CRISTO REY ORANGE County Catholic High School, with its unique model that gives students from families with limited resources the opportunity to receive a college preparatory Catholic education with professional work experience, is beginning its second school year in Orange County.
CRISTO REY ORANGE COUNTY STUDENTS AMALIA O., LAURA R. AND THE SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH TEAM DURING DRAFT DAY HELD ON AUG. 23 AT ANGEL STADIUM. PHOTO COURTESY OF CRISTO REY ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Cristo Rey students work one full day a week during the school year for one of the school’s corporate partners. In exchange, students earn a portion of their tuition and gain work experience while building a professional resume before graduating high school.
The model is working.
Cristo Rey has seen enrollment in its Orange County high school spike from 60 students in its first year to 145 this year. The number of Corporate Partners has also increased from 29 to 43.
The Catholic high school on West McFadden Avenue in Santa Ana is Cristo Rey’s first in Orange County and one of 40 Cristo Rey schools across the country. The national network chain of schools began in Chicago in 1996.
A highlight for Cristo Rey students and their families is Draft Day, a joyful, festive event where the students take the stage in front of cheering relatives and supporters after being “drafted” by their corporate partners. With a major league baseball field serving as a backdrop, this year’s Draft Day took place on Aug. 23 at Angel Stadium.
“It’s been amazing honestly because I’ve been able to be part of a Catholic education which I wouldn’t have been able to be a part of,” said Cristo Rey sophomore Amalia O., who was drafted by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange for the second year in row. “And it’s a lot less stress on my parents and I’m able to join all these extracurriculars and clubs and things like that without having to worry about having to pay for it. So, it’s been great.”
Between work-study and donations, most Cristo Rey families pay less than $1,000 per year per child, Cristo Rey Orange County President Stephen Holte said. Cristo Rey also has a fundraising program to raise money for scholarships and support that extend beyond graduation and into higher education.
“Today is especially a day to celebrate, not just the faculty and students, but our community and it’s exciting to look ahead to the future of our first chapter,” Holte said. “It’s a celebration for the hard work and the first jobs, whether that’s the job of scooping burgers, or stocking shelves, these first jobs are the foundation of our work experience.”
Of the12,000 students across the country in Cristo Rey schools, 99% of them get accepted to college, Holte said. Corporate partners include Farmers & Merchants Bank, Northgate Markets, OC Catholic Schools, Sisters of St. Joseph and Catholic Charities of Orange County.
“I just think the way they’ve designed this program is so thoughtful and it’s really a way to partner but also to give back,” said Laura Ramos, CEO of Providence St. Jude who is drafting Cristo Rey students for the first time. “It’s really just such a great approach to exposing children that are really trying to find out what they want do with their future and with their careers.”