St. Francis High School to Celebrate 60th Anniversary and Award Five Alumni
St. Francis High School (Wheaton, Ill.) was founded in 1956 by a group of people from seven local parishes who were looking for a co-institutional Catholic high school for young men and women. In 1957, the first classes were held for 390 students with the Christian Brothers teaching the young men and the Sisters of the Loretto and the Franciscan Sisters teaching the young women. The first co-educational classes began in 1969 and St. Francis High School became a model in employing lay men and women to share in the commitment of teaching a quality Catholic education. Today, the school provides a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum and offers various co-curricular and athletic opportunities for nearly 750 students.
On April 29, 2017, the St. Francis High School community will host a dinner celebrating 60 years of educating and promoting spiritual, academic, physical and social development in students. Five alumni will be awarded for their outstanding service.
The Pace e Bene Award honors an individual who has emulated St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of St. Francis High School, through his/her exceptional service and distinguished leadership to the community and throughout his/her career. The recipient of this award is someone who has worked to protect the well-being of others by providing them with a sense of fullness, security, happiness and dignity.
The recipient of the Pace e Bene Award is Illinois State Senate President John J. Cullerton '66. John J. Cullerton graduated from St. Francis High School in 1966 and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, as well as his Juris Doctorate, from Loyola University. For more than 30 years, Cullerton has served in the Illinois General Assembly, and currently is a partner with the law firm of Thompson Coburn. He has dedicated his career working to pass laws and advocate for the people of Illinois.
The San Damiano Award honors those whose service has both enabled the Church and inspired others to grow in their faith, just as St. Francis responded when he heard God's calling. The recipients of the San Damiano Awards are Sr. Barbara Nelson IBVM '62 and Fr. Herb Essig '64.
After graduating from St. Francis High School in 1962, Sr. Barbara Nelson completed her student teaching there and her career which followed included teaching junior high and high school students, serving as a high school administrator and assuming the role as the Regional Superior of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For seven years, she taught for the Math Department at St. Francis High School. Through her work, Nelson said she "embodies the mission and values of St. Francis by working for justice, caring for others and encouraging others to become all God intends them to be."
Fr. Herb Essig '64 was a student at St. Francis High School during a time of great change historically - the assassination of President Kennedy, the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and Vatican II. During this time, he claimed he "tried to center his life on Jesus," while accepting guidance from both the Christian Brothers and his lay teachers. Essig was ordained a priest in 1974 and is currently the pastor of St. Francis of Assisi in Bolingbrook where he continually answers God's calling to serve the Church.
The LaVerna Award honors those whose generous philanthropy has deeply marked St. Francis High School as a place where young people can grow spiritually, intellectually, artistically and athletically. The recipients of this award are Ron '65 and Teri Franklin '67 Kuhn.
After high school, Ron Kuhn attended USC and then worked for and assumed ownership of the family business, Harry W. Kuhn, Inc., a construction and cement company. Teri Franklin Kuhn owned her own interior design business and was a former member of the St. Francis High School Board of Directors. Currently, they own the Pillar Rock Vineyard in Napa Valley. Both Ron and Teri Kuhn, friends since high school and married for 25 years, believe that it is important to give back when one has the means to do so. The Kuhns' continued philanthropy to St. Francis High School has enabled the school to build the cultural arts center, music room, biology lab, athletic stadium, and parking lot among other projects to support the needs of the students and families.
"These alumni have made differences in our world as they live the Gospel values taught to them as students and modeled by St. Francis of Assisi," said Tom Bednar, President. "We are excited to celebrate their accomplishments as we present them with these inaugural awards and look forward to adding many alumni recipients in the future."
Kevin Flood, member of the Board of Directors and coordinator of this celebratory event added, "This dinner is not only an opportunity for us to celebrate the history of St. Francis High School and the successes of so many who have been part of our community for 60 years, but also to help ensure the education of future students through the building of our endowment fund. All proceeds from and donations made to this event will support the St. Francis High School Endowment Fund."