Monday, July 2, 2018
Dear O’Dowd Supporter,
As I step into my new role as president of O’Dowd with plans to continue the trajectory of the work launched so skillfully by Steve Phelps, I want to reflect with you on what he was most proud of – the impressive accomplishments of the students of O’Dowd and his deep gratitude to you for the investments you have made at O’Dowd to help ensure their success. Our recent graduates are prepared and eager to create their own legacies by serving others – as our Cor Unum Award winner and Commencement speaker Ellie Knauss said, “a legacy that leaves a consequence, has an effect and produces a result” (watch her inspiring Commencement address here).
Our recent graduates are headed to top colleges and universities across the nation, including Stanford, Duke, Princeton, UC Berkeley, and Boston Conservatory of Music.
These students received significant amounts of academic merit scholarships and aid, and more than 20 students were awarded athletic scholarships.
As a class, they contributed over 50,000 hours of service and, along with their parents, raised nearly $110,000 to support the Class of 2018 Scholarship Gift which will provide the gift of an O’Dowd education to the next generation of Dragons through need-based financial aid.
They excelled in their athletic prowess, winning league and North Coast Section championships in multiple sports. Just a few weeks ago, Tierra Robinson-Jones ’18 became the first Northern California girl in state history to win both the 200- and 400-meter dashes at the CIF State Track & Field Championships!
In August we will welcome an equally accomplished class of incoming freshmen. Their academic preparation and potential, personal qualities, and individual achievements distinguish them as students who will excel at O’Dowd and live our charism, Finding God in All Things calls us to: Community in Diversity, Strength of Character, Academic Excellence, Kinship With Creation, Social Justice and Joy.
Thank you for investing in O’Dowd students. The more than $3 million in financial contributions invested each year are critical towards ensuring access for all to a top-notch O’Dowd education, innovation in programming, and support for long-term and strategic improvements. I look forward to sharing updates about our students, our O’Dowd community at large, as well as school developments as the 2018-19 school year kicks off in a couple months.
Sincerely,
James Childs, President
P.S. – I welcome hearing from you. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with anything that is on your mind about O’Dowd at jchilds@bishopodowd.org.