In 2007, Paul and Nancy Berrigan of Farmington Hills, Michigan began building a school in Chelekura, Uganda.  It was their dream then, as it is today, to help provide educational opportunities for children living in that disconnected part of the world.  When John Paul Secondary School first opened its doors nine years ago, 14 students were registered for classes.  Today, enrollment for both boys and girls is over 200. Since project inception, the Berrigans have

John Paul Secondary School in Chelekura Uganda is in desperate need of teacher housing! Due to the lack of on campus housing, teachers must travel long distances to-and-from school daily. During the long rainy season roads frequently become impassable and the teachers cannot get to the school. If there are no teachers, the students suffer and fall behind in their studies. Also, teacher housing will help us to attract the best teachers from a much wider

We are so very excited to announce that solar panels have been installed and there is now power to the Daryl D Wittich Science and Learning Center! Thanks to Tim Blackwell and his great team at One World Sustainable, the students will now be able to use the classrooms during the darker hours and there is power for the soon-to-be-purchased computers in the Computer Center. The solar system is able to power the entire Science

We hosted our first Wine Tasting Dinner Fundraiser on September 12, 2015. The event took place in Plymouth, MI at the Courthouse Grille Restaurant. The wines were donated by Thurston Wolfe Wines. Everyone who attended enjoyed a great meal, tasted delicious wines, and had a very enjoyable and fun evening.               Our event sold out and we had 80 attend the Wine Tasting Dinner. A portion of the ticket

This year’s trip to the John Paul Secondary School was attended by Paul & Nancy Berrigan, Eoin, Liz, Sam and Nate Comerford. This was a special trip for all of us because the Comerford family has been an integral part of the fundraising projects that take place throughout the year, and this was the first time we were taking American high school students to meet their counterparts in Uganda.   Sam and his dad, Eoin, ran a 10K in the April

Local Brothers chip in to help JPSS: When Nate and Sam Comerford saw that kids in Africa attended “school” under a tree − the only shade to be found in the hot, barren landscape − they were inspired to do something to help. The Farmington Hills brothers, ages 10 and 11, heard about Paul and Nancy Berrigan of Farmington Hills, fellow parishioners at St. Fabian Catholic Church in Farmington Hills, who built a school in

For several months now, many volunteers have been meeting at the Hillcrest Thrift Shop to sew dresses for the girls of John Paul School under the banner of “Little Dresses for Africa”. As of this date, they have made a grand total of 122 dresses as well as several “Little Britches for Boys”! This has been made possible by a small group of very dedicated people Mary Desko Murphy, Michele and Jack Murphy, Lou Warner

TIM BLACKWELL & ONEWORLD SUSTAINABLE   The three solar panels, along with a computer, were donated and installed by Tim Blackwell and his company, OneWorld Sustainable, with the help of his partner in Kenya, Henry Watitwa and his company, Bright Home Solar Energy, who donated the installation. This was at Tim and Henry’s personal and John Paul School is extremely grateful for their very generous donation and we look forward to doing business with them

Here are some thoughts regarding my time spent at the school this past June… The memory of children running to greet us with large smiles and laughter as we traveled to the school is one that visits me often. As does the memory of getting to know the students. I recall their initial shyness which soon turned to laughter and shared stories, including discussions about what the students hoped to …be when they had completed