2025 Impact Report by Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School

IMPACT REPORT 2025

Cristo Rey Philadelphia MISSION & VALUES

Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School, a college preparatory, Catholic school for students of all faiths, nurtures and challenges young people to recognize and realize their full potential as they learn to love others, grow in their faiths, and serve the common good.

WE BELIEVE

in fostering a culture rooted in respect. Listen to, and recognize the full worth of, others

Pursue new relationships and opportunities

Be inclusive

WE DREAM

of growth, with hard work and resilience as our guides.

WE

LEAD

with integrity, knowing that the next one to lead is watching.

WE SERVE

Develop character to lead a purpose-driven life

Embrace learning and excellence

Accept challenges and seek support when necessary

Practice honesty with yourself and others

Take responsibility for your words and actions

Repair the harm you may have caused

to affirm our commitment to community. Advocate for peace and justice

Cultivate a deeper understanding of your faith and others’

Represent your whole self and encourage others to do the same

Letter from the President

November 2025

Dear Friends of Cristo Rey,

The Cristo Rey Credo, written by Fr. John Foley, founding President of the Cristo Rey Network, serves as a north star across all 41 Cristo Rey Network schools. At Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School, we took inspiration from the Credo as we chose our yearly theme to root us in our mission and guide us in our work. For the 2024-2025 School Year, our theme was Outrageously Bold Hope. The Credo states, “May we have faith in a dream so ambitious as to border on the delusional with a healthy disregard for conventional thinking. May our hope be so outrageously bold that we are afraid people will laugh at us if they knew what we hoped for!”

I believe our Cristo Rey Philadelphia community exhibits Outrageously Bold Hope daily–from our students and families who choose to attend this innovative collegepreparatory model to our teachers who exhibit excellence in the classroom in their instruction and unconventional thinking to our Work-Study Program that partners with the best companies in the Greater Philadelphia Area to deliver world-class professional work experience to our Student Life team who covers the world outside of the classroom through experiential learning and spiritual guidance. Outrageously Bold Hope is when our students exceed the previously set standard of 3 or above

on an AP Exam. It is our students' pursuit of excellence to ensure they can attend college at little to no cost. Outrageously Bold Hope is the cultivation of a pollinator garden on Allegheny Avenue and winning a Rookie Award in a Robotics competition for grit and determination.

In the following pages, you will see Outrageously Bold Hope come to life through the work of both our students and our team. From the examples above to Cristo Rey Philadelphia’s intentional investment in the success of our teachers and their craft, the Work-Study Program’s growth and impact, and the stories of our alumni, our mission is alive and well in our community.

We deeply appreciate your partnership in our mission. Our work would not be possible without your support. We hope that our 2025 Impact Report gives you additional insight into the bold vision and unique opportunities that you have helped to create at Cristo Rey Philadelphia.

In Blue Pride,

Thomas A. Shoemaker President & CEO

Thomas A. Shoemaker President & CEO

Elizabeth Blessing, M.Ed. Principal

Evelin Román Director of Admissions & Engagement

Kate Reilly Director of Advancement

Porsha Faust Vice President of Corporate Work-Study & Strategic Initiatives

Linwood R. Green III Vice President of Finance & Operations

Rich Pugh Director of Student Life

SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM

WHO ARE WE?

TOTAL ENROLLMENT 519 STUDENTS

$10,149 AVERAGE FAMILY INCOME PER CAPITA

Student ACHIEVEMENTS

Average daily attendance 304

Students achieved a 3.0 GPA or higher 100%

Students took PSAT or SAT 99%

Students attended a retreat

368

Students participated in at least one athletic or extracurricular activity 100%

Students attended a Work-Study networking event

ACADEMICS

INVESTMENT IN ADVANCED PLACEMENT

The growth of Cristo Rey Philadelphia students in AP coursework is directly impacted by the instruction they receive in the classroom. Our dedicated educators engage students at their highest levels of learning, helping them master college-level content and grow in their confidence. That commitment shows in our results: in the 2024-2025 School Year, 60% of students who took AP courses earned a score of 3 or higher on their AP exams–a nationally recognized benchmark of college readiness, which also results in students earning college credits while still in high school. This incredible achievement of growth reflects the combined effort of our teachers and our students and is pictured in the charts below.

AP COURSE OFFERINGS

AP Calculus AB

AP Chemistry

AP English Language and Composition

AP Literature and Composition

AP Physics

AP Pre-Calculus

AP Seminar

AP United States

Government and Politics

AP United States History

As seen in our continued growth of AP test results, Cristo Rey Philadelphia has intentionally invested in the number of Advanced Placement (AP) course offerings and support for our AP instructors over the last five years. An important component of our college-preparatory curriculum, AP courses help equip students for the rigor of collegiate academics, allow students to earn college credits while still in high school, and serve as an external measure for demonstrating readiness for higher education.

For many years, we have offered six AP Courses, with four in the Humanities and two in Math and Science. Fostering access and opportunity for more students to receive exposure to collegiate-level academics, particularly in STEM, we are increasing the number of AP course offerings from six to nine during the 2025-2026 School Year. Our three new courses are AP Pre-Calculus, AP Physics, and AP Seminar: Theology. A course engaging our students in questions of justice, morality, and the common good, our AP Seminar equips our young people with the power to analyze information with accuracy in order to craft compelling arguments.

Investing in our teachers ensures the success of our AP Program expansion. Teaching college-level work as a high school teacher requires deep content knowledge and specialized pedagogy. To prepare our educators for AP instruction, each teacher attends the College Board’s AP Summer Institute (APSI) for their subject area. During Summer 2025, four teachers participated in the APSI. Over the next few years, every AP instructor will complete APSI training, creating shared language and consistent expectations across content teams. When educators are using the same language across grade levels, students better understand the expectations of college-level work beginning their freshman year at Cristo Rey Philadelphia. These professional learning opportunities for our teachers ensure that our students are fully prepared for the demands of AP coursework and, furthermore, college.

CRISTO REY PHILADELPHIA

AP UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

Amanda Carson (pictured, left), Senior Government and AP Government teacher, believes that Cristo Rey Philadelphia students are eager to take AP classes because they are tangible experiences that offer a preview of college.

Ms. Carson encourages students to take charge of their learning. Recognizing that AP courses share a national curriculum, she encourages students to leverage resources beyond her classroom and seek out answers when the coursework is challenging them. She empowers students to utilize the tools created by educators all over the country to seek different ways of understanding. Ms. Carson also teaches students, both in the classroom and during office hours, to understand the AP rubric and how it is used to grade the exam. After gaining this knowledge, the class will conduct self and peer reviews on assignments. Practicing both individually and as a group, allows students to self-correct and fix their mistakes independently, furthering their understanding of concepts they may not have fully grasped the first time around. We know that one factor predicting college success is a student's willingness to seek help outside the classroom, and while she is teaching AP Government, Ms. Carson is ensuring our students hone that practice and skill.

She intentionally incorporates AP pedagogy into her classroom by grading everything on the AP scale so students understand the expectations of collegiate courses. She also does this by administering an annual practice exam so students can understand their opportunities for growth before the AP exam. She has seen students receive a 2 on the practice exam and a 4 on the AP exam, because of the extra work they put in to ensure their success. Due to her instruction, students’ engagement with their learning, and students’ past success on the AP Government exam, Cristo Rey Philadelphia is offering two sections of AP Government for 54 students in the 2025-2026 School Year. This marks the first time we have added a second section and hopefully it is a harbinger for the future as we continue to expand our AP offerings.

AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE & COMPOSITION

Christopher Drajem (pictured, right), Senior English and Junior AP English Language & Composition teacher, feels fortunate to be teaching this course because he believes that his class encourages students to think critically about texts and their relationship to the world by learning skills that are essential for success in college and beyond. At Cristo Rey Philadelphia, we teach our students to advocate for themselves, problem-solve, and engage with our community and Mr. Drajem’s class is an extension of that collective endeavor.

He sets a norm at the beginning of the year with his students: this is a collegelevel class in a college-preparatory school. For Mr. Drajem, having students understand the distinction between college-preparatory and college-level allows him to showcase that our students will be instructed at a collegiate level and are expected to interact with his class as such. With this in mind, Mr. Drajem empowers students to elevate their work to meet the expectations of his class. He grades papers and assignments as a college professor would and expects students to rework their assignments when needed.

In AP English Language & Composition, students are exclusively engaging with non-fiction texts and they are reading and analyzing arguments while also writing their own. Mr. Drajem understands that the skills are difficult and unlike any other English class, because students are expected to examine rhetoric and be critical of communication style. With each reading, they must decipher the author’s purpose and what supports the narrative. His class is set up in a way that requires students to build on their previous knowledge from 9th and 10th grade to guide them through preparation for the exam. Success is evident. During the 2024-2025 School Year, 83% of Mr. Drajem's class earned a 3 or above on the AP exam.

Through this course, Mr. Drajem sets students up for college and beyond, because it forces them to be critical of information they are receiving, be it via book or essay or even their mobile devices, and helps them develop substantial thoughts to engage with the content. As our students navigate the world around us, they will do so with open, yet analytical, minds.

COLLEGE ACCESS & PERSISTENCE

BY THE NUMBERS CLASS OF 2025

$13.1M Total Scholarship Dollars Earned

ALL CRISTO REY PHILADELPHIA GRADUATES

DEGREE ATTAINMENT IN 6 YEARS

1,044 Alumni

69% Graduates Persisting in College (Classes of 2020 through 2025)

SCHOLARSHIPS: PATHWAYS TO AND THROUGH

We build a college-going culture from the moment students set foot on campus, ensuring that every experience prepares them for success beyond high school. Because our goal is “to and through” college, we want to help our students identify their best fit school to encourage their persistence through college graduation. As a result, Juniors and Seniors receive dedicated class time to make their college lists, write and perfect their college essays, research various schools and different academic and career pathways, and apply for scholarships and financial aid opportunities.

College scholarships are an integral component of the decisionmaking process we foster at Cristo Rey Philadelphia. In conversations with students and families about postsecondary education, we emphasize affordability and accessibility, which is made possible in part by the exclusive scholarship opportunities that our students are eligible for through our school and the Cristo Rey Network.

The Cristo Rey Network has more than 70 National University Partners—colleges that commit to support Cristo Rey alumni financially, academically, and personally while they pursue degrees at their institutions. National University Partners include Villanova University, The University of Scranton, Georgetown University, and University of Notre Dame. At Cristo Rey Philadelphia, our students are also eligible for scholarships from local colleges such as Neumann University, Chestnut Hill College, and Immaculata University, our Work-Study Partners, and our generous community of supporters.

On the following pages, we have highlighted some members of the Class of 2025 who earned scholarships through the connections of Cristo Rey Philadelphia and the Cristo Rey Network.

ARMOND SUBER

The University of Scranton ’29 Major: Biology

OPENING DOORS SCHOLARSHIP

As he began navigating the college application process, Armond Suber curated a list of local schools with biology programs, ranging from Gwynedd Mercy University to Penn State University. He became interested in biology because of his success in the classroom and natural interest in the sciences. Throughout his time at Cristo Rey Philadelphia, Armond exceeded academic expectations earning a 3.68 GPA and a wide range of postsecondary opportunities.

At the encouragement of our College & Career Counseling Team, Armond added The University of Scranton to his list, because of its strong biology program and their standing as a Cristo Rey Network University Partner. One February afternoon, Armond received a life-changing phone call: The University of Scranton offering him the Opening Doors Scholarship. This scholarship provides a fully-funded Scranton education after all other funding and scholarships have been awarded. He said it was a simple decision from there, although he was still a bit nervous. Armond visited campus shortly thereafter, further confirming his decision. In addition to the amazing campus and the school’s proximity to Philadelphia, he loved the welcoming culture and was excited at the prospect of being able to interact with a diverse group of people.

Just a few months into his freshman year, he already has enjoyed life on campus and explored the nearby Pocono Mountains. He is confident that his time at Cristo Rey Philadelphia thoroughly prepared him for the courseload of a biology major. He hopes someday to use his degree in either research and analytics or Environmental Science. Surrounded by fellow Cristo Rey alumni from Philadelphia and schools from across the Network, Armond feels both supported and inspired as he pursues his postsecondary education.

VALERIE VICTOR

University of Maryland ’29

Major: Biomedical Engineering

THE EVANS SCHOLARSHIP

After learning about the Western Golf Association (WGA) Caddie Program and The Evans Scholarship as a freshman, Valerie Victor thought it was a no-brainer to become a caddie. The WGA Caddie Academy uses caddying, the game of golf, and the Evans Scholarship to expose young people to new opportunities and support them in their pursuit of postsecondary degrees. Each summer since, Valerie has completed the seven-week Caddie Academy, spending two summers in State College caddying at Penn State Golf Club and one summer outside of Chicago caddying at Barrington Hills Country Club.

Through this experience, Valerie became eligible for The Evans Scholarship, a prestigious full-tuition and housing scholarship for students who have a strong caddie record, academic excellence, outstanding character, and demonstrated financial need. The scholarship is available at selected universities across the country, including Penn State University, Rutgers University, and Howard University. Valerie credits the wonderful advocates at WGA and here at Cristo Rey Philadelphia for supporting her through her high school journey and her caddying experience. She says, “During my interview process, the Evans Scholarship Foundation just wanted to know about me and I felt like through the entire application process they were investing in me as a whole person.”

Now as a proud Evans Scholar at the University of Maryland, Valerie is excited for the next four years. In particular, she is enjoying living in community with the other welcoming, engaging Evans Scholars who share similar experiences.

AIDAN PAUL FLEMINGRAMSEY

Rowan University ’29

Major: Psychology

ROBINSON SCHOLARSHIP

Driven by his goal of becoming a school psychologist to support high school students just like his School Counselor helped him, Aidan Paul Flemingramsey decided to attend Rowan University because of its unique Psychology Program. While Rowan University offered significant financial aid, there was still a funding gap, which the Shyheem Robinson Scholarship is helping to close.

Created in memory of Shyheem Robinson ‘17, by a fellow Cristo Rey Philadelphia alumni, Rishaun Hall ‘16, the scholarship is awarded to a Blue Pride Student-Athlete who embodies perseverance, dedication, and commitment on and off the court, field, or track. Aidan admits that he almost left the Cross Country and Track & Field teams after his very first practice as a freshman. Instead, he stuck with it, ultimately becoming a team leader through his determination to finish what he started.

“This scholarship is the seed of the fruit I never knew I planted,” Aidan says. He is grateful for the recognition of the perseverance that shaped both his athletic and academic pursuits. As he embarks on his next chapter at Rowan University, Aidan continues to carry the lesson that he learned at Cristo Rey Philadelphia: with his strong work ethic, determination, and collaboration with his community, anything is possible.

SHYHEEM

WORK-STUDY

DEVELOPING THE FUTURE WORKFORCE

Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School’s Work-Study Program is the cornerstone of our unique educational model. Students participate in a year-long job placement that provides them with real-world, tangible work experience. On the job, they learn important hard and soft skills that prepare them for their future careers and build their professional networks.

2025-2026 WORK-STUDY PARTNERS

MEN’S BASKETBALL

A FULL CIRCLE STORY WITH

Denzell Wallace '17 credits much of who he is today to Cristo Rey Philadelphia’s Work-Study Program.

As a 14-year-old, Denzell was placed at Saul Ewing LLP. He worked first in the Human Resources Department where he learned Microsoft Word and Excel, filing, and email management. He returned his sophomore year and worked in the Mail Room. For his junior and senior years, he worked at Baker Tilly, where he was first exposed to Marketing. His time there proved pivotal, setting him on his future career path.

Ten years later, and with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Political Science from Immaculata University, Denzell is now Director of Communications & Marketing at World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia, an organization connecting local businesses to markets, trade partners, and global opportunities. Drawing on the networking skills he first developed at Cristo Rey Philadelphia, he connected with our Vice President of Corporate Work-Study, Porsha Faust, at a professional event. That conversation led to a tour of our campus, joined by his CEO, Thomas Young, and ultimately to World Trade Center becoming a Job Partner, thanks to Denzell’s advocacy. Now, Denzell finds himself on the employer side of the Work-Study Job Partnership.

As the supervisor for our young professionals at World Trade Center, Denzell thoughtfully manages the program, cultivating each student’s work experience to match interests and skill levels. Last year, his curious freshman student helped him with the day-to-day administrative tasks of his department. His creative-minded sophomore student worked on graphic design projects, his organized junior student coordinated cross-departmental meetings, and his entrepreneurial-minded senior student worked on the business development team. Denzell said he was intentional about providing not only meaningful work to students, but also emphasizing how their work was positively impacting the organization.

Denzell Wallace began learning his way around the corporate world at 14 years old. He now makes decisions that shape opportunities for other 14-year-olds just like him—coming full circle from Cristo Rey Philadelphia student to Corporate Work-Study Partner.

Denzell (right) with his first team of students at Signing Day 2024.

Denzell at Cristo Rey Philadelphia's Graduation in 2017.

INCREASING IMPACT WITH

Virtua Health is no stranger to growth. Whether providing healthcare throughout South Jersey or partnering with Cristo Rey Philadelphia, Virtua is making a difference in the Greater Philadelphia community. Their collaboration with our Work-Study Program aligns with Virtua’s intentional investment in creating a strong workforce pipeline for healthcare professionals. In the last few years, Virtua has hired a Director of Workforce Development and created spaces and programs for students, in both high school and college, to learn about career opportunities in healthcare.

Virtua Health’s first year as a job partner was during the 2021-2022 School Year. After a visit to our campus, Rhonda Jordan, Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer, was inspired by our program’s success and impact. Virtua signed on for two jobs with eight students and Rhonda tapped Sue Diamond, Human Resources Project Coordinator, to lead the effort to build and manage our partnership. Sue coordinated with departments across the organization, engaging supervisors from Virtua Health’s diverse teams to ensure that both supervisors and students were well prepared for meaningful, mutually beneficial work experiences.

After two years, Virtua Health expanded their commitment, adding a third job, now hosting 12 students in their hospitals and corporate offices in South Jersey. Based on feedback from students, Virtua also prioritized placing them in hospital settings to optimize engagement with the healthcare industry. This provided our young people increased opportunities to collaborate across departments and gain wider exposure to potential career paths.

Virtua Health’s growing investment in our young professionals showcases what intentional corporate social responsibility looks like in our landscape today. By creating a dynamic and engaging opportunity for high school students to explore pathways in healthcare, Virtua Health is fostering the workforce pipeline. We are proud to partner with Virtua Health as, together, we prepare our students for the future.

"The Cristo Rey Philadelphia partnership continues to have a profound impact on both the students and our Virtua team members. Through this collaboration, Cristo Rey students gain meaningful, real-world experience in a supportive healthcare environment, while our colleagues are inspired by their enthusiasm, curiosity, and commitment to learning. Many students have expressed that their time at Virtua has strengthened their interest in pursuing careers in healthcare. This partnership exemplifies Vir tua’s mission of being “Here for Good” by investing in our community, advancing education, and inspiring the next generation of compassionate and capable leaders."

Traci Mulvenna, Patient Access Director

"Working at Virtua Health was astounding. Being placed at Virtua, which is in New Jersey, made me feel seen and heard that Cristo Rey itself found the time to actually decide my workplace for last year. Learning from my supervisor, Brittany, was truly a humbling experience.

Ms. Brittany taught me such diversity within different fields and organization skills. She encouraged me to have passion in what I want to be in the future. All in all, working at Virtua Health was truly a one of a kind experience, not only were the employees there genuinely kind, but they were always there when I needed assistance or a finer understanding of something within the department."

Joanna R., CRPHS, Class of 2028 | New Jersey Resident

Virtua Health's 2025-2026 team of young professionals at Signing Day 2025 with Rhonda Jordan, Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer (pictured, second from right).

STUDENT LIFE

>>> ATHLETICS

Cristo Rey Philadelphia Student-Athletes reached new heights of competition and commitment during the 2024-2025 School Year. Student-Athletes maintained an average 3.23 GPA while dedicating extra hours to training, demonstrating the benefits of discipline and determination. Our Student-Athletes also learned important skills such as teamwork, focus, resilience, and leadership, which they applied in both their athletic and academic pursuits.

Their efforts led to an unforgettable year: our Flag Football, Boys’ Varsity Basketball, and both Girls’ and Boys’ Track and Field teams all secured League Championships in the Penn-Jersey Athletic Association.

Behind the scenes, after-school academic support and a new workout tracking system kept students focused and accountable, helping them thrive on and off the field. With this strong and sustainable athletic structure in place, Cristo Rey Philadelphia is looking forward to continued growth, with plans to add Girls’ Flag Football and a Co-Ed Chess team in the 2025-2026 School Year.

RECOGNIZE & REALIZE

Student Life at Cristo Rey Philadelphia is where students discover who they are beyond the classroom. Through clubs, athletics, service opportunities, and faith experiences, students explore passions, build meaningful relationships, and grow as leaders. It is a place where curiosity is encouraged, community is built, faith is developed, and students take bold steps toward realizing their full potential–a key tenet of our mission.

>>> CAMPUS MINISTRY

Mass is an important part of our Catholic identity and a meaningful experience for our diverse community. Celebrated regularly throughout the year, including a special liturgy with Archbishop Nelson Pérez in the 2024-2025 School Year, Mass provides students the opportunity to come together, reflect, and grow. Many students, whether Catholic or not, share that participating in Mass helps them learn, connect, and engage with the school’s mission.

Daily prayer is also a cornerstone of campus life. This practice helps students, faculty, and staff pause with intention and make a petition to God in school and in their lives. These moments remind us that faith at Cristo Rey Philadelphia does not end with us–it begins with us, and together we nurture it into something that shapes our community.

>>> CLUBS

Cristo Rey Philadelphia offers more than 20 clubs that invite students to explore their passions, try something new, and build friendships with students across all grade levels. Whether singing in Choir, cultivating our school’s garden in Gardening Club, sharing information about our school to prospective students and their families in Student Ambassadors, or advocating through our Animal Welfare Club, students can join existing extracurriculars or create their own.

This past year, students showed bold creativity and teamwork through Reybotics, Cristo Rey Philadelphia’s Robotics team. The team designed, built, and programmed a robot which competed in regional competitions through For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics. The FIRST organization strives to encourage students to engage in STEM and consider future careers in those fields. Reybotics dedication earned them the Rookie All-Star Award and a spot at the MidAtlantic District Championship, proving what is possible when students dream big and work together. Through this experience, our students have gained many skills such as mechanical and electrical engineering, mathematics, and control systems, alongside soft skills like critical thinking, complex problem-solving, and collaboration.

>>> GRAD @ GRAD - SERVICE TRACK

Through Grad @ Grad and its extension, Service Track, Cristo Rey Philadelphia students connect learning to real-world impact. Once a month, our Juniors and Seniors partner with local organizations such as Vetri Community Kitchen, Cradles to Crayons, and Project HOME for hands-on service learning experiences that foster personal growth.

Overall, Service Track experiences help students grow as leaders and changemakers. For some, this commitment to service leads to scholarships and new opportunities like exploring future career interests or taking on leadership roles. For others, it sparks creativity and a willingness to try new things. Service Track challenges students to create positive change outside of the classroom deepen their commitment to our community

During the 2024-2025 School Year, some of our students partnered with The Schuylkill Center to study native plants and pollinators, before designing and planting a pollinator garden along the front of our campus on Allegheny Avenue. This garden now provides food and shelter for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators that are needed for plant reproduction. The experience partnered classroom knowledge with the creation of tangible change in our community and the pollinator garden is now a space that supports the insects essential to sustaining our ecosystem.

ALUMNI

CLASS OF 2021

MIA VELEZ

CRPHS, Class of 2021

Yale University, Class of 2025

Penn State University Dickinson Law School, Class of 2028

For Mia Velez, Cristo Rey Philadelphia was the place where teachers believed in her potential long before she fully believed in it herself. She always knew she wanted to go to college, but worried about how to afford it until mentors encouraged her to aim high and apply boldly. Mia applied to 12 schools, including several Ivy League universities. Mia reflects, “I am thankful for Cristo Rey for pushing me to apply to those schools and for believing that it was something that was feasible for me to be able to do.” She ultimately enrolled at Yale University, supported by generous scholarships and financial aid, and graduated in May of 2025 with zero debt and a clear vision for her future: a career in law.

Inspired by her mother, a former Philadelphia Police Officer, Mia is passionate about serving her community and plans to focus on immigration and international law to advocate for others. At Yale, she found a community similar to Cristo Rey Philadelphia through their First-Year Counselor mentorship network that helped her adjust and thrive. For Mia, realizing her potential meant using her education as a tool for justice and empowering others to do the same. She is currently enrolled at Penn State University's Dickinson Law School with plans to graduate in 2028.

GEORGIE ORTIZ

CRPHS, Class of 2021

Neumann University, Class of 2025

Brinker Simpson & Company, Accounting Tax Associate

For Georgie Ortiz, Cristo Rey Philadelphia was more than just a high school–it was where his faith and future started to take shape. Through the Work-Study Program, Georgie gained handson experience at Elliott-Lewis and Johnson & Johnson. While there he saw firsthand how education connects to real-world opportunity. With guidance from mentors and support from the College & Career Counseling Team, Georgie chose Neumann University because it felt like “a bigger Cristo Rey.” It was a close-knit community where he could continue to grow. While at Neumann, he discovered his passion for business and earned a degree in Accounting.

Today, Georgie works as an Accounting Tax Associate at Brinker Simpson & Company, applying his skills and embodying the discipline and determination he first developed at Cristo Rey Philadelphia. He affirms, “The Work-Study Program made me stick out from other candidates that applied for this role.” The foundation of hands-on experience and professional readiness has helped him confidently navigate his first role in the workforce. Georgie’s journey reflects the power of resilience, mentorship, and bold hope, facing challenges head-on and turning them into opportunities for growth.

HORIZONS AT CRISTO REY

THE CRISTO REY WAY

Horizons at Cristo Rey Philadelphia is rooted in community. In alignment with Cristo Rey Philadelphia’s mission, our Horizons site serves as a center of learning and connection for our youngest neighbors. Our creativity and intentionality makes our year-round program enriching for our students.

Our team works diligently to create partnerships with local institutions like The Tioga Hope Garden & Park and Girard College. Other partnerships from our Greater Philadelphia community include those with Whitemarsh Foundation, Philadelphia Writing Project, and Dive & Thrive. These partnerships create meaningful experiences for our students, fostering their growth in reading and literacy, their development of swimming skills, and their social-emotional learning. Because of Horizons at Cristo Rey, our youngest neighbors are flourishing, gaining new skills, building their confidence, and broadening their perspective on what is possible for their futures.

For deeper insight into Horizons at Cristo Rey, please read our 2025 Horizons Summer Impact Report.

Number of students in 2025 Summer Program

100%

Students attend program tuition free

75 Hours of academic programming over 6 weeks of summer

90%

Student retention from 2024 Summer Program to 2025 Summer Program

7:1

Student to teacher ratio

Staff are Cristo Rey alumni or current students (includes summer and after-school staff)

THANK YOU

Dr. Flannery O’Connor

We are so grateful for Dr. O'Connor's 13 years of service to Cristo Rey Philadelphia. Alongside our founder, John McConnell, Dr. O'Connor worked to open our doors and welcome our first students before becoming our Director of Admissions, then our Sophomore Theology Teacher and Grade Level Lead, and, finally, our Principal.

Her impact on our community is immeasurable.

We will be forever grateful for her service and leadership!

MISSION FUNDING

Thanks to the continued support from our network of donors, foundations, corporations and organizations, Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School is fortunate to have maintained a strong financial position in fiscal year 2025.

FISCAL YEAR 2025

CRISTO REY PHILADELPHIA BOARD

Robert (Rip) Collins

Retired CEO

TEC Services

Chair

Steve Delaney

Partner

Deloitte

Vice Chair

OF TRUSTEES

Charlie Herrin

President of Technology, Product, Experience

Comcast

Fr. Jeremy Hiers, OSA

Vocation Director

Augustinian Province of St. Thomas of Villanova

Anthony C. Stevenson, Ed.D.

Director of Human Resources

Tredyffrin/Easttown School District

Secretary

Peter Blommer

Vice Chairman

Blommer Chocolate

Bryan Carter

President & CEO

Gesu School

Ruby R. Chandy

CEO

Lumina Advisory Services

Fr. Peter Donohue, OSA, Ph.D.

President

Villanova University

Peter Ernst

Executive Director

McCausland Foundation

Christopher J. Fazio

Founding Partner

Attolon Partners

Fr. John Fisher, OSFS

Pastor

Our Mother of

Consolation Parish

Lisa Flynn

Co-Chair

Malvern Preparatory School

Capital Campaign

Meg Howley

Executive Director

The Howley Foundation

Ken Kind President

van Ameringen Foundation

Jim Lawson

Partner & Managing Director

Russell Reynolds Associates

Juan Lopez

Executive Vice President, CFO & Treasurer

Independence Blue Cross

Bill McKernan President Ignyte Insurance

Sr. Mary McNulty, IHM

Principal

St. Francis de Sales School

Jibreel Murray, ‘16 Fixed Income Investment Officer

Haverford Trust

Robert J. Myers

Partner

Ernst & Young

Pat O’Brien

Founder & President

Whiteboard Higher Education & MK2 Marketing LLC

Mark Parker

Executive Vice President, Head of Banking Operations

TD Bank

Fr. Donald F. Reilly, OSA, D.Min.

Prior of the Augustinian Novitiate

Augustinian Province of St. Thomas of Villanova

Sr. Stephen Anne

Roderiguez, IHM, Ed.D.

President

Villa Maria Academy High School

John Scheffey

President & CEO

Core States Group

Thomas A. Shoemaker

President & CEO

Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School

Ian Swedish

Senior Vice President CCS Fundraising

Steve Tazza

Chief Operating Officer

White Label Communications

Fr. Brian Zumbrum, OSFS

Assistant Principal & Director of Activities

Salesianum High School

PRESIDENT’S ADVISORY COUNCIL

Michael Moran

Retired Executive Vice President

Towers Watson Chair

Christie Archbold

Senior Vice President of Accounting AdaptHealth

Jonathan Blauvelt Vice President of Finance

Enterprise Holdings

Nadijah Campbell Legal Consultant

Heinz Kraft

Priscilla Connolly Co-Founder

Cristo Rey Volunteers

Lindsey DiGangi Vice President–Field Operations

Pennsylvania Lumbermens

Mutual Insurance Company

Robert Fahey

Executive Vice President CBRE

Stephen Gleason President Kairos Real Estate Partners

Corinne Good Vice President, Tax Berwind Corporation

Michael Harris Retired Senior Vice President Almos Corporation

Andrew Hope Counsel & Shareholder

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC

Steve Jannetta Partner

Morgan Lewis

Paul Kallmeyer

Retired Deputy General Counsel

UnitedHealth

HORIZONS

ADVISORY BOARD

Lise Ashton

Cristo Rey & Horizons Volunteer

Keshema Davidson Co-Founder & CEO

Early College Charter School of Philadelphia

Eleanor Davis Trustee

School of Nursing at University of Pennsylvania

Peter Ernst

Executive Director McCausland Foundation

James Gallagher, Ph.D.

President Emeritus

Philadelphia University

Kerry Henkels Mother of four children

Ken Kind President van Ameringen Foundation

Robert Sean Lawlor

Head of Public Markets

SEI

Steve Morris

Financial Planner

PFG Advisors

Caroline Packer Vice President

Goldman Sachs

Dave Poniatowski

Principal

Ernst & Young

George Rafferty

Retired President of Corporate Partnerships Cencora

Connor Topper

Vice President, Investments

Dunne Manning Holdings

Ryan Murray Partner

Ernst & Young

Carol Rooney

Retired Director

SEI Financial Services

Denise Silvers

Special Projects Associate

Cristo Rey Volunteer

Denise Young

Retired Principal

School District of Philadelphia