Barring a last minute financial windfall, it appears that St. Anthony High School in Jersey City will be forced to close its door at the end of the current school year. The school has been a recipient of the Play for James Foundation’s James P. Koehler Memorial Scholarship award since 2016. This is a terrible blow to the youngsters the school has served for decades and the community as a whole.
If you are unfamiliar with St. Anthony’s, this story from ESPN will give you some idea of the school history and its life-changing impact on the lives of so many. In it, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop called the closure devastating, and a tremendous loss for the Jersey City community.
“Saint Anthony’s had a reputation that went far beyond the national recognition as the best boys high school basketball team in the country — it was known as a place that provided students from an urban area a strong academic and moral education and the skills to become future leaders,” he said. “We are 
all saddened by this news.”
For our part, the Foundation will continue to work with Coach Hurley to identify a worthy successor with whom we can share our academic and community service support.