Padua Academy is an all-girls

Catholic high school Catholic schools are pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered under the aegis or in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest religious, non-governmental school syste ...

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington (Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. It lies at the confluence of the Christina ...

, United States. It is part of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington The Diocese of Wilmington ( la, Dioecesis Wilmingtoniensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the eastern United States and comprises the entire state of Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland (i.e ...

. The school strongly emphasizes college preparation, leadership, civic responsibility, and spirituality. Padua is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. It is a four-time winner of the "Superstars in Education" Award from the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. Padua was named one of the Top 50 Catholic High Schools in America by the Cardinal Newman Society in 2012. Padua is a member of the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) and the Delaware Association of Independent Schools (DAIS). Padua’s Student Council has earned recognition as a Council of Excellence. Padua Academy is consistently recognized for outstanding community service and has merited both a Regional Gold Medal and a National Bronze Medal from the Jefferson Awards-Deloitte Students in Action program.

History

The school was founded in 1954 by Rev. Joseph L. McCoy, O.S.F.S. and built with the help of members of the St. Anthony of Padua Parish. Its patron saints are St. Francis of Assisi, St.

Francis de Sales Francis de Sales (french: François de Sales; it, Francesco di Sales; 21 August 156728 December 1622) was a Bishop of Geneva and is revered as a saint in the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to ...

, and St Anthony of Padua. The first classes of Padua Academy (in the 1950s) took place in the upper level of Saint Anthony of Padua Grade School, located at 9th and North Scott Streets, two blocks away from the present building. Classes also took place in the old P.S. #11 school building in the early years. The present building at 10th and Broom Streets was designed and executed by Rev. Roberto Balducelli, O.S.F.S., who came to the United States from Italy in the 1940s and died in 2013 at the age of 100. The school was built by volunteer labor with the help of Brother Michael Rosenello, O.S.F.S., who died on September 20, 2019.

Notable alumni

Lisa Blunt Rochester Lisa LaTrelle Blunt Rochester (née Blunt; born February 10, 1962) also known by her initials LBR, is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the first woman and first ...

, member of the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from * Pat Ciarrocchi, newscaster for KYW-TV's CBS3 Eyewitness News

References

External links

* {{authority control Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington Catholic secondary schools in Delaware Girls' schools in Delaware High schools in New Castle County, Delaware Educational institutions established in 1954 Italian-American culture in Delaware 1954 establishments in Delaware Schools in Wilmington, Delaware