John Piccione ’76 and Dr. Noreen Ferrante
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John Piccione ’76 and Dr. Noreen Ferrante are proud to give back to St. Sebastian’s, the School that laid a strong foundation for John during his days as an Arrow. His parents, a maintenance man and a seamstress who immigrated from Italy to the US in 1955, made sacrifices to provide John and his brother, Anthony ’80, with better opportunities than they had. The lessons learned and values solidified while on Nonantum Hill have stayed with John throughout his career as a lawyer and as a father of four children.
Noreen noted the way John has talked about his high school since they first met while studying at Harvard: “It’s very clear that St. Sebastian’s has a special place in his heart. At the events I’ve come to, I’m very impressed with what I see; it’s a lot of what I see in John—not just a very intelligent man who was educated quite well, but a heart of gold with his priorities in the right place—and I think that’s not just his parents, but the education he received supporting that.”
Through his involvement as a Trustee for the past seven years, John has been given a more in-depth opportunity to see the value of a St. Sebastian’s education for today’s students. He and Noreen are pleased that the school has stayed true to its mission and ideals. “In an ever-increasing secular world, I see the school as a beacon for people who want to preserve a certain set of values, who believe in loving one another and helping one another.”
The Picciones want to see more boys given the chance John had by helping St. Sebastian’s to strengthen its endowment. When they became parents over 30 years ago, they purchased a life insurance policy to cover college tuition in the event of John’s death and thankfully, the policy was never needed. They recently chose to donate the policy, which has built up a significant value, to St. Sebastian’s, receiving a tax deduction for their charitable contribution. The School, in turn, surrendered the policy for the cash value, providing a tangible benefit that can be realized immediately. The proceeds of their gift have been used to establish the Piccione Family Fund, making a St. Sebastian’s education more accessible through financial aid.
“We hope our gift will inspire others to think about making a similar type of gift that allows the school to put the funds to work today while continuing to build the endowment for future Arrows,” shared John. As members of the Monsignor Charles D. McInnis Society, the Picciones join a growing number of alumni, parents, and grandparents who have chosen to support the School through thoughtful and strategic estate planning.
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