HOLY FAMILY AT 50

By Denise Dick

Pupils celebrate school milestone at birthday party

POLAND — Blue food coloring stained 9-year-old Antonio Grossman’s mouth as he clutched a blueberry snow cone in his hand.

“It’s the 50th birthday of Holy Family,” said the fourth-grader from Boardman.

The school marked the occasion with a party Friday offering the frozen treats, birthday cake, face painting, popcorn and Bounce-A-Rounds.

“I like that and that,” Antonio said, pointing to both bouncers. “I like the snow cones. I like it all. This is so cool. It’s so fun.”

The school, on U.S. Route 224, started in 1958 with 364 pupils in grades first through eighth.

Half-day kindergarten was added two years later and expanded to an all-day program in 1979.

The school has 279 pupils in kindergarten through eighth grade. With the preschool, which opened in 2001, 350 children are enrolled.

Kindergartners Annalise Daprile and Jacob Shogren, both 5 and of Poland, bounced up and down waiting in line for the Bounce-A-Round.

“It’s the school’s birthday,” Annalise said.

“My birthday is Feb. 12,” Jacob offered.

They didn’t have time to talk anymore. Their turn came in the giant bouncing castle.

Seventh-graders Andrew Rossi and Devin Joss, both 12 and from Poland, helped ready the gymnasium for the younger children. They pulled the deflated bouncing attractions into the school and planned to enjoy some of the treats after the younger kids had their fun.

“I think we’re going to have a Mass eventually,” Devin said of other activities planned to mark the golden anniversary. “I think the bishop is coming. It will be a good year.”

Laura Kelty of Holy Family’s Home and School Alliance said the mass with Bishop George V. Murry of the Diocese of Youngstown is planned for Oct. 8 followed by a reception. The school is also selling ornaments by Wendell August Forge commemorating the anniversary and a reverse raffle is planned this spring.

Children were allowed to forego their school uniforms in favor of more casual outfits if they donated $1 per family. The money is part of an outreach program to benefit St. Malachy School in Philadelphia.

Alex Wollet, 10, a fourth-grader from Poland, enjoyed a cherry snow cone during Friday’s festivities surrounded by friends and a swath of young female admirers. Because there’s no fourth-grade football team, Alex plays wing back and left side cornerback on the fifth-grade team comprised of kids from four parochial schools.

“East Catholic Cardinals are going to go undefeated this year,” he predicted.