When the new St. Martin de Porres High School, Waukegan, opens in August 2004, it will join a network of Cristo Rey Model high schools that have made possible a Catholic education for students who might otherwise not afford it.

Announced by the Archdiocese of Chicago May 1, the new Catholic high school will include rigorous academics and business internships. The internships, in large part, keep the tuition affordable.

The following provides information about the Cristo Rey model and tells the story of each of the schools already operating according to these standards in the U.S.

The Cristo Rey Network and
The Cassin Educational Initiative Foundation (CEIF)

The Cristo Rey Network is a national association of high schools that provide quality, Catholic, college-preparatory education to low-income students. Member schools have their own unique identities but are characterized by a curriculum that is tailored to the students' needs. At the heart of Cristo Rey's mission is the commitment to maximize the potential of its graduates. In turn, the hope is that these students will participate more fully and assume their role as leaders in service of the civic, business and cultural life of their cities and the nation.

The mission of the Network is to:
· Sponsor opportunities for school leaders and faculty to share ideas and information.
· Provide training and assistance to groups interested in establishing Cristo Rey model schools.
· Help promote a program of on-going spiritual formation for students, faculty, staff, and board members for the member schools.
· Seek to assure professional development programs for personnel of member schools.
· Link member schools to one another.
· Assist schools in the start-up phase by helping with details of the work-study program, budgeting, scheduling, accounting and other matters.
· Collect and analyzes data in order to determine the model's effectiveness.

Cristo Rey schools serve economically disadvantaged students, i.e., those young people who otherwise would not have the means to attend a private high school. For example, 92 percent of the students at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program, which is open to students whose family income is less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level. The median family income at Cristo Rey is $29,000 for an average family size of four. Other Cristo Rey Network schools have similar economic profiles for their students.

Perhaps the most interesting and innovative element of the Cristo Rey Network is the Corporate Internship Program developed in 1996 by Cristo Rey Jesuit High School of Chicago. The Cristo Rey model includes a unique work-study program through which students finance most of their education by sharing entry-level, clerical jobs at area businesses and organizations. Each student attends five full days of work each month, while class and work schedules are designed so students are never required to miss one for the other. The program also takes a great financial burden off the shoulders of lower-income families who still want to provide a quality, Catholic education for their children.

In addition to its financial benefits, the program introduces young people to new learning opportunities and provides the local business community with a means to make a difference in urban neighborhoods. The program has evolved into an innovative means of providing students with hands-on, white-collar work experience, while simultaneously empowering them to take an active part in financing their education. As a result of working in the business environment, students acquire desirable job experience, a strong work ethic, marketable skills, develop a network of business contacts, and gain exposure to a wide variety of career opportunities.

Cassin Educational Initiative Foundation (CEIF)

After witnessing the great success of the flagship Cristo Rey Network High School, B.J. Cassin, a graduate of Holy Cross Jesuit College, became the Network's most generous benefactor and supporter. When he visited the Chicago school in 2000, the California venture capitalist had just completed his second term on the board of trustees for St. Mary's College in Moraga, California. During his time at St. Mary's, Cassin became concerned with the disproportionately small number of young people from low-income urban areas attending college, but was unsure of how to make a difference.

While visiting the four-year old Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, the fact that more than 80 percent of Cristo Rey graduates went on to college was very impressive and gave Cassin a sense of hope for the future of urban education. One day after his visit, Cassin contacted school officials and announced the formation of the Cassin Educational Initiative Foundation (CEIF). Inspired by the vision of Cristo Rey, Cassin and his wife established the foundation with a gift of $22 million.

The CEIF is an incubator for Cristo Rey model schools around the country. It awards planning or feasibility study grants and grants for start-up operating costs to members of the network. Most Cristo Rey schools need approximately $2 million in the first three to four years to cover the shortfall between operating costs and revenue from the work-study program and tuition. Thus, it is critical that schools secure financial support from other sources that can match the Cassin Foundation's commitment.

The Cassin Educational Initiative Foundation also works with other religious orders, dioceses and parishes seeking to establish faith-based schools in economically challenged communities throughout the country. It requires that interested schools be based on the models of either Cristo Rey Jesuit High School of Chicago or the Nativity Prep/San Miguel middle schools, in which volunteers and highly trained educators serve at-risk, low-income youth.

Concern that many American young people living in under-resourced urban areas are not receiving the education they need and deserve was one of the greatest factors when Cassin founded the CEIF. He noted this disparity helps to create enormous problems for our society and the foundation now supports efforts to improve public education as well. The CEIF maintains the belief, however, the private religious institutions have an enormously positive impact on life and culture within the United States and that making religious education accessible to all students can help to break the cycle of poverty.

Due to the success of the Cristo Rey model Arrupe Jesuit High School in Denver, Cristo Rey High School in New York City and San Miguel High School in Tucson are all set to open within the next year. Feasibility studies are also being performed in, Boston, MA, and Lawrence, MA in hopes of establishing Cristo Rey Network schools in those communities. On May 1, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced the opening of St. Martin de Porres High School in August 2004.

The following tells the stories of the current Cristo Rey model high schools.

De La Salle North Catholic High School - Portland

After three decades without a strong Catholic educational presence in the North Portland area, growing interest and demand within the community prompted the founding of De La Salle North Catholic High School. With the assistance of community members and corporate sponsors, the school opened in the fall of 2001, and became only the second in the nation to follow the pioneering Cristo Rey model.

At the time of school's founding, the city of Portland was in dire of both Catholic education and of a new approach to both teaching and learning. District public schools were struggling to make the grade and dropout rates were soaring. With the opening of De La Salle North Catholic, low-income and minority students were provided with the quality, values-based education they deserved complete with new and innovative methods to keep them active in their education.

Although the school has many interesting and unique attributes, its college- preparatory curriculum and corporate internship program draw the most attention. Based on the Cristo Rey model developed in Chicago's Pilsen/Little Village neighborhood, the internship program helps offset students' tuition costs while offering them experience in a professional environment. By attending classes four days a week and working for a corporate sponsor for one, students are able to earn a great deal of their school tuition, lessening the burden on their families and making Catholic education possible.

The Cristo Rey model is a wonderful example of community involvement in Catholic education. Corporate sponsors such as Nike, Providence Medical Center, The Ronald McDonald House and the University of Portland contract directly with the school's St. Joseph the Worker Corporate Internship Program to fill clerical and professional positions within their offices. The wages earned by student workers cover roughly 70 percent of tuition costs and are paid directly to De La Salle, allowing the school to keep tuition far lower than the usual rates. Each job is shared by a group of four students; each working one full day a week at the job site and attending classes the rest. The school days and year are extended and designed so all students are able to attend a full year's worth of school.

Special attention is also paid to how well students perform in the workplace. Prior to beginning the work program the students attend a specialized training program to practice the skills they'll be required to use. During the intensive two- week course students learn about appearance, behavior, communication, eye contact, first impressions and accountability. In addition to job skills, the program aims to give students a sense of responsibility and self-confidence. Throughout the year students regularly meet with the Worker Program staff and discuss their progress both in classes as well as their workplace.

Corporate internships are valuable not only for students, but also for the companies who employ them. Instead of paying more than $6,000 per year to attend De La Salle North Catholic, families contribute amounts closer to $2,000 with additional financial aid options. Sponsoring companies also benefit from the program as they end up paying the students less than they would a regular worker. The idea of a mutually beneficial partnership is important to De La Salle Corporate Internship Director Mike Jacobson. "The goal is to have sponsors see the value in the program. Not only are they hiring workers at less cost, they're making a difference in the community," Jacobson said.

Although many community members and sponsors have worked to make the school a success, the most credit is due to the De La Salle Christian Brothers. The order was founded by 17th-century aristocrat John Baptiste De La Salle, who encouraged lay men to devote their lives to teaching children who lacked opportunities afforded to the rich. Now dedicated exclusively to the education of young people, the De La Salle Christian Brothers are the largest order of non-clerical men in the Catholic Church.

Keeping with their desire to educate the needy, the Lasallian Brothers actively recruit students who, for financial reasons, never considered the possibility of a Catholic education. The California-based Cassin Foundation provided additional assistance in getting the school on its feet as well. The Foundation has granted the school more than $600,000 to fund the internship program and general operating costs.

In just the few short years the De La Salle School has been in operation, enrollment has grown and surpassed expectations. The success of the college preparatory curriculum and the internship program is drawing many new students and the outlook is very promising.

Juan Diego Catholic High School - Austin

Located in Austin, Texas, Juan Diego Catholic High School is a coeducational, college preparatory school established by the Archdiocese of Austin. The school, which follows the Cristo Rey model developed in Chicago's Pilsen/Little Village neighborhood, provides hardworking students with a demanding liberal arts curriculum, an array of extra-curricular activities and an opportunity earn their tuition while gaining valuable real world experience.

The school was heralded as the most dramatic innovation in Catholic education in years to come to Austin and admitted its first freshman class in the fall of 2002. Juan Diego has made its mission to give students practical work experience while making quality faith-based education affordable to families who, in the past, might have found Catholic high schools too expensive.

As a part of the school's college preparatory curriculum, students participate in a work study program like that of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and De La Salle North Catholic High School in Portland. In addition to taking classes four days per week students are able to provide 70 percent of their own tuition by working one day each week for a corporate sponsor. Austin companies and organizations such as Dell Computers, Seton Hospital, The Office of Immigrant Concerns, and St. Edward's University hire a group of four students for one entry level position to be shared among them, each student working one day of the week. Being in the workplace gives students another type of learning opportunity as they experience the American economy and professional opportunities. The students also benefit financially from their work-study positions as their earnings are paid directly to Juan Diego, helping to keep tuition costs to low $2,200 per year for all students.

Although there is a strong focus on performance in the work place, there is an even greater emphasis on academics. Class sizes at Juan Diego are capped off at 25 students so that everyone may receive the individual help and attention they require. School-based tutoring and mentor programs further enhance the personal attention given to each student. The curriculum is fairly demanding and includes both English and Spanish, science, mathematics, social studies, theology, fine arts, computer applications and physical education. In addition to their usual class loads students are also able to participate in athletics, music, theatre arts, student government, retreats, liturgies and community service activities. Juan Diego strives to make sure all learning experiences take place in an environment that values prayer, mutual respect, service to others, and reverence for the Lord

The new Catholic school was named for a 16th century Mexican man who received a vision of the Virgin Mary at Guadalupe and owes much of it's success to the Cassin Foundation. The California-based foundation blessed the young school with a $700,000 grant and strongly believes in the work of these innovative Catholic institutions.

Verbum Die High School - Los Angeles

When Verbum Dei High School in Los Angeles was in danger of closing due to lack of funds and decreasing enrollment, the school decided to take charge and adopted a model that had been proving successful for several pioneering schools across the US. The old Verbum Die did close its doors and opened them again in 2002 as a completely different institution.

Taking a cue from the thriving Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago's low-income Pilsen/Little Village neighborhood, Verbum Dei instituted a work-study program which allows students to provide approximately 70 percent of their own tuition costs. As in Cristo Rey students attend classes at Verbum Dei four days a week and work for a corporate sponsor such as Meryll Lynch, Compton Superior Court, Loyola Marymount College or Good Samaritan Hospital one day each week. Working in a group of four, students share one entry-level position for which they are paid roughly $25,000 per year. The corporate sponsors then forward these earnings back into the school to help keep tuition steady at $2,200. Families still unable to meet this expense are able to receive other sources of financial aid as well.

Founded by Bishop Joseph Francis of the Missionaries of the Divine Word in 1962, the school was designed to cater to its almost exclusively African American student body and still claims a rich African American heritage today. Over the years, though, the ethnic makeup of the neighborhood changed and the school is now comprised almost equally of African American and Latino young men. Although the composition of the school and its curriculum have undergone some changes, the mission of the school remains the same; to empower its students to fully develop themselves spiritually, intellectually and physically.

Verbum Dei strives to meet the modern educational needs of its students by offering a broad curriculum. In addition to the usual reading, writing and arithmetic, students are able to study advertising design, computer applications and art, economics, global studies, government, religion, Spanish, and pre-calculus. Students are also able to partake in many extracurricular activities such as baseball, cross-country, football, soccer and track and field.

An extended class-scheduling format (67-minute classes) has been instituted to improve educational programs and to enable the students to work while meeting educational requirements. Verbum Dei graduates nearly 100 percent of its students and has consistently sent 80 percent to 90 percent of its graduates on to further education since it's founding.

The Verbum Dei effort, though undertaken chiefly to save the school, comes with an important side benefit: it is expected to give its primarily minority student body an unusual amount of experience and contacts in the business world. The Los Angeles effort is also being closely watched as a possible solution for other urban schools with similar problems.

Compiled by Linsey Coulter
Office of Catholic Schools
Archdiocese of Chicago