By Karen Gutierrez
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Randy Neises president of the Holy Trinity School Board, stands atop a wall beneath decorative plaster on the ceiling of the old St. Stephen School on Washington Avenue in Newport. The ceiling was uncovered during renovation. The Cincinnati Enquirer/PATRICK REDDY

NEWPORT - Randy Nieses couldn't believe it. Uncovering the original ceiling of the old St. Stephen School was like visiting a beautiful shipwreck from long ago.

There, hidden away for 50 years, was an elaborate design of corn husks, leaves, flowers and fruits, cast in plaster 20 feet overhead.

In the '40s, the second floor of the school at 840 Washington Ave. had been a ballroom, Nieses said. His father used to sell Coca-Cola during events there.

"A lot of the people who knew it was here didn't know it was in such good shape," Nieses said.

Now he wants to preserve the view for future generations. As president of the Holy Trinity School Board, which will open Holy Trinity Junior High in the building this fall, he's seeking donations of about $125,000 to keep at least part of the ceiling uncovered.

The renovation itself is full of emotion and history for the Catholic community of Bellevue, Dayton and Newport.

Holy Trinity Elementary School and Junior High represent the last Catholic grade schools in the three cities. As their populations declined, seven parishes merged into three, and together, they support the two schools.

Renovation of the abandoned Washington Avenue building was necessary because Holy Trinity Junior High can't remain in its current location at the former St. Francis Church in the Wiedemann Hill area. The city of Newport has purchased that property to make way for development.

The St. Stephen building dates to 1912. When work is complete, it will house a state-of-the-art junior high and the award-winning Holy Trinity Child Development Center.

Much of the $4 million price tag has come from community donations, sales of church properties and a contribution from the Diocese of Covington, but $600,000 remains to be raised.

"This is what people have made all the sacrifices for," says Father Rick Bolte, the priest at Holy Spirit Church across the street from the building.

Nieses wants to honor all the old, bygone parishes by displaying their artifacts in the newly renovated school and naming hallways after them.

And he wants to make the ceiling as beautiful as it was long ago. It will inspire students, he says, and symbolize the endurance of Catholic education.

Donations can be made to "United As One," 225 Division St., Bellevue, KY 41073. For more information, call (859) 292-0487.

E-mail kgutierrez@enquirer.com