June 1 Ground-Breaking of New Visual Art Center

June 1 Ground-Breaking of New Visual Art Center
Launches $8.25M Campus-Wide Renovation Plan at
Blessed Sacrament Huguenot School, Powhatan, VA

Excitement is building at Blessed Sacrament Huguenot School in Powhatan, VA.

A June 1 ground-breaking for the new 2,664 square foot Visual Art Center launches
Phase 2 of the Knight’s Charge Campaign, supporting the continuing growth at BSH.

An $8.25M endeavor, this next stage supports continued facility & curriculum
enhancements for all grade levels in the areas of Academics/Arts/Athletics.
Improvements will transform the 40-acre outdoor campus, elevate the quality of
education and significantly enhance how the school serves students.

The ground-breaking ceremony will be presided over by Paula Ledbetter, the Head of
School with attendees including Kelly M. Lazzara, Superintendent of Schools for the
Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Ned Smithers, Powhatan County Administrator, Angie
Cabell, the Director of the Powhatan Chamber of Commerce, the project architect and
general contractors, the Brower Family and others.

Background | Knight’s Charge Phase 1 Complete with 35% Growth

In 2019, an unexpected $2M gift from a BSH family ignited the first phase of strategic
growth since the school’s merger in 1998, and laid the foundation for expansion.
Facility and technology upgrades, combined with increased marketing efforts resulted
in enrollment growth of over 35% with projections to pass 400 students this fall.

Knight’s Charge Phase 2 | Most Ambitious Initiative Undertaken To-Date | Visual
Art Center & Much More

To capitalize on this recent growth and momentum, the BSH Administration and Board
are excited to embark on the Knight’s Charge Phase 2, the most ambitious initiative
undertaken by the school in its history. In fact, the new Visual Art Center will be the
first new building added to the campus since 1959!

Below in blue are highlights of the Knight’s Charge Phase 2 initiatives that begin with
construction of the new Visual Art Center.

PROJECTS BEGINNING SUMMER ’22 | Target Completion Date of Fall ‘22

New Visual Arts Center, Upper School

BSH has a strong arts program with an established art history curriculum. To best
support and grow the visual arts offerings, BSH has been working with local architect
Frank De Stefano and award-winning, full-service Class A commercial general
contractor ML Bell on the design/construction of a new Visual Art Center to serve
students in Upper School (grades 7-12).

HIGHLIGHTS: 2664 sq. ft new building features large windows, polished concrete
floors, kiln, pottery wheels, art history space, critique and inspiration boards, large
open workspaces

 

Art Center Architect: Frank De Stefano, The De Stefano Architectural Group
Art Center Commercial General Contractor: ML Bell Construction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parker Gymnasium Renovation (main gym)

HIGHLIGHTS: New roof, LED lighting, fresh paint, new bleachers, renovated
concession area and visitor locker room, refinish and re-stripe court, insulation repairs
and major carpentry repairs to gym subfloor.

Academic Enhancements | Dual Enrollment Phase 1

HIGHLIGHTS: Addition of Dual Enrollment classes in Biology and History to the
existing offering of Dual Enrollment Chemistry, beginning in ’22-23 school year

Library Upgrade & 34 Classroom Renovations

PROJECTS BEGINNING FALL ’22 | Target Completion in ‘23

New Student Center, Serving Entire School

HIGHLIGHTS: Design & construction of a new 2-story 20,000+ square foot Student
Center located at the site of the current Sullivan Gym (scheduled for demolition in Fall
’22). Practice court lined for basketball & volleyball, weight room, athletic director &
coaches suite, 3 lower school classrooms, kitchen & cafeteria, football concessions,
bookstore, oversized and separable STEAM classroom(s), lower school art classroom,
blackbox theater, green screen studio. The new student center will be built on the site
of the existing Sullivan Gym after demolition and removal in Fall ’22.

Student Center Architect: Gooss + Associates, AIA
Student Center Commercial General Contractor: ML Bell Construction

Academic Enhancements | Dual Enrollment Phase 2

• Addition of DE class in English, beginning in ’23-24 school year
• Addition of DE class in Math, beginning in ‘24-25 school year

Funding & A Matching Challenge

$6.25M of the $8.25M plan has already been raised for Knight’s Charge Phase 2
renovations through a combination of monies from Kathleen & Keith Brower, the
Catholic Diocese of Richmond and school funds. Additionally, the Brower Family has
set up a matching challenge through year-end 2023 whereby they will match any/all
donations dollar-for-dollar up to $1,000,000 to raise the final $2M.

“We have lived all over the world and seen a lot of different schools,” said Keith
Brower, a retired Army Colonel. “At Blessed Sacrament Huguenot School there is a
unique aura; I know a winning proposition when I see it and BSH is producing the
kinds of leaders and citizens we need for the future – caring, engaged, well-educated,
kind and grounded young people. It’s a special place.”

The Browers hope this matching challenge will spur giving and provide access to
grants from local businesses and foundations that will accelerate the renaissance ongoing
at what they call “the unknown gem in Powhatan County.” Mrs. Brower said.
She added, “You can’t change the world, but you can educate the children who will
impact their world in a positive and meaningful way.”

“Love for this school and what it provides for our children is what joins us together.
We invite all family, friends, and alumni of BSH, Blessed Sacrament at Belmead, and
Huguenot Academy to join us in setting the course for the future of our school.”
– Paula Ledbetter, Head of School

Naming rights are available for the new Arts Center, individual classrooms and the
Library, new athletic facilities like the basketball court, the new weight room and the
Parker Gym concession area. Contact Sue Hickey, [email protected], for more
information if you are interested in naming a facility for a family member, business,
BSH or Huguenot Academy class, or other entity.

About Blessed Sacrament Huguenot & BSH History

The Blessed Sacrament Huguenot School is the result of a merger of two independent
schools, Blessed Sacrament High School at Belmead and Huguenot Academy in
September 1998.

Today, BSH is the only private, coed, Early Learners through Grade 12 Catholic school
in the Greater Richmond Area. Throughout recent and planned growth, the school
remains true to its mission to provide a broad, values-based curriculum that celebrates
individual talents, challenges academic intellect and prepares students for success at
the university level and in life. All faiths welcome.

For more information on Blessed Sacrament Huguenot School located at 2501
Academy Rd. in Powhatan, contact Head of School Paula Ledbetter, M.Ed. at (804)
598-4211 ext. 516.

For more detail on the school: www.bshknights.org
For more on the renovations: https://bshknights.org/about/expansion-renovationnews/

For More Information, Contact:
Tyler Snidow, (804) 878-2928 or [email protected]
Paula Ledbetter, M.Ed., Head of School, (804) 598-4211 ext. 516
Keith Brower (678) 457-5398