Alleman High School administrators say the school received its largest donation in school history.
The school will not say how much money was donated at the request of the Richard W. McCarthy Charitable Trust. But it will be large enough to complete both phases of the school's comprehensive plan, and there will still be money left over. That plan calls for upgrades to school computer and science labs and renovating classrooms.
"When our kids are coming in for the 21st century they will be prepared, they will know what they will face once they go onto the college level and then also into the business world because we're able to have all this technology," said Father Daniel Mirabelli C.S.V.
The school will also be able to add Advanced Placement courses as well as science, technology, engineering and math courses with the money.
Alleman High School explained the gift in a press release they issued September 22nd:
Today Alleman Catholic High School announced it has received a significant gift from the Richard W. McCarthy Charitable Trust. Alleman is honoring the request of the Trust to not release the amount.
The gift from the McCarthy Trust will be used to implement both phases of Alleman's Strategic Plan, which was formulated in 2014. A portion of the funds will be used to establish the Father Mirabelli Excellence in Catholic Education Fund. That fund will be used to provide for the future needs of Alleman students and to maintain a quality academic environment.
Phase 1 began this school year; Google Chromebooks are being integrated into the Alleman curriculum. Alleman has created a 1-on-1 technology initiative into the school’s curriculum. Google Chromebooks will be phased into student body use beginning next school year.
Other Phase 1 projects include upgrades to both of the school’s computer labs, enhancing the wireless network infrastructure, renovated science labs, curriculum improvements and teacher training. The gift also allows Alleman to implement Advanced Placement curriculum guidelines into its accelerated courses as well as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) centric courses.
Phase 2, which will begin in the coming months, will improve Alleman’s physical facility and includes replacing older roofs, renovating classrooms and upgrades to the school’s heating and ventilation equipment.
"We cannot thank the McCarthy Trust and the McCarthy family enough," said the Rev. Daniel Mirabelli, Director of Development at Alleman. "This is the biggest single contribution Alleman has ever received. It bodes very well for the future of Alleman High School. It pleases me that our students will continue to obtain a strong education at Alleman."
“The Richard W McCarthy Charitable Trust is pleased to contribute to the educational infrastructure and facilities improvement at Alleman High School,” said John S. Callas, of McCarthy, Callas & Feeney, P.C., and spokesperson for the McCarthy Charitable Trust. “Mr. McCarthy valued both the contributions of Alleman High School to the City of Rock Island and the educational opportunities provided by Alleman High School to all the residents of Rock Island County.”
David Hobin, Alleman High School principal, saluted the gift. "We cannot thank the late Dick McCarthy and the Trust enough,” Hobin said. “It's a great time to be a student at Alleman."
Hobin also saluted alums Dave DeJaegher, the school's business manager, and Jim Harl, former Alleman board member, in their work with the McCarthy Trust.
"Alleman has continually proven to be a premier academic institution in the Quad-Cities,” DeJaegher said. “This generous gift helps us provide a top-notch teaching and learning experience for our current and future students.”
The late Richard W. McCarthy was a long-time successful Rock Island attorney who greatly valued his Catholic education. McCarthy is a graduate of St. Joseph’s High School in Rock Island, which along with St. Mary’s High School in Moline, were the forerunners of Alleman Catholic High School. St. Joseph’s closed in the spring of 1949. That fall, Alleman opened.
Despite his success, relatives say, McCarthy was a very private man, who never wanted publicity.
McCarthy served in World War II as part of the 771st Field Artillery and later the 26th Infantry Division, earning a Purple Heart and four Bronze Stars. He participated in the invasion of Europe at Utah Beach and also fought at the Battle of the Bulge.
A 1943 graduate of St. Ambrose College, he attended DePaul University after the war and received his law degree. He then joined the law firm of Bozeman, Moran and Klockau. He was an assistant state's attorney in Rock Island in 1950.
In 1997, he founded the law firm of McCarthy, Callas, Fuhr & Ellison, where he actively practiced law up until a few weeks before his death in April of 2008.
“The additional benefit of the McCarthy Trust gift is that it will allow the school to concentrate future fundraising efforts on scholarship and tuition assistance opportunities for students,” Mirabelli said.