Children and Young Adults Add a Special Touch to the Conway Education Center

As a new phase of construction begins at Catholic Charities’ Conway Education Center, children and young adults gathered on April 23 with members of the Board of Directors to sign their name, press their handprint and leave behind a thumbprint on steel beams being used in construction.

Since a groundbreaking in October 2024, a concrete foundation and retaining wall have been completed for the education center being built along Buchanan Street in northeast D.C., and utility work has begun.

Before steel erection ends later this month, general contractor Coakley & Williams hosted a “beam signing” ceremony at the construction site to allow students at our Kennedy School, children at our Child Development Center, staff and members of the Board of Directors to leave a lasting imprint on the building.

“Pick a beam and pick a color marker”, Chief Financial Officer MJ Morrow said as she encouraged all to sign. Children from the Child Development Center made their mark with a handprint in brightly colored paint, and some Kennedy School students used their thumbprint as their marking.

Once three beams were signed, a crane hoisted them into the air and into place in the roof hatch area of the building. The signatures and markings will be visible to those accessing the roof.

As attendees gathered for the beam raising, Catholic Charities President and CEO Jim Malloy praised the staff of Coakley & Williams for their enthusiasm for the project, and he thanked Bill Conway and the Bedford Falls Foundation for a generous donation that has helped the education center become a reality. He also acknowledged Morrow and Chief Operating Officer Patrick Dunne, who planned the project, for their vision.

Barbara Lankster, a longtime employee at the Child Development Center, shared the excitement felt by teachers and other staff members. She said the education center “will not just be a building but a beacon in the community” signifying Catholic Charities’ values in creating high-quality care and education.

Being built in D.C.’s Ward 5, the education center will be home to the Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy School for children and young adults with developmental differences, and the Child Development Center. The new facility is expected to open in spring 2026.

Designed by A Complete Unknown architects, the innovative center was developed with input from teachers and school administrators to meet the evolving needs of children. The center will accommodate 50 students each at the school and the Child Development Center.

Both programs currently operate in a 1950’s-era building on the same property and are ready to begin a new chapter in a modern facility.