We were recently asked why we initially chose to send our son, Nathan, to Antonian, and then commit to the Capital Campaign. Many reasons came to mind, including Antonian’s demonstrated commitment to academic and athletic excellence, as well as, and perhaps most importantly to us, the ability to provide him with the full complement of traditional high school activities and experiences within a Catholic Christian environment. Affording Nathan the opportunity to continue on to high school with friends to whom he had become close during middle school was a true blessing also.
Nathan was able, with the support and guidance of his teachers and coaches, to grow intellectually, physically and spiritually. He developed his leadership abilities through both athletic and extracurricular activities, and is now blessed to study business and play baseball at Trinity University. The Antonian Apache community is truly special. Not only was our son blessed by the relationships he was able to foster and grow, but, so too were we as parents. The friendships we developed over those four years remain strong.
So, we have contributed to and volunteered for the Capital Campaign as a way to both give back and pay it forward. Just as we invest in our son to ensure a bright future, Jenny and I want to invest in a school that will continue a legacy of providing a great Catholic education while keeping tuition affordable. Through the efforts of Principal Tim Petersen, Campaign Chair Dr. Joe Diaz and the entire campaign leadership committee, the multi-phase capital investment plan is well thought out and realistic. Phase I was the completion of the Petit Center for Academic Excellence. What a terrific adaptive use of the old Brothers’ Residence! A new library, the Crane Learning Center and new classrooms are all now in full use and benefiting the students and staff. Phase II will see Antonian construct the only indoor turf practice field in the city, along with a new multi-sport practice court, new locker area, and new strength and training rooms. Phase III will bring a new Fine Arts Center to the campus. Additionally, the majority of funds for a Scholarship Endowment have been raised through these first two phases, ensuring that many children who may not be able to afford to attend Antonian due to economic limitations may be blessed to do so. These capital improvements and the scholarship endowment are investments in the long-term health of the school, benefiting future generations of Apaches.
We are grateful for all the gifts Antonian gave our son, and look forward to our daughter benefiting soon from those gifts as well. Making a commitment to the Capital Campaign is a way of expressing gratitude to the school, its staff, faculty and administration for being totally committed to our children. If you have not done so already, we ask you to consider saying “thank you” to Antonian by making a generous contribution and investment in its future.
“New Gift Giving Tax Incentives for 2020”
The CARES Act expands charitable giving incentives and allows taxpayers who take the standard deduction to make up to $300 of charitable contributions to qualified charities this year. You might think that this is a small amount and would not make a difference, but if all of our donors gave “just” $300, such support would have a huge impact on the Capital Campaign and the students we serve.
The CARES Act also suspends mandatory IRA distributions for 2020 which means donors
can use their required minimum distribution to make a gift to Antonian.
For those who do itemize their deductions, the new law allows for cash contributions to qualified charities such as Antonian be deducted up to 100% of your adjusted gross income for the 2020 calendar year.
“Naming Opportunities Still Available”
In 2015, Antonian launched “Our Faith, Our Future, Our Time” capital campaign to create (1) a center for academic excellence comprised of a learning center, library, and six classrooms (completed in September, 2017); (2) a multisport indoor center, remodel of Mark Recko Gymnasium, lobby/concession area and restrooms, and a multi-use swim meeting and locker facility; (3) a fine arts center which will be home to drama, visual arts, choir, dance, and band; and, (4) an endowment.
The decision to build and remodel the facilities stemmed from the physical state of the buildings and their infrastructure which are more than 60 years old and the growth of student enrollment from less than 200 to more than 700 in the past 30 years. The new facilities will allow Antonian to offer modern facilities for academics, drama, arts, choir, dance, band, and physical education.
We’re still looking for donors, partners and investors who want to be part of building our student’s future to help them reach their fullest potential. Naming opportunities are still available*.
Please consider a pledge to our campaign. Children are our capital — help us build their future!
