When Colleen Scagnetti first considered Catholic Central for her son, Chase Scagnetti ‘26, she wasn't convinced it was the right fit.

Her biggest hesitation was that Catholic Central is an all-boys school.

“I think an important part of growing up in high school is having those different relationships,” Colleen said. “I didn't understand the brotherhood. How could it really be this wonderful?”

Her husband, a Catholic Central graduate, had a different perspective.  After visiting the school’s Open House, Colleen agreed to give Catholic Central a closer look.

Four years later, as Chase graduated with the Class of 2026, Colleen had become one of the brotherhood’s biggest believers.

One of the first moments that changed her perspective came during Chase’s freshman year.

After making the varsity tennis team, Chase found himself surrounded by 10 seniors who immediately took him under their wing. They picked him up for school, helped him navigate his first year and formed friendships with him that have lasted well beyond their time at Catholic Central.

“I was surprised by how caring the boys were,” Colleen said. “They genuinely wanted Chase to succeed.”

Those relationships helped Chase grow and gave Colleen her first real glimpse of the brotherhood she had heard so much about.

“I said, ‘OK, I get it now,’” she said. “I told Chase, ‘Going forward, you need to be like those boys were for you.’”

By his senior year, Chase was a captain of the tennis team alongside one of his closest friends, Noah. His Catholic Central experience extended well beyond the tennis court.  He played varsity tennis all four years, was involved in the Student Activities Committee and developed strong relationships with his teachers.

“He would come home every day and tell me about his day,” Colleen said.

She remembers one conversation in particular during Chase’s sophomore year.

“He said, ‘Do you know, Mom, I haven’t had a bad teacher at CC,’” Colleen recalled. “He said, at Catholic Central, they're all good.’”

For Colleen, that was another sign of the impact that Catholic Central was having on her son.

“CC really matured Chase,” she said. “The teachers helped him mature. They pushed him to be a better person, but they still allowed him and his friends to be teenage boys at the same time.”

Academically, Chase was surrounded by friends who challenged one another to continue striving for excellence. Although academics had always come natural to him, Colleen saw how the environment encouraged him to keep pushing himself.

Faith was another important part of Chase’s Catholic Central experience. Colleen encouraged him to attend Kairos during his junior year, even though he was initially reluctant.

“I remember thinking, ‘He really needs this,” she said.

Chase ultimately attended Kairos in January of his junior year. When he returned home, Colleen asked him about the experience.

“He said, ‘I can't talk about it, but I listened a lot and learned a lot,’” she said.

Colleen believes the retreat helped Chase see his faith and his classmates in a new way. He still keeps his Kairos medal in his room.

She also saw the impact of the priests and faculty who became important figures in her son's life. When Father Kaufman passed away, Colleen was struck by Chase’s reaction.

“He said, ‘Mom, I talked to him every day. He was always saying hi,’” she recalled. “I remember thinking, ‘Wow, I am glad that a priest had that much impact on you.’”

For Colleen, Catholic Central became more than a school. It became a community where Chase could grow academically, personally and spiritually.

That became especially clear on graduation day.

“Watching him walk across that stage at graduation with confidence and pride, I knew we had made the right decision,” she said.

Colleen wasn't only proud of Chase, but of his friends as well.  Over four years, they had become an integral part of his life and the person he had become.  As she looked around at his classmates and their families, she felt connected to the entire community.

“I was proud of all of the boys, and I knew the other parents were, too,” she said. “We knew we made the right decision.”

Now, Colleen hopes other families who may be uncertain about Catholic Central will take the time to discover what the school has to offer.

“Catholic Central isn’t perfect, but it’s perfect for the right student,” she said. “Catholic Central challenged my son because that's what he needed. He needed structure, focus and discipline, and CC provided those things for him.

 

Colleen has also found her own way to be part of the Catholic Central community. Through her company, H.H. Barnum, she became involved with the school’s robotics program, helping create opportunities for students interested in robotics, industrial automation and career paths beyond a traditional four-year college experience.

H.H. Barnum sponsors the robotics team, welcomes students for visits and has hired Catholic Central students to work in its warehouse.

“We love the robotics team because the students get so excited,” Colleen said. “Any time a Catholic Central student wants a job in the warehouse, he gets a job in the warehouse – no questions asked.”

For a mother who once questioned whether an all-boys school could provide the relationships and experiences her son needed, four years at Catholic Central changed her perspective completely.

“There’s something for everybody at CC,” Colleen said. “If you're having a hard time finding your fit, there's somebody here who will help you find it. I truly believe that, and I've experienced it over the past four years.”

“I really believe you need to consider sending your son to Catholic Central. It is amazing.”