A number of projects are nearing completion on Padua Franciscan High School’s campus, in time for the upcoming school year.
Some of the more notable improvements took place inside Padua Stadium, as well as the gymnasium.
First, the turf was replaced inside Padua Stadium and immediately put to good use for a series of summer sports camps for future students, as well as preseason training and fall sports games for current Bruins. The eight-lane track is scheduled to be resurfaced and striped in August.
The gym floor was refinished. The multi-sport court was resealed, relined and repainted. While the Padua bear logo was repainted at half-court, the “keys” on the basketball court are orange now. The wings inside of the three-point arc are painted a light shade of brown.
“I think these renovations are great for the student-athletes, programs and school community,” Padua Athletic Director Kevin Leigh ’89 said. “The stadium field was showing some wear and tear from the past 10 seasons, so the fresh surface should enhance the student-athlete performances in the stadium.
“The teams have loved the new turf, so I’m excited to see them compete on the new surface this fall! I’m also excited about the new look and fresh surface in the gym, along with the cleaning and resurfacing of the track.”
In addition to the Athletic Department updates, the Fine Arts Department installed 12 new tables for the studio arts classrooms. The tables were purchased with GEERS (Governor’s Emergency Education Relief) funds, which were distributed by the State of Ohio through a grant application process with the focus of creating safer and healthier spaces for students.
The new tables, which easily seat six students, come with butcher-block wooden tops that are easy to clean. Also, these tables have locking castors that allow for configuration for larger projects or lighting angles and offer storage space underneath for students from many of Padua’s fine arts classes. The stools are magnetic and can be stored underneath the tables for easy classroom cleaning.
“These new tables will allow our students to be productive, safe, and most importantly, creative,” Vice Principal Elizabeth Oles-Smith said.
For his Eagle Scout project, Matthew Pafford ’26 completed sound/acoustic work in the band practice rooms. He installed sound-proof panels on the practice rooms’ walls and doors to give instrumentalists and vocalists the opportunity to hone their crafts without noise interference. Also in the Fine Arts Department, the Bruins Broadcast Network (BBN) received new broadcast equipment and relocated its studio. This year, the BBN will have enhanced graphics capabilities and a larger on-screen talent pool. During the fall semester, the BBN will launch its own website and a podcast, “Wakeup Wednesday.”
Be it on the athletic fields or in the Fine Arts Department, all upgrades were completed to make the experiences for current and future Bruins the best it can be.
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