Legend Continues to Grow
St. Anthony Student Population, Program Opportunities Expand
The Jack Errion Memorial Gym is the "make over" target for Summer 2008
Today, St. Anthony High School’s student population is at 270 students, and a freshman class of 100 students or more is expected for Fall 2008. Enrollment for next year should easily top 300 students, and growing, and many of these students represent the top 2% of their 8th grade graduating classes.
St. Anthony’s college preparatory curriculum includes a highly comprehensive Honors and Advanced Placement program. The new Marine Science Academy planned for Fall 08 in partnership with the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific is a rigorous four year science and math program that is designed to challenge the most gifted student.
And the new Mentoring Program which is being launched this month pairs each incoming freshman with an adult“buddy”. The Mentoring Program is designed to create a long-term relationship between students and mentors, sustained throughout the student’s enrollment at St. Anthony’s. Program goals include: expanding opportunities for students to participate fully and equally in school and community-based programs; providing a network of support for achievement; expanding student awareness of career and college opportunities; and increasing expectations for students for admission to four year colleges and universities.
Beyond these student support programs, St. Anthony’s continues to attract community support for a variety of facilities renovation projects which further enhance the historic campus and ensure its attraction. This summer, St. Anthony’s Jack Errion Memorial Gymnasium–“The Home of the Saints”–is being targeted for a “make-over.” Renovation plans include replacement of the old gym floor, replacement of lights, and a new sound system. The SA Gymnasium is a touchstone for every student who has ever attended St. Anthony High School, at any point in its 88 year history. Built following World War II in the late 1940’s as a state-of-the art athletic facility designed to support St. Anthony’s students, as well as the needs of the greater Long Beach community, the gymnasium is a classic facility, well-worth preserving.
Over the next 60 years, the St. Anthony College Prep High School Gymnasium produced dozens of truly great St. Anthony women and men teams, has been the home of countless annual tournaments, and has produced many highly regarded players, such as Darrick Martin, currently in his 13th year of play with the NBA, and sponsor of St. Anthony’s Annual “Books and Basketball Summer Camp for Kids”. In December, 2007, a “legendary Saint,” B.I. (Bill) Mais, Class of 1949–former St. Anthony’s quarterback and CIF champion, who went on to play at UC Berkeley with three of his legendary Saint teammates (Johnny Olszewski, Dean O’Hare, and John Peterson) – decided to make a lead gift to St. Anthony High School to kick-off the renovation of athletic facilities, with the gymnasium as the first priority. B.I. Mais is not only a member of St. Anthony High School’s “Hall of Fame,” he also exemplifies all that is good about a St. Anthony “SAINT.”
Thanks to this lead gift, St. Anthony High School has launched the “B.I. Mais
Legendary Saints Athletic Fund” which is designed to provide the funding
necessary for this summer’s gymnasium renovation project, and more. If you have fond memories of St. Anthony’s Gymnasium or Athletic Field
located at Clark and Del Amo, or you would like to be a part of this important
project, please contact the Development Office at 562-435-4496, Ext. 1222, for
more information. Contributions may be sent to: St. Anthony’s High School
Foundation, 620 Olive Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802. The St. Anthony’s High
School Foundation is a charitable 501(c)3 non-profit corporation.