07.23.20
The fruit of a $20.5M capital campaign, the groundbreaking of De La Salle’s new campus is “a dream come true” according to De La Salle President Oscar Leong. Slated to open Fall 2021, the new campus in NE Portland will serve more than 350 students and is significant to Bora as a longtime partner in DLSNC’s corporate work study program, where students work in an office to gain experience and offset their tuition.
DLSNC is identified as Oregon’s most diverse private school. More than 90% of its students receive financial aid, and 71% of students qualify for the Federal Free and/or Reduced Lunch Program. An average of 98% of graduating seniors have been accepted to college, more than two times the rate of peers with similar backgrounds and demographics. In 2020, 100% of the graduating class was accepted to college, with 72% receiving merit-based scholarships that totaled over $5.2 million. We are thrilled to see the School—and its mission to see students succeed—flourish.
Lech Kaiel, a member of DLSNC’s first graduating class in 2005, made the final contribution to phase one of the capital campaign, allowing DLSNC to reach its core campus goal. “I was able to put the last little sliver on top because my company recently went public, which I think is really fitting because this is sort of like De La Salle’s IPO,” said Kaiel. “The model here is proven and the community is invested. I’m excited to be here today to celebrate the school—it now has a permanent home in Portland. We’re doing what’s right here, and it’s special.”
Bora Principal Amy Donohue led the design of the new campus and has served as a mentor in the corporate work study program. “This was a thrilling day. Bora has been partnering with De La Salle for almost five years, looking for a permanent home for this special community. We are so excited to be a part of this process.”