After nearly a century of play, the City League Conference, that for so long brought together public, parochial and private schools in the City of Grand Rapids, is coming to an end. The seven teams that currently make up the City League--West Catholic, Catholic Central, Grand Rapids Christian, Union, Creston, Ottawa and Central--will be joining the O-K Conference, the state's largest prep league.

City League Sports Commemoration Committee, comprised of athletes and representatives from all of the City League schools, has scheduled a special event on Thursday, May 29th at Noto's to celebrate the 99 years of great teams, athletes, coaches, boosters and the overall success of the league. Highlights of the event include personal testimonials and a pictorial history and video tribute.

Tickets are $25.00 per person. Sports Booster sponsorships are $250.00 and Table Sponsorships are $1,000. There are limited seats and sponsorship opportunities. Each sponsorship opportunity comes complete with special recognition, reserved tickets/tables, and other special benefits. Proceeds from the event will be evenly split between the three school districts for the benefit of the individual athletic programs.

For additional information or to purchase tickets/reserve a sponsorship, please contact (616-819-2010 or email at melarai@grps.k12.mi.us. Individuals can also register electronically for the event by going to: web.grps.k12.mi.us/athletics/

The Development Office of the Catholic Secondary Schools is looking for dependable, outgoing students to contact donors, alumni and friends of Catholic Central HS or West Catholic HS via telephone to:

·   Thank them for their past or ongoing support of the high school(s).

·   Educate them about the Annual Fund or a special project and request a predetermined gift to the school. (The gifts raised for the Annual Fund go to scholarships for hundreds of families who require financial assistance. Over 25% of our student body requires support of some amount). Other responsibilities include updating address, spousal, and employment records of alumni and representing your school in answering questions that donors and alumni may have.

·   Paid training

·   Summer hours available

Qualifications:

Junior or senior student status for 2008-09 school year. Students must exhibit enthusiasm in support of education at Catholic Central/West Catholic and demonstrate genuine warmth in contact with others. They must also possess strong oral communication skills, organizational ability, and attentiveness to details. Students must possess strong character and a positive attitude and have the ability to work well with and motivate others. They must be comfortable soliciting gifts (via telephone) from alumni. Hours available evenings throughout the school year.

Applications are available in the high schools' main offices or can be downloaded here. Applications should be sent to:

Chad Wieber

 Director of Development

PO Box 327

Grand Rapids MI 49501-0327

For more information regarding ninth grade registration, please contact Nancy Beadling, Admissions Coordinator at (616) 233-5814 or nancybeadling@grcss.org.

The Grand Rapids Catholic Secondary Schools are embarking on a unique project targeting alumni milestone reunion years. Those celebrating their fifth, tenth, twenty-fifth, fiftieth, etc. will be contacted in the next few weeks to make a special gift to the Catholic Secondary Schools in recognition of their alma maters.

This type of support guarantees that Catholic Central and West Catholic will remain strong institutions of learning by keeping the high schools competitive, attractive and positioned for another century of Christ-centered education. Please carry the torch in supporting Catholic secondary education for the next generation of students.  

This spring, the Catholic Secondary Schools broke ground on a new competition gymnasium at West Catholic and a new practice gymnasium at Catholic Central at the Cougar Athletic Trail (C.A.T.). The $16.6 million campaign goal is an investment in students, faculty and staff through an increase in the endowment fund and for the construction and renovation of facilities.

Participation by our entire community of supporters—alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends strengthens the success of this campaign. It is not the size of your gift that matters. Rather, it’s the enthusiastic statement we all make when we join together in showing the deep commitment our community has for Catholic Central and West Catholic.

To learn more about the Faith in the Future Capital Campaign or to make a donation contact Chad Wieber, CSS Development Director at (616) 233-5977

The Development Council for the Grand Rapids Catholic High Schools is in the midst of its annual fund drive for tuition assistance. This appeal meets the needs of hundreds of students every year and provides at least $600,000 in tuition grants to students of West Catholic and Catholic Central High Schools. Like most parochial schools, tuition does not cover the total expense of educating students. The annual appeal helps bridge the gap between tuition and the operating budget, and ensures the continued excellence of our schools’ celebrated curriculum, faculty and facilities. 

·   Student aid equals over one million dollars a year with requests for $1.5 million

·   1 out of every 4 students receives financial aid

·   25% of current students would be unable to attend Catholic Central or West Catholic without tuition assistance

All donations, large or small, are investments that pay lifetime dividends in the life of a Grand Rapids Catholic Secondary School student. If you would like additional information or would like to contribute to the Annual Appeal, please contact Chad Wieber, CSS Development Director at (616) 233-5977.   

Annual Appeal Brochure