Congratulations to our partners at St. Joseph Catholic Schools in Ogden, Utah! On October 8, FOX 13's Good Day Utah named St. Joseph its Cool School of the Week. Reporter Darienne DeBrule spent a morning on campus, and the segment captured what we've long admired about this community: strong faith, real academic rigor, and a place where every student is known.

Faith, rigor, and attention for every student

St. Joseph serves families from Pre-K through high school. The FOX 13 team highlighted how the school pairs faith-based education with challenging academics, while giving each student individual attention.

That attention starts at the front door. At the elementary school, Principal Jean Synowicki greets students as they arrive each morning.

Learning by doing

Hands-on learning runs through every grade. During the visit, 6th graders studying ancient Mesopotamia weren't just reading about city-states. They were running them, drafting their own laws and writing diplomatic messages to neighboring city-states.

"When kids simulate history, they tend to learn it a lot better," said Mr. Kelson, 6th-grade teacher and assistant principal.

Older students are building, too. In another classroom, students were designing 3D-printed statues of Catholic saints, a project that brings faith and technology into the same lesson.

A school that feels like family

Ask St. Joseph students what makes their school special, and they talk about each other. Students told FOX 13 that the school feels like a family, where everyone is friends and everyone knows one another.

High school principal Clay Jones described that spirit as a two-way street: a community where people support each other and look out for one another. He credits that culture as the foundation of the strong community St. Joseph has built.

Recognized by the community

To close the morning, Granite Credit Union joined FOX 13 on campus to present St. Joseph with a donation recognizing the school's hard work. Spencer Carver, Granite's Director of Marketing, praised the creativity and ingenuity he saw in St. Joseph's students.

Why this matters to us

At Cobalt Ed, we partner with schools like St. Joseph because they show what private, faith-based education can do for a child. Simulated history lessons, saints brought to life with 3D printers, and a principal who knows every face at the door: these are the details families feel long before they see a test score.

We're proud to stand alongside the St. Joseph faculty, staff, and families, and we're grateful to FOX 13 and Granite Credit Union for shining a light on their work.

Watch the full Cool School segment on FOX 13.

See St. Joseph for yourself

Thinking about a Catholic education for your child? Utah families may qualify for up to $8,000* per student through the Utah Fits All Scholarship. Schedule a tour of St. Joseph Catholic Schools to see the classrooms and meet the community in person.

Schedule a Tour

*Scholarship amounts are not guaranteed and may change based on program funding and eligibility.

‍