Bishop Maginn High marking 25 years

"My first response is usually 'Bishop Maginn,'" he said. "Then people say, 'It wasn't around then.' I tell them, 'Yes, it was; it was called Cardinal McCloskey and Vincentian Institute."

Bishop Maginn High School in Albany was created by the merging of the two other schools. In June, Bishop Maginn marked the graduation of its 25th class and its silver anniversary.

Three in one

But, to him, "VI is alive and well and part of the Bishop Maginn alumni. They wouldn't say the 'now defunct Bell Atlantic;' they would say 'Verizon.' They wouldn't say the 'now defunct State Bank of Albany;' they would say 'Fleet Bank.'"

In addition to Cardinal McCloskey and Vincentian, Bishop Maginn absorbed students from Cathedral, St. Joseph's, St. John's and St. Ann's. "So, in reality, Bishop Maginn High School comes from a long line of Catholic educational institutes with a rich history in Albany, and all of those alumni can feel at home there," he said.

Alumni

Alumni would be reminded of their schools in the academic offerings, the traditional structure and Catholic values that exist at Bishop Maginn, he said.

Graduates of VI, for example, would recognize the statue of the Sacred Heart that is in the main lobby of Maginn; it once graced their school.

Merger

Students and teachers from both schools planned the new school, with students being involved in the selection of school colors and mascot. The faculty was selected from both Vincentian and McCloskey. If there were any wounds caused by the merger, Mr. Grasso said they aren't evident now.

"For the people who are here now, there is not a thought in their mind about the merger," he said.

Won over

He became involved in Maginn when he was asked to assist with the school's drama program. His daughter graduated from Maginn, and his son is a junior there. He is pleased with the education Bishop Maginn has provided his children.

"Our students are a blend of socioeconomic, racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds," Mr. Grasso said. "We have kids from suburban school districts and from the city of Albany. Despite their differences, there are no class distinctions here."

Success in academics

Bishop Maginn students also give back to the community. The students donate approximately $1,500 each year to the Rice Bowl campaign for world hunger, adopt families in need during the holidays and visit nursing homes. Forty percent of the students are involved in additional service projects.

According to Mr. Grasso, the school has recently completed a long-range strategic plan that calls for increasing enrollment, adding to the school's academic offerings and communicating Bishop Maginn's successes.

For information on Bishop Maginn, visit http://capital.net/~maginn/ or call 463-2247.

(08-22-02) [[In-content Ad]]