John and Dorothy Shea have been supporting local Catholic schools for more than three decades. Their major giving started with the J. F. Shea Company supplying 30-plus kindergarten and 30-plus Writing to Read portable computer classrooms to urban Catholic schools serving low-income neighborhoods in the Los Angeles Archdiocese.
"Our thinking was that we had to help get disadvantaged kids off to a good start in school," explained Dorothy. "We realized how important early intervention was for these children."
During 1994 and '95, the Sheas funded and their company built a new library, cafeteria, multipurpose center, gym and football field at Verbum Dei High School, doubling the size of the Watts all-boy's campus.
The Pasadena couple also provided computer labs to Verbum Dei and, at the time, its consortium sister school, Queen of Angels Academy in Compton. More recently, they funded extensive building projects at Salesian High School in East L.A. and other Catholic urban schools, including St. Raphael and St. Malachy in South-Central Los Angeles.
"If you really want to help inner-city families, the best place to put your efforts and your dollars is in Catholic schools," John stressed. "They are very, very effective."
---R.W. Dellinger
Inside, the tour ended with kindergarten, a big, beautiful room with its own computer lab, along with reading, math and motor skills sections plus a mini post office. Outside, the principal pointed out little golf-course-green lawns --- the first grass on campus.
"St. Raphael has great teachers and immigrant families, and our kids deserve the best," the principal declared. "It's wonderful to see a Catholic family like the Sheas so committed to inner-city youth. It's wonderful seeing people giving back."
New library, courtyard
Standing in the courtyard of St. Malachy School's under-construction addition, Daniel Garcia talked about the grass that will replace the dry dirt by late October, when the addition should be ready for students and teachers. He showed where the primary age playground will go.
Then the second-year principal took a visitor into what will be first grade, pointing out how California sunlight from the skylight will flood the classroom, and to the pre-K classroom, with its sliding glass doors leadings out to a little yard. Final stop was a high-ceiling library, with Sheetrock drywalls still exposed. He motioned to where 15 computers will be located.
He echoed most of the observations made by his St. Raphael counterpart. The 30-year-old administrator believed adding pre-K alone should attract working parents who often can't find or afford private daycare centers in South-Central L.A. He would like to see enrollment jump from 220 to 250 students at least.
"That's my wish," Garcia said. "We're going to have more resources for students. Once families are here and see the new building, it'll attract them, along with our mission and whole educational philosophy. The pre-kinder is really going to help us meet the needs of our community.
"So we are very fortunate and very excited for the donors --- especially the Sheas, who looked at our school and gave us this building. It's wonderful. We're getting ready to move in."