Faith is the most treasured and sustaining gift Dr. Jack Guggino said he received while attending St. Joseph Catholic School in Tampa.

“That foundation I received at St. Joseph School chartered my life, by way of the faith that I have every day in everything that I do,” said Dr. Guggino, a St. Joseph Catholic School alum, and pediatric ophthalmologist.

The Tampa native still remembers the day he stepped through the building’s wooden doors. His mother was a worker at a cigar factory in Ybor City and he was starting Kindergarten.

“The nicest nun just held my hand and told my mother “You’ll be okay,” he said, “Ever since that comforting moment in my life, St. Joseph has been a second family to me, not only the sisters, but the priests.”

The Sisters of the Holy Names established the school in 1896 after converting a three-story, abandoned cigar factory into a school. Their mission was to minister to the growing population of Catholics in Tampa, many of whom were Cuban, Spanish, and Italian immigrants.

In 2022 the school will celebrate its 125th anniversary and Principal Brenda Budd said the school continues that mission.

“We were created as a school to serve the children of the cigar factory workers and we've continued that tradition as a school that takes care of the children of immigrants,” she said.

Today, the school is made up largely of Hispanic students. Mrs. Budd said they do everything they can to care for the entire family, not just the individual student.

“We do whatever it takes to make sure they can be successful. We've helped families look for housing. We've helped families apply for assistance for food. We have our own food pantry here just to make sure that we can help with anything a family needs,” she said.

These efforts have been fruitful, with many graduates becoming community leaders the in city of Tampa.

“Some of the most rewarding things are when students come back to see us and can share all the great things that are happening with them and then say thank you to the teachers and the impact that they made on them,” said Mrs. Budd.

Dr. Guggino is grateful for the impact the school has had on his life.

“I've had great opportunities. And that was all through the generosity of people who had enough to give to others,” he said.

He now is now able to give back to the school and is encouraging others who can, to do the same.

“When you decide to help St. Joseph school, just try to understand you're improving the academic lives of these kids. It's just a pleasure to be able to share our treasure. And if we can be responsible directly or indirectly, we’re improving the community, the city, the state, the country and little by little the world. That's what God wants,” he said.