ST. FRANCIS DE SALES DEANERY — As a realtor who specializes in sales in Hyde Park and Oakley, Amy Broghamer knows these communities well. What she didn’t know — until recently — is that St. Cecilia School in Oakley is facing funding shortages and overtaxed families. This realization led Broghamer to create a charitable fund, AmyBSells Giving Back, which will offer some relief to St. Cecilia families by providing much-needed supplies for students as they head back to school.

COURTESY PHOTO

Local realtor Amy Broghamer, left, chats with Lori Heffner, principal of St. Cecilia School .

"I had this misconception that private schools don’t need help, but St. Cecilia needs help, and it’s in my community," she said."

Through discussions with Lori Heffner, St. Cecilia’s principal, Broghamer learned more about the diverse population the school serves and some of the challenges it faces. Approximately 60 percent of St. Cecilia’s student body is Catholic, and more than 56 percent of the school’s families are classified as low-income, a phenomenon that resulted from the mass exodus of families out of the inner-city, according to Heffner.

"Because a large portion of our families are low income, many students are unable to come to school with proper supplies — markers, folders, and even pens and pencils," Heffner said. "Our teachers shoulder the burden by paying for school supplies out of their own pockets."

The majority of the school’s funding comes from parishioners’ Sunday contributions and some federal grants, but because St. Cecilia’s is not classified as an inner-city school, it does not receive monies from the Catholic Inner-City Schools Education Fund (CISE) and other state and federal dollars are also limited.

"We’re stuck in a gap of funding," Heffner explained. "We’re in a second tier of schools that puts us at a disadvantage for receiving state or federal funding, and our low-income families can’t bear the cost alone."

In spite of the challenges, St. Cecilia’s remains educationally strong, offering programs for students with disabilities, along with numerous opportunities for the children to recognize their call to be of service to others. The students are active in Tender Mercies ministry to the homeless and send donations to the Oakley Pantry and Project Hope, a shelter in Adams County. At Christmas time, each classroom helps a disadvantaged child or family through the Giving Tree Program. Additionally, the school supports a mission school in Nairobi, Kenya.

Broghamer estimates a cost of $10,000 to outfit St. Cecilia’s approximately 200 students with the supplies needed to start the school year off right. She is hoping area residents and her own clients will support the project, seeing it as investment their local community.

"It’s so important that we supply the students with everything they need for a good education," Broghamer stressed. "They are our future leaders. Imagine coming to school on the first day being excited but not having the tools to learn with. I want them to have everything they need to have a great start this year."

With help from AmyBSells Giving Back, teachers at St. Cecilia will be able to use their personal funds for extracurricular materials such as art supplies or games. The assistance will also free up funds in the school budget to provide other items, such as athletic equipment, Heffner said.

With funds collected to date, Broghamer has already started shopping for supplies. For more information, contact Broghamer at 513-377-3637 or Amy@AmyBSells.com or visit www.amybsells.com/GivingBack.