Luke Sutton is fascinated with flowers and gardening. Ask him any question—he’s a walking encyclopedia when it comes to plants, according to his father.
These days, it’s Luke himself who’s growing, thanks in large part to Saint Anthony School Programs which serve children with autism, Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities. Soon, more young people will benefit, thanks to a significant gift to Our Campaign for The Church Alive!
The donation from the The Ann and Frank Cahouet Foundation to the campaign will help fund new scholarships for Saint Anthony School students. The organization is urging interested parents to apply now for the need-based grants ahead of the 2015-16 school year.
“Our short-term goal is to annually provide a minimum of 20 additional scholarships of $5,000 each,” said Jerry Gaughan, executive director of Saint Anthony Charitable Foundation. “Long-term, we’re building an endowed fund to provide a perpetual source of scholarships for students with financial needs.”
“This gift is a blessing that washes over our entire student population,” said Mary Jane Bowes, chair of the Saint Anthony Charitable Foundation and judge of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. “There are students out there who have not been able to attend because of the financial cost, and there are always new parents and children who need our program.”
Saint Anthony School Programs offer an inclusive education of academic studies and vocational training to help young people with intellectual disabilities to live as independently as possible after graduation. Ninety percent of their post-secondary program graduates are working in our region.
About 100 Saint Anthony students are enrolled in Catholic elementary, high school and college classroom sites at Mon Yough Catholic school, Saint Thomas More, Saint Therese of Lisieux and Saint Mary of the Assumption parishes, Bishop Canevin and Serra Catholic high schools, and Duquesne University.
Nine-year old Luke Sutton, who has Asperger syndrome, attends fourth grade at Mon Yough Catholic. His parents, Gwen and Leo Sutton of East McKeesport, are grateful for the Christ-centered education their son is receiving.
“The program has meant the world to us,” Leo Sutton said. “Luke is high-functioning but has trouble sitting still and staying focused.
“When he has difficulty in grasping a subject or paying attention, he receives help in the classroom. There used to be a gap between his thoughts and action. Now he’s developing self-discipline and is better at staying on task.”
Luke’s teacher, Beth Sieg, praises his progress.
“We work together on math and language arts,” Mrs. Sieg said. “Luke now goes to some other classes without any support, writing down notes and taking tests. He has come far.
“We provide individualized instruction due to our small class sizes,” Mrs. Sieg added. “We’re flexible on what we teach, and we look for ways to build independence and make sure every child is as functional as possible.”
Established in 1921 as an orphanage in Oakmont called Saint Anthony Village, its mission was broadened three decades later to educating youth with intellectual disabilities under the name Saint Anthony School for Exceptional Children.
In the mid-1980s, special education trends changed again from segregated schooling to mainstreaming. A satellite classroom was opened and a new model of service delivery began across the Diocese of Pittsburgh. In 1992 the program was renamed Saint Anthony School Programs.
“We’re unique because of our spiritual component and small teacher-to-student ratio,” Gaughan said. “We care about the mind and soul. Every child matters.”
“We attend Saint Angela Merici Parish and are glad that Luke is in religion class,” Leo Sutton said. “He’s learning about the Catholic faith and different parts of the Mass. Luke comes home, tells us about his day at school and often reads his bible at night.
“A Catholic education is very valuable to us,” Sutton said.
For more information about the Saint Anthony School scholarships for new students, visit www.stanthonykids.org/admissions, email info@stanthonykids.org or call 724-940-9020.
