Introduction to the Crisis
Preston High School in Throggs Neck showed an outpouring of gratitude to the Chair of Bally’s Corporation Soo Kim on Wednesday for his role in rescuing the cherished all-girls Catholic high school from its impending closure at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year. At the final PTA meeting of the year, students and administrators presented Kim with an official Preston High School sweatshirt, effectively inducting the executive into the close-knit ranks of the school community, which has become a cornerstone of the Throggs Neck neighborhood.
The Road to Rescue
Kim was instrumental in facilitating the $8.5 million deal by the Bally’s Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bally’s Corp., to purchase the Preston property from its landowners, the Sisters of the Divine Compassion. The sisters announced in February—much to the surprise of teachers and students—that they were shutting the school down for good in order to sell the property. Bally’s, which currently operates the nearby public golf course at Ferry Point Park and is pursuing plans to build a casino and resort at the site, stepped in through its foundation to acquire the property—effectively giving Preston High School a new lease on life.
Community Efforts
The head of the gaming giant told families at the PTA meeting that the deal with Bally’s Foundation would never have been possible without students, families, teachers, and alumnae organizing a months-long campaign – which garnered national attention – to #SavePreston. “The reality is, all of you together helped save this school,” Kim said. “May the best days of the school be ahead of it. I think the future is bright. Not the very least of which is that we’re going to be right here with you as well.”
The Victory
The victory was fueled by the relentless advocacy of the Preston community, whose supporters refused to take “no” for an answer. It was later revealed—prompting widespread frustration—that the Sisters had announced the closure after withdrawing from a previous agreement to sell the property to the school. Students, parents, staff, and alumnae pushed back against the religious order’s claim that declining enrollment and poor financial health justified closing the school, which has served the community since 1947.
Personal Stories of Impact
For Alivia Toapha, a rising junior, the news meant she would have to find a new school, an awful thought for a student in the Preston Players theater club and the National Honor Society. “In middle school, I was shy, I was quiet,” Toapha said in an interview with the Bronx Times. “And here I really blossomed as a person. So having to move to a new school was genuinely going to just flip my world upside down.” Ava Toapha, Alivia’s younger sister, had already been accepted to join the incoming freshman class for the 2025–2026 school year. She described the emotional turmoil of watching her future at Preston suddenly slip away.
Bally’s Involvement
When Kim learned that the school was slated to close, he said he knew the Bally’s Foundation could help. Bally’s first developed a relationship with Preston High School last year after hosting an event at the school with the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) encouraging young women to take up golfing. Since then, Kim told the Bronx Times that Bally’s had been looking for more ways to get involved in the surrounding community. “We’ve said that we are good neighbors,” Kim said. “But you don’t always have an opportunity to do as you say. In this case, it just so happened that we were able to show people that we mean what we say.”
The Agreement
Although Bally’s hopes to win one of three downstate gaming licenses and develop a casino complex next to its Ferry Point golf course, Kim told the Bronx Times that the project had little impact on his desire to help Preston. “We operate the golf course,” Kim said. “We’re gonna be here for years, for decades. So, this is the least we can do.” The foundation even promised to address the sisters’ concerns about the aging building, adding an additional $1.5 million to revitalize the building and offering to lease the property to the school for $1 a year for 25 years, with a buyout offer.
Community Reaction
Students, parents, staff, and alumnae were overjoyed by the news that Preston would remain open. Principal Jennifer Connolly told the Bronx Times at Wednesday’s PTA meeting that saving the school was personal to her. “As an alum, I know the importance of a Preston education,” she said. “I know what it means to be a Preston woman and go out in the world. The knowledge that we can do that for generations to come is amazing.”
Future Plans
Preston, however, has gained a powerful new ally. Kim told the Bronx Times that Bally’s partnership with the school was only just beginning, pledging to support its continued growth and success. “People will always think of us as Preston succeeds, so that means we need to make sure Preston succeeds,” Kim said. Connolly was straightforward, but reassuring with members of the PTA, saying that the administration was focused on “protecting our student enrollment” and working to maintain “historic levels of financial support for Preston families.”
Conclusion
The rescue of Preston High School is a testament to the power of community and the importance of preserving institutions that provide quality education and a strong sense of community. The school’s uncertain future in recent months has had an impact on future enrollment, but with Bally’s support, the school is poised for continued growth and success. As Toapha said, “It was genuinely a weight off of all of our shoulders. We can finally breathe. Now we can focus on our school. We can focus on the future.”
FAQs
Q: Why was Preston High School facing closure?
A: Preston High School was facing closure due to the Sisters of the Divine Compassion’s decision to sell the property, citing declining enrollment and poor financial health.
Q: Who helped save the school?
A: The Bally’s Foundation, led by Soo Kim, helped save the school by purchasing the property from the Sisters of the Divine Compassion for $8.5 million.
Q: What was the community’s role in saving the school?
A: The community, including students, parents, staff, and alumnae, organized a months-long campaign to #SavePreston, which garnered national attention and helped bring attention to the school’s plight.
Q: What are Bally’s plans for the school?
A: Bally’s has pledged to support the school’s continued growth and success, and has promised to address the sisters’ concerns about the aging building by adding an additional $1.5 million to revitalize the building and offering to lease the property to the school for $1 a year for 25 years, with a buyout offer.
Q: What does the future hold for Preston High School?
A: With Bally’s support, the school is poised for continued growth and success, and will continue to provide quality education and a strong sense of community to its students.
