West Palm Beach, FL – November 14, 2024 – Cardinal Newman High School (CNHS) proudly hosted a ribbon-cutting reception for the new Rocco A. Marcello Family Academic Building on November 7. Over 100 contributing donors who helped bring this vision to life attended, alongside The Most Reverend Bishop Gerald Barbarito, clergy, and leaders from the Diocese of Palm Beach, gathered to celebrate the state-of-the-art building at the college preparatory Catholic high school.
The evening opened with a warm welcome from CNHS President Charles Stembler, who introduced Bishop Barbarito for a prayer and blessing of the building. Following the blessing, Sophia Perez, Class of 2025, delivered a moving rendition of the National Anthem. Rocco A. Marcello then shared personal reflections on the profound impact of his Catholic education. He announced an additional $250,000 gift to enhance the south academic building, furthering his commitment to the school’s mission.
“The dedication and encouragement I experienced in Catholic school propelled me to excel, and I hope it does the same for future generations of Crusaders….our work has just begun in making CNHS the preeminent high school in Palm Beach County, “said Rocco Marcello.
“We are blessed to have many donors who wanted to see this building become a reality. Rocco’s signature gift enabled us to move this building to completion. His additional gift is a testament to his generosity and commitment to education. He, along with our other donors, helps transform Newman students’ lives,” said President Charles Stembler.
This renovation, made possible through the $10 million Shaping the Future capital campaign, includes innovative, student-centered classrooms, a chapel and campus ministry center, a welcome center, admissions and college advising offices, state-of-the-art science labs, an innovation center, and mathematics classrooms. The Appeal Leadership Team included Co-Chairs Nick Coniglio ’97 and Richard Rendina ’98, Major Gifts Co-Chairs Ellen Acosta and Jim Arrigo, Honorary Co-Chairs Sally Gibson and Charlie and Karmita Gusmano.
For more information about the Shaping the Future campaign, contact Mary Martens at [email protected] or 561-619-7280.
ABOUT CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL: Founded in 1961, Cardinal Newman is a Catholic college preparatory high school in West Palm Beach. Newman’s coeducational environment allows students to grow and develop in a safe and communal setting. Every classroom promotes collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, and each student receives the support required to achieve his/her personal best. Our Vision is to build life’s champions through faith, scholarship, servant leadership, and a strong family atmosphere.