Bishop McNamara High School Hosted A Three-Day Celebration To Debut The New La Reine Science & Innovation Center

Story and Photography By Raoul Dennis and Tiffany Young

What started as a vision in 2014, turned into a state-of-the-art facility known as the La Reine Science & Innovation Center, where Bishop McNamara High School opened the hub for technology, collaboration, and discovery in the community. The school hosted a three day celebration to the grand opening of the science center, which will also offer new academic programs in science, technology, cybersecurity, engineering, and multimedia located in Forestville, MD. Community leaders, alumni and elected officials attended several celebratory activities that included a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, March 18.

“The La Reine Science & Innovation Center offers students the experiences needed to pursue college studies in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics,” said Dr. John Barnhardt, President and CEO of Bishop McNamara High School. “The greater Washington community is full of STEM jobs and industries that too often are not representative of our Prince George’s County. Our new center recognizes the rich legacy of La Reine High School and our commitment to preparing students to be disciples with hope to bring the world.”

I am just so thrilled. I thank God for what I am claiming to be a season of increase in Prince George's County,” said County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks on opening day. “This is just yet another example of the marvelous ways that God has blessed us to continue to increase our territory. This is yet another example also of what we prioritize here, and it is the education of our children, which I happen to believe is the most profound obligation the government has.”

Alsobrooks continued: “New buildings are often investments into things we believe are important, and you can tell what we valued by where we put our resources. Prince George's County continues to invest in development around metros areas like this one because we value providing better quality of life to the residents who live and work in our neighborhoods that have been long overlooked. This new center adds to the improving neighborhood landscape. The county has also invested in new schools, breaking ground, you should know, in 10 new schools in the past three years alone.

The 20,000-square-foot facility, which is located on BHMS grounds, offers seven classrooms, five of them science labs, featuring two chemistry labs and two physics labs [see video: “The Future Is Now” tour and interview with Dr. Barnhardt]. It also includes a cybersecurity lab, multimedia studio, and entrepreneurship space, and the state-of-the-art innovation lab as the centerpiece to the building, complete with industry-leading hardware such as 3D printers, vinyl cutters, drill presses, and computer components.”

“This new center is a symbol of much more than academics. Your school's four pillars stand for what you believe is important and what you invest in. Being family, building respect, educating hearts and minds, and bringing hope. Everything you do follows this purpose that reaches far beyond the school's walls,” Alsobrooks says.

“I am tremendously proud of our new addition, which not only provides countless opportunities for our students but also ushers in a new chapter of Bishop McNamara High School,” said Robert Summers, Board Chair of Bishop McNamara High School. “We are looking forward to showing our community, Prince George's County, and the DC metropolitan area the extraordinary capabilities of our students, families, faculty, and staff, and welcoming them to our campus as we celebrate this momentous occasion.”

Summers didn’t shy away from noting the unique challenges that Dr. Barnhardt, his predecessor, Dr. Marco Clark and the board were faced with in getting the funding for the center.

“When John came on board, he came in just as the pandemic was starting,” Summers said. “He came in with us and we were saying, ‘John, you got to raise $14 or $12.5 million.’ I don't think he knew what he was in for, but he stepped in, he put on his boots, and rolled up his sleeves. John, we thank you for those efforts.”

Barnhardt described his motivation for completing the mission of raising the monies in spite of the pandemic.

“Why aren't our students here at Bishop McNamara High School, why aren't our families in Prince George's County represented in those careers?” Barnhardt said of his own questioning the status quo. “We said, well, it's certainly not higher education. We have Johns Hopkins, we have Howard University, GW, Howard, we have all of these wonderful places of learning, Catholic U, what about our high schools? We looked at our own high school and we said, ‘What are we offering here at Bishop McNamara High School to ensure our students had the experiences needed to access those careers?’ We realized that if we wanted that change to happen, the change started with us. We committed 10 years ago to providing a better STEM experience, better STEM spaces.”

“There was no better way to honor that than with Lorraine High School, right?,” he continued. “La Reine High School, founded by the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters, believed that young women, even in 1960, needed to be leaders in STEM engineering mathematics. We knew that that was the way that we could double down on it today. As a private high school operating well below the cost of most public high schools here in the region, we knew that if we could do it, we would be a great example for our entire region.

Maryland Sen. Melony Griffith recognized the support the state directed toward the development. “When the opportunity came for the State of Maryland to contribute to this phenomenal state of the Arts, Science, and Innovation Center, I couldn't be more excited to contribute,” she said. “While we were able to get almost $2 million from the State of Maryland to this project, I can't wait to go inside and participate and [see it today]. This center is going to be an asset for people who are not yet born. This is going to be a place where people come and grow and experience opportunities that would not have been available in Prince George's County.”

On March 16, the science center held its VIP reception and guests included: former NFL player and Hall of Famer Doug Williams, Maryland’s Congressman Glenn Ivey (D-4) and remarks by Prince George’s County Councilman Calvin Hawkins. In addition, the center dedicated its courtyard by naming it in Gregory “Steve” Proctor, Jr. honor and included in the courtyard will feature four quads that represent the four pillars of holy cross. The school’s former President & CEO Marco Clark was honored with one of the quads, which represents “hope.”

Barnhardt called the success a team effort. “Our new science and innovation center is the product of many collaborations. First tremendous philanthropy: Of the $12.5 million project, $8 million was raised by alumni, community members, and state and local governments. In addition to philanthropy, we had tremendous support from our district two and five representatives. [We also had] a really strong collaborative leadership spirit with our county leadership, especially County Executive Alsobrooks.”

NEXT: See what one Bishop McNamara High School senior is already doing with the La Reine Science & Innovation Center that will help change the world. Video stories you won’t want to miss. Watch this space: April 3