For Jake Schneider, the family connection to St. Francis High School in Hamburg, New York goes back to the laying of the first stones.
In the years since Jake’s father worked for the construction company that built the first St. Francis High School building, three generations of Schneider men have been students: Jake, his sons, and now his grandsons.
“I’m proud to have been able to have my sons, and now grandsons, attend St. Francis and benefit from learning the same things I did,” Schneider, St. Francis Class of 1973, said. “We were taught compassion, forgiveness, and understanding.”
St. Francis High School is sponsored by the Franciscan Friars Conventual of the Our Lady of the Angels Province. Donations from Companions of St. Anthony support scholarships for students attending St. Francis and other Province-sponsored high schools. Through their gifts, Companions help friars spread the teachings and values of their founder, St. Francis of Assisi.
Students attending St. Francis High School benefit from an education rooted in faith and spiritual growth. This comes in the form of daily prayer, retreats, and service projects.
As one rising senior, Patrick Coughlin, at St. Francis High School explained, attending a Catholic high school is about more than “the fancy tie and dress shoes you wear to school everyday.”
Patrick added: “It’s the logo you wear on your chest representing our school and what we mean as a brotherhood. How we should conduct ourselves as St. Francis gentlemen and men of God towards others.”
An exciting donor match opportunity, sponsored by Jake and his family, is available up to $100,000. All gifts made to this fund will be doubled, and used for unrestricted help for school capital projects, including renovating infrastructure and supporting arts and sports programs for students.
“Our hope is our gifts will perpetuate their ability to provide a Franciscan education to even more young men,” Jake said.
Brotherhood and Collaboration
Friar Nicholas Rokitka, OFM Conv, St. Francis Class of 2002, spent a year teaching at St. Francis during his final year of formation (2014) and returned to the school full-time in 2024 as the business manager. He is one of seven friars on staff at the school serving as an important presence on campus.
“We demonstrate the community and the brotherhood we’re trying to teach the students,” he said, which can be invaluable for young men whether or not they pursue religious life after graduation. “In a world where everyone is fighting for their own turf, the collaboration we teach makes young men more attractive in future careers as they are easy to work with and better prepares them for their future.”
In fact, it was witnessing the life of brotherhood and service among the faculty when Friar Nick was a student that helped inform his own discernment process. That, and the opportunities for service.
Service in Action
St. Francis High School continues to be a place that fosters a strong sense of brotherhood and community – students build lifelong friendships and learn the value of collaboration. And in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, they also come to understand the importance of serving their community. St. Francis High School, and other high schools sponsored by the friars of the Our Lady of the Angels Province, are deeply committed to providing opportunities for extensive community service.
“Our charism is so valuable to these young guys,” Friar Nick said. “The sense of community and charity really go hand in hand.”
St. Francis students can take weekly trips to the local soup kitchen and have the chance to participate in service trips and pilgrimages outside of the Buffalo, NY-area. Whether assisting local charities, going on international mission trips, or mentoring younger students, the young men learn through performing service.
For Fr. Nick, the service component of his high school education more than two decades ago was a key part of his decision to join the Franciscan community. While that’s not the case for every student who comes through St. Francis High School, learning to live a life of service benefits all students.
“A lot of things have changed, but the vision of the school is the same,” he said. “It remains fundamental that there’s community and charity in all we do, and we demonstrate how to follow Jesus.”
As St. Francis continues to attract more and more students, including from farther zip codes, the special projects funded by this donor match opportunity will offer even greater returns.
To take advantage of this donor match opportunity and support the St. Francis High School, please email info@companionsofstanthony.org for more information.