By Ruby Thomas, Record Staff Writer
St. Rita School’s choir opened an assembly Aug. 25 with the hymn “All Are Welcome,” which suited the occasion — a celebration of a spike in enrollment that has brought 58 new students to the Okolona school this year, including 41 children who are Hispanic.
“We are pleased that you are now a part of the St. Rita family,” said Principal Neil Hulsewede to his young listeners at the assembly. “You bring a richness of talent, friendship, culture and faith. You define what we are as a Catholic community.”
Overall, St. Rita’s enrollment grew by 25 percent this year. Hulsewede said during an interview that he’s grateful to the Catholic Education Foundation for helping St. Rita reach out to the growing Hispanic community in the Okolona area.
The school and its families are reaping the benefits of an effort by the Archdiocese of Louisville and the Catholic Education Foundation (CEF) which are working together with parishes and schools to provide multiple sources of tuition assistance. The plan is expected to double the amount of tuition aid available to students at schools around the archdiocese.
Leisa Schulz, superintendent of Catholic schools, said the official enrollment numbers for the new school year are not yet known, but the “efforts at the elementary level are very encouraging.”
“St. Rita is a wonderful example of how this additional assistance and outreach can be helpful,” Schulz said. “Students and families in that area, who may not have had the opportunity to get a Catholic education, can now do so.”
Hulsewede noted that the help his school received wasn’t limited to finances.
“They didn’t just hand us a check,” said Hulsewede of his experience with the CEF and the archdiocese. He explained that CEF representatives visited the school, held events and met with families. The information wasn’t just placed in a bulletin, he noted.
“They welcomed new students and found a way to break down the language barrier,” Hulswede said.
In a recent interview, Richard Lechleiter — who is president of the CEF — talked about reaching the most needy families.
He noted that when it comes to making the decision to send their children to Catholic schools, low income families have many concerns, some of which are not financial.
“They are nervous about the commitment and concerned about their children’s socialization,” he said. That’s why, he explained, the key to reaching Latino families is “to invite them.”
“I think St. Rita is going to take off like a rocket,” he added.
Several people, including Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz and representatives of the CEF, attended the Aug. 25 celebration at St. Rita.
David Calzi, who is the CEF board chairman, reminded the children about the importance of prayer.
“St. Rita, who lived long, long ago, had some tough times. She is known as the saint of things impossible,” he told his young audience.
“There may be times this school year when things may seem tough, but know that they are not impossible and make sure you pray.”
