The DayBreak Blog, this week featuring: The Cristo Rey New York High School. Cristo Rey NY High School will hold its annual Magic of Cristo Rey event on May 23rd, 2023 at The Bryant Park Grill – and it will be a celebration. At this annual event, professionals from around the tri-state area are invited to come, meet a few students, and hear about the school’s mission – from the inspiring young people who have experienced it firsthand. The idea is that old and new donors alike can witness the MAGIC of a Cristo Rey education. Join us to see how the magic is growing!
Cristo Rey NY High School will be honoring the entire Class of 2023 and – for a second consecutive year – all of the seniors will be present at the event to announce their final college decisions. Every one of the 86 soon-to-be graduates has been accepted to a four-year college or university – another bit of MAGIC that happens every year at Cristo Rey New York. In the extraordinary school’s 19-year history, 99% of their graduates have gone on to attend college – and Cristo Rey’s alumni are five times as likely to graduate from college as students from similarly challenging socioeconomic backgrounds.
Cristo Rey’s mission is to provide a Catholic, co-ed, college preparatory experience to students who do not have the financial means or educational background to attend another private, college prep school. They recruit and serve only students from low-income areas. Cristo Rey’s focus is on cura personalis, care for the whole person, as they provide both an encouraging environment and a rigorous academic program. In the school’s history, Cristo Rey has never raised the tuition of $2,000, though it costs much more to educate each student – this year, more than $21,000.
What sets the Cristo Rey business model apart is their Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP), through which students work one day a week for an employer partner, gaining valuable career experience that puts them above their peers when they move on to college. In response to the pandemic, Cristo Rey’s staff has rebuilt the school’s roster of CWSP partners to nearly full employment of their students. But even with that, CWSP covers 40% of our costs, and tuition and CWSP together provide about half the cost of educating each student. So a sizable gap still remains.
This is where events such as Magic of Cristo Rey make their biggest impact. This event will help cover the cost of educating all the students in the coming year. Come witness what makes the students of Cristo Rey New York High School so special, celebrate their success, and believe in the Magic of Cristo Rey! To join us on May 23rd, visit the event website – please RSVP by May 16th – or make a donation HERE in honor of a Cristo Rey senior or recent alum who attended your alma mater.