opportunities are provided to the city’s youth.
Eugene W. Hickok, a former Secretary of Education for Pennsylvania, told attendees not to underestimate their good work, which is making history. “Years from now, when all of us are long gone, there’ll be children we’ll never know from families we’ve never met perhaps from places we’ve never seen, whose lives are richer and with deeper meaning and greater success because of what you are doing tonight. …”
Another product of Catholic schools, Michael G. O’Neill, CEO of Preferred Unlimited Inc. and the BLOCS chairman, told the crowd a check to BLOCS could help a child stay in school.
A new scholarship fund was unveiled at the gala: the Edward J. Flynn Memorial Scholarship will assist students at St. Athanasius-Immaculate Conception School and St. Martin de Porres Interparochial School in Philadelphia.
Flynn, the president and co-founder of school uniform supplier Flynn & O’Hara Uniforms Inc., died suddenly on April 6 at age 70.
“Tonight really is a night for us to say ‘thank you,’” Bishop McFadden said. “Thank you to all of you who help us to continue the mission of our schools, which is really to change the lives of our young people. …”
The emcee was Anthony Gargano, a product of Catholic schools who is a sports radio announcer at 610WIP Sportsradio. Gargano helped develop the upcoming film, “Our Lady of Victory,” the story of Immaculata College’s women’s basketball team, the “Mighty Macs,” who captured the national basketball championship in the early 1970s.
The mistress of ceremonies was Kelsey Olszewski, a senior at John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls’ High School. The master of ceremonies was Michael Klivas, a senior at Roman Catholic High School for Boys.
Bishop McFadden, who assists the Cardinal in overseeing the Secretariat for Catholic Education, was introduced by Elizabeth Messaros, an eighth-grader at St. Lucy Day School for Children with Visual Impairments in Philadelphia. Elizabeth said she is ready for high school, thanks to the education she’s received since her toddler years at St. Lucy’s.
“My latest accomplishment is having won first place at the 2008 Delaware County Karate Championship,” she said.
Kayleigh McCrossan, a kindergartner at St. Martha School in Philadelphia, brought down the house as she sang, “God Bless America.”
Joshua Walls, a freshman at Roman Catholic High School for Boys in Philadelphia, recited a riveting Frederick Douglass speech.
Before his speech, Walls told the crowd that at the end of the sixth grade at St. Francis de Sales School, his principal had a conversation with him about his behavior — and advised him to change his ways. He said he changed for the better and joined the forensics club where “wonderful things happened.”
Deacon John K. Hunter, executive director of BLOCS, pledged BLOCS’ commitment to continue to achieve the mission of providing children assistance in receiving a Catholic education in the Archdiocese.
Founded in 1980, BLOCS works to gain financial support for students attending elementary, secondary and special education schools in the Archdiocese.
For more information, contact the BLOCS office at (215) 587-0590, e-mail blocs@adphila.org or visit the Web site www.BLOCS.org.
CS&T Staff Writer Christie L. Chicoine may be reached at (215) 587-2468 or cchicoin@adphila.org.
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