Academic & Environmental Initiatives
Chuck and Teresa Bartels Family Garden
Goal: $500,000
Set to open in spring 2025, the Chuck and Teresa Bartels Family Garden will honor Chuck Bartels and his family for their remarkable four-decade commitment to the Carmel Catholic community. Set in the largest courtyard on campus, adjacent to the science wing, this innovative outdoor space will feature distinct areas that can function as a life science lab, offering hands-on experiences in biodiversity and ecology. A serene 100-ft. river will flow through the garden, enlivening a dynamic ecosystem that invites exploration. Four outdoor classrooms, named for additional major benefactors of the Campaign, will create engaging environments for collaborative learning, allowing students to meaningfully connect with nature. The garden will also include a butterfly garden intended to spark curiosity in biology.
Chuck’s son, Chris Bartels ’89, an accomplished landscape architect, has designed and overseen this special project alongside local expert landscaping company Martin John.
“The students will literally get their hands dirty,” explains Dr. Brad Bonham, President. “They will be able to go outside and experience both biology and student life in this beautiful setting.”
The garden will pay homage to Our Lady of Guadalupe, celebrating education and faith. “Our Lady of Guadalupe is alive at Carmel Catholic in the hope and encouragement she brings to our students, the devotion and dedication she inspires in our alumni and supporters, and her constant presence and intercession for our community,” said Marisue Lacher, Campaign Chairperson. For this reason, Our Lady of Guadalupe has served as the Campaign’s patron saint.
Beyond academics and surrounded by quotes from Saints, this tranquil space will serve as a retreat where students can unwind, socialize, and share a snack.
By transforming a formerly underutilized space, Carmel Catholic believes the garden will shape many new paths for Corsairs to connect in meaningful ways. It will promote well-being and reduce stress, becoming a sanctuary where students can grow spiritually, academically, and personally.
A transformative, anonymous donation has made the Bartels Family Garden possible.
Academic Excellence and Environmental Sustainability
Goal: $2 Million
The Chuck and Teresa Bartels Family Garden will be the cornerstone of a comprehensive effort to prioritize sustainability across the campus and bolster environmental understanding and learning in science classes. As Carmel Catholic undertakes renovation of its campus in this Campaign, plans call for using energy-efficient materials and methods. The school’s founders, the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Order of Carmelites, share the Church’s call to live in a caring relationship with all creation.
A major highlight of this initiative involves the installation of a $1 million solar array on our campus roofs. In addition to being eco-friendly, the effort is also expected to create significant financial savings.
“The introduction of solar energy at Carmel Catholic is an evolutionary step toward caring for our common home,” Carmelite Prior Provincial Fr. Carl Markelz, O.Carm. says. “This vibrant and loving school community continues to move forward in the 21st century, recognizing that we need to take steps now to ensure the future sustainability of our earth and ensure the future of the next generation of Corsairs.”
Other improvements include funding academic and extracurricular programming related to green initiatives, developing the aforementioned outdoor spaces into hands-on learning labs, and establishing an endowment to provide for maintenance and longevity.
