St. Joseph’s High School: Classrooms to Bedrooms in the City of Lowell, MA

Suzanne Frechette, Coalition for a Better Acre

“I could never imagine how my life would come full circle as it has. I spend ages 6 through 18 coming to St. Joseph Elementary School and High School, and doing eveything in my power to avoid entering St. Joseph Convent.  Yet here I am, coming to work in the former convent every day, looking out my window at the elementary school and working diligently to  raise money to renovate my former High School.   I am overwhelmed with how well both the convent and elementary school have turned out and fully expect the high school to be equally as beautiful.  As the self appointed spokesperson for the French Canadians who came before me, I am convinced that these beautiful historic reuses would make my ancestors proud.  After all,the hard work and determination that they put into creating these buildings was to make a better life for themselves and their progeny.  The recreation of these buildings continues to do that for new immigrants and their families.”

- Suzanne Frechette, Coalition for a Better Acre, Deputy Director, AND (!) Class of 1979