DUNKIRK, N.Y. (WKBW) — Northern Chautauqua Catholic School in Dunkirk is launching an Adopt-a-Student campaign to attract more students and raise money to help pay for their education.
As the only Catholic school in Northern Chautauqua County, the institution is doing everything it can to support its families. With tuition at $4,175 for most students, the school hopes to raise about $225,000 per year.
"We would like to raise enough funds through Adopt a Student to fund up to 50 children," Principal Paul Pinto said.
The appeal comes at a time when some Catholic schools are struggling to stay afloat. The Buffalo Diocese stopped subsidizing tuition completely in 2019.
WATCH: 'We're just a really big happy family here': Northern Chautauqua Catholic School launches adopt-a-student campaign
Pinto, the school's principal, said alumni are key to the fundraising effort.
"So they're out there bringing all sorts of outreach efforts among their classmates to develop cohorts and groups of people that support the Adopt-a-Student campaign," Pinto said.
"Right now, our enrollment has been very good. Our current enrollment at 116 is great. Next year's enrollment has already peaked at 101 students," Pinto said.
I got a chance to visit the school, where kindergartners were conducting a science experiment and older students were rehearsing for their spring concert. Students shared what they love about their school, mentioning their friends, teachers, math, gym, and the positivity.
"I like NCCS because I have a lot of nice friends," one student said.
"I like that we're just all a big family here," another student said.
"We're just a really big happy family, and we're able to do things here that we can't do in the public schools," Janie Villella-Sharon said.
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