Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls Awarded Grant from the Connelly Foundation to Develop Women’s Leadership Institute and Service Center
Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls (Little Flower) in the Hunting Park section of Philadelphia has received an $80,000 grant from the Connelly Foundation. The funding will support the planning and development of Little Flower’s Women’s Leadership Institute and Service Center.
Little Flower’s vision for the Women’s Leadership Institute and Service Center is to make leadership formation a part of every student’s experience. The four-year program will bring together faith, service, entrepreneurship, mentorship, career exploration, and real-world learning. Students will have the opportunity to discover their strengths, to explore college and career paths, learn from women across a range of professions, serve their communities, and put their ideas into action.
The grant will support curriculum development, concepts for collaborative learning spaces, and a plan to sustain this initiative. The Women’s Leadership Institute and Service Center is an investment in the future of Little Flower students. With implementation, it will provide students with the chance to discover her gifts, pursue her ambitions, and lead with faith and a commitment to service.
Mrs. Kristie Hughes Dugan ’92, President of Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls said, “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Connelly Foundation for believing in Little Flower’s students, faculty, and staff and investing in this next chapter.” Dugan continued, “The Foundation’s commitment to Catholic education and expanding opportunity for young people makes its support especially meaningful.”
The Connelly Foundation planning grant will provide an important foundation for the Women’s Leadership Institute and Service Center. In order to bring the full vision to life, Little Flower will depend on additional charitable support to fund programming, learning spaces, and long-term sustainability. Little Flower invites alumnae, families, friends, and philanthropic partners to play an essential role in making this initiative possible through financial contributions, mentorship, and professional connections. To learn more or to discuss how to help make the vision of the Women’s Leadership Institute and Service Center a reality, please contact Kerri Ditro, Director of Institutional Advancement, at kerri.ditro@lfchs.org.
Background Information on Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls
Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls is a college and career preparatory school for young women rooted in the Gospel of Jesus and guided by Saint Thérèse’s spirituality of simple, loving service. Little Flower is a welcoming and diverse community that empowers young women to recognize and develop their God-given potential, to deepen their faith, and to grow in awareness of their moral responsibilities to one another and to the global community through a comprehensive program which promotes academic excellence, integrity, and generous service. For more information about Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls, please visit littleflowerhighschool.org.
Background Information on the Connelly Foundation
The Connelly Foundation of West Conshohocken is inspired by its Catholic heritage to improve the quality of life for people in the Philadelphia region by supporting charitable organizations in the areas of education, human services, and culture and civics that strengthen resilience and help people to flourish.
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Editor’s Note: For information about Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, please visit aopcatholicschools.org/.