The world looked a lot different 44 years ago.
In May of 1981, the City of Newark was just over a decade removed from the ’67 uprising that made national headlines and ushered in a new era in the City’s storied history. In 1970, through the election of Kenneth A. Gibson, Newark became the first major city in the northeast to elect an African American to its mayoralty. Under his leadership, Newark charted a new way forward for American cities in the wake of significant population change and the mass exodus of community businesses and corporations that followed.
Yet, despite the challenges the city faced in its revitalization, there were some bedrock institutions who chose to stay and invest in the promise of Newark’s future.
One of those institutions was St. Benedict’s Preparatory School.
After closing in 1972, St. Benedict’s reopened a year later with the express purpose of serving and educating the children of Newark and its surrounding areas. By centering community building, experiential learning, and student-leadership development in the day-to-day operations of their school, St. Benedict’s forged a new pathway for urban education in the United States. At St. Benedict’s, students would be empowered to become leaders for their families and their city – and they would do so under the guidance of a dedicated community of monks, faculty, and SBP alumni. More than anything, however, St. Benedict’s exists to fulfill its highest purpose.
Three pillars shape NJCIC’s programmatic approach:
“Our task at 520 Martin Luther King Blvd is to be a sign of Faith.”
-Fr. Edwin Leahy O.S.B.
But St. Benedict’s hasn’t been alone in its commitment to Newark.
Beginning in 1961 through the generosity of Florence and John Schumann, the Schumann Fund for New Jersey (then known as the Florence and John Schumann Foundation) has continually advanced ideas and opportunities to empower low-income children, families, and communities of color in Essex County and the State of New Jersey, to thrive.
Recognizing the tremendous impact St. Benedict’s was having in the community, in February of 1981, the Schumann Fund granted St. Benedict’s $50,000 toward their development fund. This investment, anchored in a shared passion for the people of Newark, established a 44-year relationship between the two institutions – one of the longest-standing in the Schumann Fund’s history.
Today, through the Grossman Counseling Center, St. Benedict’s Prep strives to tend to the heart while developing the mind. The Center’s approach to counseling, which combines positive peer pressure with clinical services, empowers students to deal with problems such as fractured households, substance abuse, domestic violence, incarceration, sexual abuse, depression, anxiety, immigration issues, anger management, and behavioral issues. In 2024, the Center provided mental-health services for over 400 students.
While the world may have looked very different 44 years ago, it’s good to know that as much as things have changed, some things remain the same. St. Benedict’s Prep remains committed to the work it began in 1973 and has even expanded its impact through the addition of an elementary school and an all-girls prep school division. Likewise, the Schumann Fund continues to stand in steadfast support of all institutions working to empower our communities to thrive.