St. Joseph High School marks 110th year preparing students for future success

Ask Mitch Farrell what he remembers most about being a student at St. Joseph High School, and he’ll tell you how much fun students had.

Farrell, 28, of New Kensington is a 2014 graduate. He went on to Saint Vincent College in Unity and works as an accountant.

The 28-year-old graduate of the Catholic high school in Harrison has been a certified public accountant since graduating from Saint Vincent in 2018.

“The education was top-notch for sure,” he said of the school, which enrolls students from throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley.

Farrell is a member of the school’s board of directors.

“When I got to college, I realized how well prepared I was,” he said.

Farrell’s story is part of the tapestry making up the 110 year history of the school, which he and other alumni, current students, parents, staff, civic leaders and others celebrated Sunday during a Mass of thanksgiving.

Founded in 1915 in the Natrona area of Harrison, St. Joseph is the oldest high school in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Its first class graduated in 1917, and the school moved to Natrona Heights in 1977.

“We are honoring the courage and faith of the parishioners of St. Joseph Parish who are responsible for our founding in 1915,” St. Joseph High President Jennifer MacNeil said. “Although the parish in Natrona no longer exists, the legacy and dreams remain with us, including the statue of St. Joseph that stood outside the church on Garfield Street. This statue is the one that we bless and rededicate today.

“As we begin our 110th year, we remain strong and committed to the value of Catholic education especially in today’s challenging world.”

Pittsburgh Bishop David A. Zubik presided over the Mass with Greensburg Bishop Larry J. Kulick.

“The history of St. Joseph’s is outstanding,” Zubik said before the Mass. “A school like St. Joseph shows how dedicated they have been to Catholic principles.”

In delivering the homily, Kulick thanked Zubik for his hospitality in welcoming him and for the close ties between the dioceses.

“St. Joseph High School is very near and dear to my heart, as I know it is to each and every one of you,” said Kulick, a 1984 alumnus. “Like all of us who are alumni, we were formed in the four pillars of St. Joseph High School — sanctity, justice, honor and scholarship.”

Julie Thomas, 45, of Plum said her parents gave her and her twin brother, Brian Olearchick, a choice of going to Burrell High School or St. Joseph. They each chose St. Joseph, as did their younger brother, Matthew.

Thomas went on to Duquesne University and works as a pharmacist. Her oldest daughter, Isabella, 15, is in 10th grade at St. Joseph while her younger daughter, Ariel, is in seventh grade at Mary Queen of Apostles with plans to also attend the school.

“I think it’s amazing the school is still here and still going strong after 110 years,” she said.

“We had a lot of fun here,” she said. “There was a lot of learning. It’s amazing how much I have retained of it. The education I got here was fantastic.”

Jill Szwed, a 2010 graduate, was the first student to come to St. Joseph from Butler County. Szwed, 33, of Mars, went on to Saint Louis University for meteorology and communications, and has been a meteorologist with WTAE since February.

Her senior year was the first year that the school’s Science & Technology Building was open.

“It feels like you’re coming to a little piece of home,” she said. “I remember our teachers encouraged us to follow our dreams, even if we didn’t know what our dreams are.”

Senior David Schratz, 17, of Butler came to St. Joseph after attending Holy Sepulcher, following the path of his three older brothers and three older sisters. He plans to study English in college and pursue a career in publishing.

There are 34 in his class. The entire school has about 130 students.

“It’s a unique experience because of the size of the school. It’s very personal with other students and the teachers,” he said.

Because it is a small school, it takes all of them to make it work, said his classmate, Gabriel Maltese, 18, of Cheswick.

“I like being at a small school. In a big school it’s easy to be a number and overlooked,” he said. “We just all work together. Everyone knows their role.”

Maltese said he’s happy to be part of his school’s 110th anniversary. Schratz found the anniversary notable.

“Tradition is a big part of our culture,” Schratz said. “There’s a lot of richness to that.”