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Some of the Huskies, including the starting line up, posing for the camera. (left to right) Gio, Ky’ale, Rahmair, Jayden, Samad, and Josiah 

What a year this has been for the St. James Huskies basketball program! We’re competing in a new league, playing in a premier facility, and learning from new coaches — one of them a St. James graduate!

In September, St. James became one of 24 schools in the Philly Youth Basketball (PYB) Middle School Partnership Program. Founded 10 years ago, PYB is a nonprofit that exists to “leverage the iconic game of basketball to deliver life-changing opportunities and experiences” that “build the skillsets and mindsets needed to succeed on the court and in their education, careers, and lives.”

This season, our team of 12 boys has been participating in two practices and two games each week at the state-of-the-art Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center, located 1.4 miles from campus in Nicetown. The Center hires from within the community to provide a head coach and assistant coach. We were thrilled when we heard that our assistant coach would be Kwymaje Thompson (Class of 2015), who was once a Husky himself!



Kwymaje says, “This is truly a full circle moment, being able to give back to the school that I went to. When I was here, Coach (Kevin) Todd looked out for me and all the players on the bench. Now I can do the same thing.” Kevin, our Vice President of Operations and Strategy, coached Huskies basketball for many years.

Then and now: Kwymaje Thompson as a 5th grader and as assistant coach

Under the leadership of Head Coach Tyron Scott, Kwymaje and our Huskies are poised for the playoffs, standing in fifth place in a competitive 20-team league.

“We’re working to be a top team,” says 7th grader Rahmair. “It’s great to have Kwymaje as our assistant coach. He knows so much about St. James School. He really understands us.”

Teammate Ky’ale says, “We have so much fun! We all push each other to be the best we can be. We are a confident and passionate team!” An 8th grader, Ky’ale plans to play basketball in high school. 

A recent highlight for the team was meeting with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro when he held a rally at the PYB Center to announce his reelection campaign. With his wife Lori, Gov. Shapiro took time to chat with the boys, share his love of basketball, and learn more about St. James School — an inspiring moment for our young athletes!

Governor Josh Shapiro and wife Lori meeting with the St. James boys basketball team, including at far left, former Husky and Assistant Coach Kwymaje Thompson  

Click the image to hear the church bells

Walk through the neighborhood and you cannot miss the sounds coming from our churchyard. Every 15 minutes, the 1908 Wanamaker Memorial Bell Tower rings the Westminster chime. For most of our property’s history, four bells also rang out from the bellcote atop the 1846 Church of St. James the Less. 

Sadly, over more than 150 years, the four original bells were damaged, leaving only one to toll during Mass. When our school’s founders, Sean Mullen and Dr. Audrey Evans, shared the early stories of St. James, they often recalled meeting with neighbors and hearing the same question again and again: “We miss hearing the bells. When will they ring again?”

We are thrilled to share that all four bells at the Church of St. James the Less have now been restored and are ringing loudly and proudly — once more an inspiring part of daily life in the neighborhood.

Blessing of the bells by The Rev. Andrew Kellner and The Rev. Walter Thorne

Bells dedicated to the St. James founding and vision take their rightful place

The two smaller bells were carefully repaired and the two larger ones replaced with newly cast bells created to the original standards.

The second largest of the new bells is dedicated to St. James School and 2011, the year we opened, bearing the inscription: “Let the children come to me.” (Matthew 19:14)

The largest bell is dedicated anonymously by a family that deeply believes in the power of the St. James vision: “A world without inequities.”

Hearing the bells ring once again across the neighborhood is a powerful reminder of the history of this sacred place and the hopeful future we continue to build together. 

Would you like to ring the bells? Schedule a campus tour by emailing advancement@stjamesphila.org. We would love to show you the exciting things happening at St. James, and ring the bells with you!

Mekenzie, Ky'ale, and Asia delivering sermons they wrote — a challenge and privilege for our 8th graders

Bearing witness to music leadership and contributions from students and members of the church community during Mass

Tuesdays are Library Days, bringing joy amid the stacks, especially when Uncle Bobbie’s Books delivers a new set purchased by St. James donors

Among the field trip fun so far this year: outings to Rizzo Rink, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the John Johnson House Historic Landmark in Germantown 

Our Girl Scouts selling cookies and Aubrey receiving congratulations from Father Thorne after showing her winning form in the Shrove Tuesday pancake race

Become a Sponsor of the Annual 
Dr. Audrey Evans Benefit

Your sponsorship ignites impact in all aspects of our work, whether that is 
St. James School, Graduate Support, the Church of St. James the Less, or The Welcome Table.

When you sponsor at a level that is meaningful to you, you share the spark with students, graduates, and our community.

St. James School | 215-226-1276 | www.StJamesPhila.org