ccswaterburyPosted in 50th Anniversary, Stories
Part of the 50 Stories for 50 Years Series

Tours capture the hearts of many CCS volunteers and supporters — especially when the visitors get to meet our students.  It was a tour by Sr. Mary Ann Powers that also convinced Pat Emons to give up her retirement and take the role as director/principal in 1998.

Before Pat came on board, CCS leadership came from the Sisters of Mercy and the Congregation of Notre Dame.  The Sisters of Mercy were the parish sisters at Sacred Heart School and they started the program in the Berkley Heights Housing project/facility. The Congregation of Notre Dame followed their lead and supported the director position for almost 25 years.

“I can still remember the student who stood right up from her seat in the classroom and gave me the hug that melted me on the spot,” she says.  “No amount of talking with the adults could change my mind, but that little girl did.”Pat Emons

The school still depends on student lead tours and the charm of its students to gather resources, and those resources keep the school flourishing to this day!