SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) – Our Lady of Hungary Catholic School in South Bend has unveiled a brand-new library.
After nearly a century, the school is turning a new page.
The school received a $50k investment to make over the media center and is now a place where kids can read, learn, grow and dream.
Before the room became a media center at Our Lady of Hungary Catholic School, it was a storage room. But thanks to the work and funding of the College Football Playoff Foundation, School Specialty, Notre Dame Athletics and the Alliance for Catholic Education, the school’s 146 students have a dedicated space to read and grow.
It’s full of donated and new books, a huge tv monitor, a study and play area.
“This means that my kids, our kids, your kids, these kids feel unique, they feel loved because somebody is paying attention, listening, his, her, their dreams,” said Francisca Flores, principal of Our Lady of Hungary Catholic School. “Now it’s going to become the place that my students come here, and my teachers come here to feel, ‘We can do it.’”
And this renovation goes far beyond the school walls.
“This is a neighborhood that has had some hard times and a lot of these students, you know, come from low-income households and so to come into a space that’s beautiful and where books can be accessible just means the world. And just hearing some of them talk about how excited they were to come in and read. As someone who teaches English at Notre Dame, that’s a real joy to hear,” said John Staud the executive director of Alliance for Catholic Education.
This is the first Catholic campus, as well as South Bend school, to be part of CFP’s Extra Yard Makeover Project program and community leaders hope it’s not the last.
On top of this makeover, Our Lady of Hungary Catholic School was also given a $1,000 and $5,000 check. They hope this helps them further prioritize giving these kids a quality education.
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