Webster, Roy Help Raise Tuition For St. Andrew Nativity School
On June 2, Trail Blazers Martell Webster and Brandon Roy served as honorary co-chairs and MCs of the 8th annual Promoting Success Luncheon at the St. Andrew Nativity School in Northeast Portland. The luncheon serves as a fundraiser and a celebration for the school, which is a Jesuit Catholic middle school dedicated to offering an academically challenging curriculum in a highly structured environment, free of charge, to low-income students of all faiths.
“This is my third year giving to St. Andrew,” said Webster, “but this is my first year working with the foundation. This is for a great cause: being able to give money so these kids can continue to keep working toward their dreams.
“It’s great that we had a turnout like this. They were all generous and dug just a little bit deeper so we can provide a little bit more for these children. It’s going toward something really great.”
St. Andrew Nativity, the only tuition-free private school in Oregon, focuses on offering an academic program, which prepares students for college preparatory high schools. Students are given a safe, structured environment along with individualized class with no more than 12 students.
“The big thing for me is I come to this school and I see how much attention these kids are getting at such a young age and I’m extremely impressed,” said Roy. “I didn’t get the proper education for myself until I was a junior in high school.
“As a kid, I was motivated through basketball and athletics and I talk to these kids and I ask what their favorite thing is about school and just being young and they all talk about math and religion. And in a way I’m jealous because I wish at that age that I would have those great beliefs. This school is definitely impressive and again I’m just excited to be a part of it.”
The average student at St. Andrew Nativity comes from a family of five with a household income of less than $32,000 a year. Fifty-three percent of students come from single-parent homes. Sixty-four percent are African American or African immigrants, 33% are Hispanic and 3% are Caucasian. And despite being a Catholic school, 61% of St. Andrew Nativity students are non-Catholic.
“I’ve had a number of friends who aren’t doing so well now because they didn’t get that same attention that these kids are getting at this age,” said Roy. “As much support that we can give these kids, the Blazers and everybody in this room, will help make them better people in the future.”
