• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Keegan Preis followed his father, Kyrle Preis III, left, and his grandfather, Kyrle Preis Jr., through St. Stephen School in northeastern Baltimroe County. An eight-grader, Keegan will next join his brother, Kyrle IV, at Loyola Blakefield in the fall. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Family links to Bradshaw school go back to 1940s

April 26, 2017
By Lisa Harlow
Filed Under: Eastern Vicariate, Local News, News, Schools

When Keegan Preis walks down the aisle at the graduation ceremony for St. Stephen School’s class of 2017 in June, it will be a bittersweet moment for his family.

Keegan is a third-generation graduate, ending – for now – the long list of Preis students who have walked the halls of the parish school in Bradshaw over the past seven decades.

He follows his brother Kyrle IV, from the class of 2013, and sister Ashley, ’08. Their father, Kyrle III, graduated in 1980, along with his siblings Maria (Preis) Bulla, ’79; Joseph, ’82; and Daniel, ’83.

Their father, Kyrle Jr., 86 and a daily Mass attendee at the parish with his wife, Dolly, since they retired in 1988, graduated from St. Stephen when it had a high school, in 1952.

“I place tremendous value on my education,” said Kyrle III, who went on to The John Carroll School in Bel Air. “I have a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, but I think that my primary and secondary education was really the most important to me. What my father and mother did, what sacrifices they made in life for me to go to school – I will never be able to repay them.

“Catholic school is more than just a uniform. It prepares you for life and teaches accountability and responsibilities. My kids have a certain awareness and understanding of how special their education is. They are thankful that we have been able to provide them with a Catholic education.”

Kyrle III said the physical footprint of the St. Stephen campus is pretty much the same since he attended in the 1970s, but there have been many infrastructure and technology upgrades, such as air conditioning, smart boards, laptops and WiFi.

“It hasn’t changed, but it has changed,” said Kyrle III, president of the St. Stephen Fathers’ Club, which has been responsible for helping to fund many of the upgrades. “I’m happy to be a part of such a great group of men. It is a blessing that they are so dedicated to the school and have been able to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in addition to numerous in-kind services.”

Kyrle III, assistant chief of the Baltimore County Fire Department, believes that St. Stephen, which is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year, has thrived because of its family-like atmosphere, as well as the quality of education it delivers.

“We are blessed for the product we can offer at an attractive price point,” Kyrle III said. “We work hard to make the tuition affordable. Our motto is Faith, Values, Education. That is what St. Stephen is all about. I always say, St. Stephen looks out for us.”

Mary Patrick, the principal, elaborated.

“St. Stephen School has a long tradition of drawing families into the parish life and community,” she said. “Most of our current families acknowledge a connection with a former neighbor, family member or friend who attended St. Stephen School and continues to sing its praises.

“What a wonderful testimony to the Sisters of St. Francis and the numerous dedicated teachers who taught (here).”

Keegan will join Kyrle IV at Loyola Blakefield, but their father said, “St. Stephen will always be a huge part of my life. It’s home. I feel comfortable there – as comfortable as I feel in my mom and dad’s house.”

“We are hopeful that one day we will have grandchildren who will be there,” he said. “I absolutely will always be involved with the Fathers’ Club. We have a whole lot more to accomplish.”

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Lisa Harlow

Lisa Harlow is a freelance writer for the Catholic Review. A Baltimore native, Lisa has more than 20 years of experience in journalism and public relations and has been honored by the Maryland Delaware D.C. Press Association and the Public Relations Society of America.

Lisa is graduate of The Catholic High School of Baltimore. She holds a master's degree in professional writing from Towson University, and she is a parishioner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Essex, where her son attends school.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Pathfinders: Five Archdiocese of Baltimore women who made history
  • RADIO INTERVIEW: Dining with the Saints
  • Fire guts historic Catholic school in parish connected to St. John Neumann
  • Sister Elizabeth Ellen Kane, O.S.F., dies at 81
  • Legendary communist-era priest, Father Blachnicki, was murdered, Polish authorities confirm

| Latest Local News |

Catholic Charities’ William J. McCarthy Jr. named Loyola’s Business Leader of the Year

Sister Joan Cooper, O.S.F., dies at 94

Pathfinders: Five Archdiocese of Baltimore women who made history

| Latest World News |

Vatican envoy warns UN General Assembly racism mutating and ‘reemerging’ globally

‘We all need to do more’: House hearing demands action over Nicaragua regime’s anti-Catholic persecution

Notre Dame Cathedral reopening date announced as reconstruction on its famous spire wraps up in eastern France

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • An invitation from God
  • Vatican envoy warns UN General Assembly racism mutating and ‘reemerging’ globally
  • ‘We all need to do more’: House hearing demands action over Nicaragua regime’s anti-Catholic persecution
  • Notre Dame Cathedral reopening date announced as reconstruction on its famous spire wraps up in eastern France
  • AI and the meaning of life: Tech industry turns to religious leaders
  • Movie Review: ‘John Wick: Chapter 4, a festival of fatality’
  • Pope calls European bishops to be prophetic voices for peace
  • En la frontera de México y EE.UU., defensores de migrantes que buscan asilo hacen un llamado a la acción
  • At U.S.-Mexico border, migrants’ advocates call for action on U.S. asylum policy

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED