A new Assumption Chapel is taking shape at the heart of Owensboro Catholic High School. It’s part of a $2.7 million two-phase project that includes a new multipurpose building for the school’s award-winning band and extracurricular programs. The transformation was sparked by a growing student desire for more opportunities to engage their faith on campus.
“This was completely student-driven,” said Natalie Hayden, Director of Advancement at OCHS. “Students began asking for more opportunities to grow in their faith — adoration, confession, morning Mass — and we realized it was time to make a change.”
For decades, the campus chapel has been a converted classroom tucked away on the Hermitage side of the school. Though it served faithfully, Hayden said it hadn’t been renovated since the 1970s. Early renovation plans focused on updating the existing space, but that quickly evolved into a larger vision once architects walked into the school’s small gym.
“The ceiling already looked cathedral-like,” Hayden said. “The more we talked, the more it made sense. This location puts Christ at the very center of student life — the first thing they see when they walk in every day.”
Transforming the small gym into a chapel, however, meant finding a new home for the band and other activities that regularly used the space, from marching band and winter guard to percussion and color guard ensembles.
“We knew if we moved the band out, we had to give them a place to go,” Hayden said. “Extracurriculars are a huge part of developing our students — mind, body, and spirit.”
That’s where the second half of the plan came in. A prefabricated steel multipurpose building is scheduled to arrive in mid-September to be placed between the school’s softball and soccer fields. The facility will provide year-round rehearsal space shielded from extreme weather, critical for a band program that has grown in both size and accolades since moving indoors for summer camps in 2009.
“We’ve seen tremendous success with our indoor training model,” Hayden said. “It’s safer, more focused, and has led to consistent state semifinals, finals, a championship, and a runner-up. The new space ensures that continues.”
While the idea of relocating the chapel dates back years, including earlier visions of a “chaptorium” that never materialized, Hayden said the current project gained real momentum in 2021 thanks to students speaking up.
Initially, she began fundraising alone to renovate the existing chapel. But when the decision was made to repurpose the gym, broader community support became essential. In spring 2024, the school launched a rapid campaign and raised $1 million in just one month to keep construction on schedule.
“Now we’re in the final stretch,” Hayden said. “We need about $335,000 more to complete both buildings.”
She emphasized that support from alumni, families, and the greater Owensboro community has been key, and welcomed anyone still looking to contribute.
“If there’s someone who hasn’t donated yet, we’d love for them to be part of this,” she said. “It’s been amazing to see the community come together. We’re optimistic we’ll finish strong.”
For more information or to donate, supporters can reach Hayden at [email protected].
“Christ is the reason for our school,” she said. “And thanks to our students and supporters, He’ll soon be the first to greet them every morning.”
