Trinity High School in Camp Hill is embarking on a triad of significant upgrades to its educational environment, backed by a “Faith in our Future” capital campaign kicking off this summer for the $8.5 million project.
The campaign will support renovations to Trinity’s facilities, to include a new façade that will allow for the installation of an energy-efficient HVAC system; a renovated auditorium with enhanced staging, lighting, sound, seating and flooring to enhance liturgies, assemblies and the performing arts; and the installation of turf for use by more than 200 student-athletes who play at COBO Field. This aspect of the campaign will also provide for new gym bleachers for safety and accessibility.
In addition to the facility upgrades, the campaign will support Trinity’s one-to-one Chromebook program, which provides every student and teacher with the device for educational use.
As part of the capital campaign kick-off, Bishop Ronald Gainer blessed the school’s façade during a ceremony attended by administrators, campaign committee members and other supporters on Aug. 17.
John Cominsky, Trinity’s principal, said the campaign and renovations are a decade in the making.
“Trinity began discussions for this campaign around 2010 and actually kicked of the process with donors about two years later. At that time, our community recognized that our campus facilities needed renovation after nearly five decades of use,” he said. “While enrollment has held steady over time, the amount of activities, programs and athletic teams associated with the school has exploded over time, so the school community knew that it was the appropriate time to renovate.”
Changes in leadership stalled the effort until it was resumed by the current administration last spring, he said.
Donations to date have enabled the one-to-one Chromebook program. A portion of the façade and the gym bleachers have also been funded. Cominsky said Trinity is committed to complete the campaign within five years.
“The projected cost of the campaign is $8.5 million, with $2.5 million already pledged during the silent phase of the effort. Trinity will conduct the first large-scale mailing to alumni and friends at the end of the summer, and we have two donor families willing to match a total of $400,000 in the coming months. Now is a terrific time to join this campaign!” he said.
(Learn more about Trinity High School and its “Faith in our Future” campaign at www.thsrocks.us/faith-in-our-future/)
By Jen Reed, The Catholic Witness
