A Legacy of Faith - Bishop Kenny High School

In 2019, Bishop Kenny began a master campus-planning process to identify, prioritize, and address infrastructure needs. Through a comprehensive three-year work group, BK prioritized three goals as the most critical development items to accomplish through the Legacy of Faith Capital Campaign, our first major fundraising effort in over 30 years. What began as a bold vision for the future of Bishop Kenny has become a reality — transforming our campus in ways that will benefit students, faculty, and the entire BK community for generations to come.

We invite you to learn more below about our vision and the impact these projects have had in enriching the full education each student experiences here. In the campaign goals tab below, hear from leadership and donors about this incredible journey for BK.

Among the campaign's milestones was the opening of the state-of-the-art Betty & Jack Demetree Family Athletic Training Center. Most recently, the campaign celebrated the blessing and dedication of the Gymnasium Complex by Bishop Pohlmeier on March 18 — a facility that features a practice gymnasium, new varsity and student locker rooms, athletic offices, a dedicated faculty and staff gym, and additional classrooms.

Check out the video below for a look at the dedication of the Gymnasium Complex.

The BK of tomorrow is here.

SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN TODAY

CAMPAIGN GOALS

BETTY & JACK DEMETREE FAMILY ATHLETIC TRAINING CENTER
Build a new $10.1 million student-athlete training facility located at the entrance to the William H. Johnston Sr. Football Stadium.

PRACTICE GYMNASIUM
Build a new $9.5 million practice gym, student physical education locker rooms, classrooms, and weight rooms to be used by all students for practices, games, tournaments, school-wide Mass, assemblies, and to support overall health and wellness activities.

BKHS ENDOWMENT
Increase the BKHS Endowment by $6.5 million to secure Bishop Kenny’s financial future.

BETTY & JACK DEMETREE FAMILY ATHLETIC TRAINING CENTER

In the new state-of-the-art Betty & Jack Demetree Family Athletic Training Center, BK student-athletes have access to the most current strength training equipment, workout space, and technology to scout opponents and review their performances in an environment that celebrates Crusader spirit. The two-story, 18,000 square-foot training center features:

David D. Williams Wrestling Room
Locker rooms to accommodate wrestling and baseball, as well as girls’ soccer, cross country, and track
Roberts Spirit Shop
Jorge & Margie Morales Strength & Conditioning Center
A dedicated film room to review individual and team performance and study competitors

PRACTICE GYM

The John A. Baldwin Athletic Center, which houses our gym, is the most utilized space on BK’s campus. It is used every day by students in physical education classes, by student-athletes for team practices, and for non-athletic purposes, including monthly school-wide Mass, awards ceremonies, assemblies, and more. Every single student at BK utilizes this space.

Because it serves so many purposes, our gym is in high demand. Gym time is fully booked, with some teams practicing as early as 5:30 a.m. or late into the night in order to accommodate all teams. Our new practice gym complements our existing facility, allowing teams to practice concurrently and better enabling Bishop Kenny to host tournaments. Other improvements and renovations addressed spaces that haven’t been upgraded in 60 years. This new facility features:

Completely renovated girls’ and boys’ locker rooms
Two athletics offices
All-students fitness center and weight room
Faculty and staff fitness space and locker rooms
Two classrooms with Node student desks and 85-inch touchscreen Promethean Smart Boards

BKHS ENDOWMENT

Created in 2021, the BKHS Endowment is reflective of our school leader’s long-range thinking and commitment to growth. The purpose of the endowment is to provide substantial long-term funds that support the level of educational excellence for which BK has always been known. Building our endowment is important for the legacy of our school in ensuring its future sustainability, financial stability, and continued success.

Through secure and professionally managed investing, and in keeping with the guidelines of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, endowment funds provide annual returns that are used to meet the critical needs of our school. The BKHS Endowment welcomes unrestricted gifts in any amount as part of the Legacy of Faith Campaign. These gifts will provide for the greatest needs as determined by the administration, allowing BK to respond quickly to challenges and opportunities as they arise.

The support and generosity of the Bishop Kenny community on behalf of the endowment is critically important to the school’s mission in our community for generations to come.

CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP

Honorary Chairs - The Cascone Family

Michael Cascone, Jr. '61
Elizabeth Belyea Cascone '64
Michael J. Cascone '85
Steven D. Cascone '86
Elizabeth C. Higgs '88
Brian J. Cascone '91
Juliette G. Gredenhag '95
Kathleen D. Cascone '98

"My family is grateful to be a part of this historic moment at Bishop Kenny. My wife, Elizabeth Belyea '64, and our six children are all proud alumni of the school. In addition to supporting a top-quality education, we see this campaign as an opportunity to invest in ensuring that the school's facilities will be competitive well into the future. No matter what you choose to invest, this is an opportunity for all of us to join together and contribute to a project that will pay dividends for generations.”

Michael Cascone, Jr. ‘61, P’85, P’86, P’88, P’91, P’95, P’98, G’23, G’25

General Chairs - Sean & Bethany Ray Reichard '92, '92

BK high school sweethearts, Sean and Beth are married and have raised four children: Lauren ’24, Kate ’26, and future Crusaders Sean and Luke. A proud player on the 1991 and 1992 Lady Crusader Basketball State Championship teams under Coach Todd Orlando, Beth graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Arts and earned a law degree from Samford University in 1999. She is a partner at Lippes Mathias LLP and a past president of the Catholic Lawyers Guild.

The decision to assume a leadership role in this campaign was easy for Sean and Beth. As both alumni and parents, the foundation of faith formed on campus, complimented by excellent academics, is important to their family. They hope their support of this campaign will greatly impact the future of all Crusaders.

General Chairs - Damon & Janet Shalley Olinto '79, '82

Janet Olinto '82 was a BK cheerleader and a member of the Red & White Girls for the baseball team. She attended Florida State University and married alumnus Damon Olinto '79. Damon was a baseball player at Kenny and went on to teach math and coach Kenny baseball before embarking on a 35-year career in banking. Damon and Janet's children, Damon Jr. ’02, Kate ’07, and Sean ’16 also attended BK. Today, Janet is the Executive Coordinator, Compliance Officer, and RenWeb Administrator at Bishop Kenny and Damon is the Market Executive of the Northeast Florida division of Synovus Bank.

Damon and Janet decided to chair this capital campaign because of the impact Bishop Kenny makes on our community and in recognition of what the school has meant for them. "My closest friends today go back to BK and the relationships that I made way back then are still the most important to me. I also would not have met my wife if not involved at BK," says Damon. "The school has been educating children in Jacksonville for nearly 75 years. We all need to ensure that BK will continue to provide excellent secondary Catholic education for the next century. The school has never conducted a capital campaign of any significance; now is the time to make our mark by investing in the future of the school."

Campaign Cabinet

ERAS CHALLENGE

Calling all alumni! Whose class has the most Crusader spirit?

The Legacy of Faith Eras Challenge measures the participation of alumni by decades or “eras” as they support the campaign.

Eras Captains

Fr. Mike Williams ‘57
Rob Heekin ’68
Bill Hillegass ’68
Steve Lyons ’74
Javi Sowers ’83
Joan Tubel Stephens ’83
Jacqueline Gonzalez Abbott ’84
Chuck Ford ‘87
Michael Pellicer ‘87
Amy Milton Baker ’90
Roshan Kallivayalil '94
Lauren May ’04
Ray Tubel ‘04
Greg Case ’05
Shelby Sebesta Stone '09
Katy Taggart Boynton '12
Nate Boynton '12

Check back as we start tracking the challenge!

PRAYER CARD

Lord, we thank you for the gift of today and the gift of Catholic education. We thank you for Bishop Kenny High School, its administrators, teachers, priests, spiritual leaders, students and alumni. We thank you, Lord, for its founders and all those who have passed through the doors of this beautiful campus before us and for those who are still to come.

Please bless our mission of Catholic faith formation and high academic excellence. Please help us to be good stewards of the school campus and community and leave it stronger than it was before.

You have blessed Bishop Kenny abundantly over the years and for those gifts, we thank you. Please open the hearts and minds of the Bishop Kenny family to discern your will for this campaign. Please help us to work for the good of this campaign with open hearts and minds. Let us embrace new opportunities and challenges with courage and trusting that Your will shall be done.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

HOW TO SUPPORT

PLEDGE / RECURRING GIFT: A pledge is a commitment you can make now and fulfill over three years and a convenient way for our community to maximize their support. Payments can be made monthly, quarterly, or annually and begin at whatever time is best for you. Pledges are commitments made in good faith but are not legally binding. Should your situation change over the pledge period, simply give us a call so we can work with you.

ONE-TIME GIFT: Make a one-time gift using the form below.

MAIL A GIFT: If you have not heard from us directly, have additional questions, or would like to contribute via check or stock transfer, please contact:

Kristin Azzarello Hall ’99
Office of Advancement
1055 Kingman Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32207
904-398-7545