BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) – Guadalupe Regional Middle School has been considered a hidden gem in Brownsville. The school has helped provide low income students the opportunity to get a Catholic education for the last 20 years.
“Catholic education has become the purview of the comfortable and no longer available to those who can’t afford,” said School President Ed Bergeron.
Guadalupe Regional is the only private Catholic in the state of Texas. Principal Dr. Virginia Miller tells ValleyCentral being able to provide this opportunity to students and their families has kept them grateful.
“They are just very appreciative they are very humble about the blessing Guadalupe has done for their families.” Miller said. “Because they know even if it’s only for three years, they wouldn’t have had that opportunity at all.”
With only 58 students currently enrolled at Guadalupe, the school has relied completely on donations from the community for the last 20 years.
“We’re having to raise that money annually so without those contributions, without the grants that we apply for, without the generosity of the community it could be at risk every year,” Miller said.
The teachers who have been a part of the school since it first opened its doors back in 2002 are glad it has lasted this long. They also remember all of the students that have walked through the halls.
“We are more like a family because it’s a little school and the kids get very familiar with you,” said teacher Patricia Flota.
But Guadalupe has many more plans for the future, and are thankful for the community that has kept them open.
“We couldn’t have done it without them,” Bergeron said. “The Catholic community here in Brownsville, the business community in Brownsville has just been amazing, this place simply couldn’t exist without them.”
Guadalupe Regional Middle is school is still looking to expand and is looking to enroll more students. Those interested in attending can apply on the school’s website.