Catholic Spirit
In 1962 America was launching its space race, dealing with the Cuban Missile Crisis, watching the classic West Side Story, and dancing to Doo-Wop. That same year in Somerset County, a growing Catholic population and a visionary parish community met the goal of expanding Catholic education in the area. Immaculata High School, the county’s first Catholic high school opened.
Now 60 years and nearly 10,000 graduates later, Immaculata (IHS) and its sister school, Immaculate Conception (ICS), are flourishing. A testament to these schools’ impactful legacy is the number of alumni who chose to send their children to their alma maters. Dubbed First and Second Generation Spartans, these graduates and their children top nearly 1,000 individuals over the school’s history.
Joe and Jill (Wotanis) Sanford ’94 of Bridgewater are two such graduates, with son, Connor, a sophomore at IHS and daughter, Annie, a 4th grader at ICS. “We both had such positive experiences, why wouldn’t we want that for our children?” Connor, who plays lacrosse and football, decided to enroll at IHS after his Spartan for a Day visit. “Something clicked for him that day, “says his mother, “and we were thrilled.” Connor has since become more involved in Campus Ministry and Model UN.” Joe Sanford adds, “Right before our eyes, we see Annie building a foundation of academics and faith. She joined the band and chorus this year and just loves school.”
Since this area is rich in academically strong public schools, parents often look beyond those schools’ academic offerings and extracurriculars.
Both the Zielinski and Kowalski families have a long history of ICS-IHS connections. “In our experience, the two schools are rooted in faith, and teach the students structure, routine, and organization, keys to professional success,” says Karen Zielinski Kowalski ’92 of Bridgewater. Karen and her husband, Stephen ’92, are parents to Jack, a sophomore, and Katie, a 7th grader. For them, one of the highlights for Jack is his involvement in the Signature Music Program and his commitment to Campus Ministry service.
Msgr. Joe Celano, Immaculate Conception Parish’s pastor and director of both schools feels, “Catholic Schools Week gives us the opportunity to celebrate our parish and its commitment to the mission of Catholic education for decades. We honor our pastors, who provided faith-filled and often sacrificial leadership to the parish and its schools, the dedication of the Congregation of the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary who served here for many decades, the lay faculty, and our parents, who also sacrificed much because they believed in the values that only a Catholic education can provide. We also thank Bishop James Checchio and the Diocese of Metuchen, celebrating its 40-year milestone anniversary, for their prayerful guidance and commitment to Catholic education. Our goal is to serve all young people in our area, by providing a first-rate Catholic education from pre-K to 12, and we are grateful for all those who make that great work happen.”