2009 Franciscan International Award
Franciscan Retreats is pleased to announce that the Cristo Rey Network of Catholic High Schools is the 2009 recipient of the Franciscan International Award. Fr. John Foley, SJ, the first president of Cristo Rey High School in Chicago, and the current executive Chairman of the Cristo Rey Network, accepted the award at the annual award dinner.
The Cristo Rey Network® is a national association of high schools that provide quality, Catholic, college preparatory education to urban young people who live in communities with limited educational options. Member schools utilize a longer school day and year, academic assistance, and counseling to prepare students with a broad range of academic abilities for college. All students at Cristo Rey Network schools participate in a work study program through which they finance the majority of the cost of their education, gain real world job experience, grow in self-confidence, and realize the relevance of their education.
The Cristo Rey Network of schools was founded in 2001 when leaders from groups in Portland, Oregon, Cleveland, Denver, and New York hoping to replicate Cristo Rey Jesuit High School of Chicago gathered for the first time to learn more about the model school.
The model school, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, was founded in 1996 by a group of visionary Chicago Province Jesuits who weren't afraid to take a risk in an effort to serve students in Pilsen & Little Village, a pair of predominantly Latino immigrant neighborhoods on the Lower West Side of Chicago. Fr. John P. Foley, SJ, was named President of the Chicago school in 1996 and served for eight years. During his tenure, he oversaw the effort to establish the school, hiring of all personnel, student recruitment, and the construction of 150,000 square feet of classroom and recreation space. Father Foley raised more than $26 million during this eight year term and left Cristo Rey Jesuit High School with a $2 million endowment. More importantly, he established the tradition and spirit of a school that has become a national model. In January of 2005, he assumed the presidency of the Cristo Rey Network and is responsible for managing its day-to-day programs and activities.
Fr. Foley has received three Honorary Doctorates in recognition of being the Founder of the first Cristo Rey School—Georgetown University, Fordham University and Marquette University. The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) awarded Father Foley the Seton Award in 2007. Fr. Foley was featured in Fast Company in April 2006 and named in Newsweek’s “Who's Next” for 2007.
During the 2008-09 school year, 5,003 students are enrolled in 22 Cristo Rey schools, which are located in Baltimore, Birmingham, Brooklyn, Cambridge (MA), Chicago (2), Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City (MO), Lawrence (MA), Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Newark (NJ), New York City, Omaha, Portland (OR), Sacramento, Tucson, Washington, DC and Waukegan (IL). Ninety-two percent of the students are racial minorities, and the average family income of this year's 9th grade class is $33,766. Ninety-eight percent of last year's graduates enrolled in college in the fall of 2007.
Cristo Rey provides high quality college preparatory education to students who couldn't otherwise afford it through an innovative funding model and Corporate Internship Program that allows students to earn their tuition by working five days each month in local businesses. In a neighborhood where dropout rates exceed 50%, Cristo Rey annually sends well over 90% of its graduates to college.
