IMPACT REPORT 2021
OUR MISSION 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. 1
Letter from the President November 2021 Dear Cristo Rey Family, The last 20 months at Cristo Rey were a period of two stories: one of turmoil and tragedy, the other of resilience and survival. On Friday afternoon, March 13, 2020, we announced an early departure for Spring Break. The next time our entire community reconvened on the campus was August 9, 2021, 514 days later. During our time apart, the Cristo Rey community endured unimaginable turmoil and stress. After a few weeks, we began to realize that our extended Spring Break might last for a long time, and that we needed to develop an alternative approach to the Cristo Rey student experience. Later, we worried that if students couldn’t go to work, our Work-Study partners might abandon us, and then the financial miracle that sustains the school would collapse. Every day we were bombarded with conflicting news, guidelines, and opinions. And every day we asked ourselves: Should we come back to school during the pandemic? Would our families want their students to come back? How do we balance our commitment to serve our students with the fear of spreading infection? Pandemic trauma was endemic in our families. Students were challenged to keep up with school from crowded homes and with overburdened internet connections. Teenage students were called upon to become household breadwinners. Some students endured severe isolation and depression. Many families felt unsafe outside in a city exploding with gun violence.
Despite pandemic trauma, our community has survived. In some ways, we may have become stronger. We have certainly learned the power of resiliency. Our students persisted with learning through several iterations of virtual and hybrid academic models (page 5). They transitioned into a reinvented Work-Study Program and learned to become remote consultants (page 8). Almost every one of our Work-Study Partners remained committed to our mission (page 7). Our philanthropic supporters, who recognized our extraordinary needs, were extraordinarily generous (page 15). Our seniors still applied for and were admitted into excellent universities (page 10). Applications for admission to the 9th grade were stronger than ever. Nevertheless, last year was a huge setback for all students, including Cristo Rey students – not just academically, but especially socially and emotionally. This year, we are building a new normal at Cristo Rey. We are renewing our academic programs to address learning loss. We are offering new experiences that reaffirm the roots of our Cristo Rey culture: care and support for the wellbeing of each other. We are reminding our entire community of our mission and the pillars of our way of proceeding: we believe, we dream, we lead, we serve. Much has changed at Cristo Rey, but thankfully, some of our best “normal” has remained the same. Sincerely,
John R. McConnell Founder and President 2
• Christian (Non-Catholic) 49% • Catholic
33%
• Muslim
• Other religion
5%
RELIGION
13%
• Black/African American 63% • Hispanic/Latino 29% • Two or more races
• Asian/Asian American
2%
• Non-Hispanic White
1%
41%
• Catholic school
41%
• Public school
10%
• Private Non-Catholic school • Not Reported
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RACE/ ETHNICITY
1%
• Other race
• Charter school
4%
7%
1%
FEEDER SCHOOLS OF CLASS OF 2025
2021 STUDENT BODY
$9,062 AVERAGE FAMILY INCOME PER CAPITA
TOTAL ENROLLMENT
536 students
OF CLASS OF 2025
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HANDS-ON LEARNING FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE HOME During virtual learning, Cristo Rey faculty developed new ways to keep students engaged. For Engineering, a class centered around hands-on learning, this was an important but difficult task. Through our Engineering teacher Mr. Adam Mesewicz’s efforts, students became young engineers at home. Each Engineering student’s Chromebook included the application OnSHAPE, so students could learn and practice 3D modeling at home. They were tasked with designing different models using the program, including a Cristo Rey logo, paper clip, and holiday ornament. Mr. M printed the students’ creations on 3D printers in the lab and students could pick them up at school to see their final product. “I began researching new models I could create on my own,” said Patrick Ulad-Lieu, Class of 2021. “Working in the computer program sparked my creativity, and when hybrid learning began, I jumped at the opportunity to come in and work with the equipment myself.” 5
Students also received electronic kits so they could learn about electricity, programming, and coding in an interactive way. They built different circuits including buttons, switches, buzzers, and motors. The culminating project was to simulate a traffic light using LEDs. “We were missing the classroom, so instead, the classroom was brought to us,” Patrick noted. Patrick added that while learning at home could be lonely, faculty helped students build connections with their peers through breakout rooms on Zoom. Remote learning also provided an opportunity for teachers to open their virtual classroom to experts across the country. Engineering students, for example, learned from and asked questions to a panel of professors in different branches of the field. It was not a normal year, but Cristo Rey faculty adapted quickly and effectively to provide the best education to students. Now in his first year of college, Patrick continues to come back to the lab today to use the equipment and create his own inventions in his free time.
VIRTUAL LEARNING 2020-2021 School Year Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School started the 2020-2021 School Year in a 100% Virtual Model. Beginning in March 2021, students had the option to learn in-person 2 to 3 days per week in the Hybrid Model. All Cristo Rey students returned to school for 100% in-person learning at the start of the 2021-2022 School Year.
95%
Daily Attendance Average (of Students Attending 80 to 100% of Live Classes)
1,215
290
Minutes/Week Spent Virtual Learning
Students who Achieved 3.0 GPA or Higher
89%
31%
Student Retention from 2020-2021 School Year to Current School Year
Students Enrolled in optional Hybrid Learning between March 2021 and June 2021
Looking Forward Despite the hard work of our faculty and the steadfast effort of our students, our students did not learn as much virtually as they would have in-person, as was the case at schools across the country. Our faculty conducted a thorough and honest assessment of the learning losses that students suffered so we could develop an effective recovery program for the 2021-2022 school year and beyond. We have taken a deep look at how we can revise our curriculums to ensure our students are prepared for college. The new Integrated Math curriculum launched in the 2021-2022 school year and more class curriculum revisions are being developed, with plans to implement in the following school year.
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REMOTE WORK PROGRAM 2020-2021
210
$2.64M
+
Remote Hours Worked per Student
100
Job Contracts
$716K
Philanthropy Funded Jobs
$3.36M
Presentations Given by Student Consultants to Company Partners
Dollars Earned by Students
CONSULTING TOPICS 48%
Diversifying Your Talent Pipeline
20%
Connectivity & Culture in Remote Work World
17%
Working with Gen Z
12%
Wellness in the Workplace
3%
Custom Topic
CURRENT YEAR
78
Job Partners
95%
Job Partners Renewed
17
New Partners
INDUSTRY BREAKDOWN
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17% Banking & Finance 13% Healthcare 8% Manufacturing, Services & Logistics 8% Professional Services 8% Insurance 8% Media & Technology
7% 7% 7% 4% 4% 7% 1%
Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Electrical & Energy Law Construction & Real Estate Retail & Consumer Goods Education Architecture
COMCAST STUDENT CONSULTANTS RESEARCHED AND ANALYZED A REAL WORLD CASE Cristo Rey Philadelphia adapted its Work-Study Program into a Remote Work Program, aligning with our Job Partners who switched to virtual work. Students served as consultants to company partners to help them answer key questions on trending industry topics. The student consultants working for Comcast were tasked with researching and analyzing data on the topic of “Content Consumption & Viewership,” and presenting their findings to executives of the Comcast Content Acquisition team. The goal of the project was to analyze customers’ content viewing habits to provide Comcast with the best strategies to grow NBCUniversal’s new streaming platform Peacock. Wanderlyn Pantaleon Parmer, Class of 2023, said, “It was interesting to see all the time and effort that goes into creating these streaming platforms. We typically just see the final product.” Through this project, students learned how to find credible sources, evaluate industry research papers, perform a SWOT analysis, create and
collect surveys, and analyze and draw conclusions from their findings. Additionally, students regularly met with Comcast employees to help guide their research and analysis, culminating in a presentation to Comcast executives. Greg Rigdon, the President of Content Acquisition for Comcast Cable, said “Cristo Rey consultants identified key trends to help us better understand Gen Z’s consumption preferences and determine effective social media marketing tactics, as well as retention strategies for this audience.” Not only were students able to offer a fresh perspective from a younger demographic, they also learned invaluable skills for the jobs of tomorrow. Rigdon added, “The students demonstrated a strong ability to adapt and wrap their heads around advanced concepts. I am confident these students have the tools to achieve their professional aspirations and more.”
Looking Forward In the 2021-2022 School Year, our Work-Study Program has continued to adapt to how our Job Partners are operating. Every student has a remote work station at the school if their job is remote, while other students are back on the subway going to the office in-person.
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CELEBRATING GRADUATION TOGETHER IN-PERSON ALL CRISTO REY GRADUATES
576
Cristo Rey Graduates (since school’s inception)
76%
Graduates Persisting in Post Secondary Education
BACHELOR’S DEGREE ATTAINMENT IN 6-YEARS CRPHS CLASSES OF 2016 & 2017
65%
39% completed | 26% on track to complete
High-Income College Students
62%
across the United States
Low-Income, First-Generation College Students across the United States 9
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
(According to the Pell Institute 2021 Report)
21%
In the Spring of 2021, students, faculty, family and friends gathered together to celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2021. It was a special moment – the first time our community gathered together in-person since the start of the pandemic. We are so proud of our high school and college graduates. Through adversity, they have persevered, reached great success and come out stronger together.
CRISTO REY CLASS OF 2021
100% Acceptance to a 4-Year College
789
Acceptances to
175
88%
Graduates Who Matriculated to College
Different Colleges
$4,379
Average “Out-Of-Pocket” Cost Per Year (After Financial Aid)
$11.8M
Total Scholarship Dollars Earned by the Class of 2021
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FEATURING GRADUATES DAVID JONES Cristo Rey Class of 2017 Temple University Class of 2021
David Jones is feeling excited and open-minded about his future. Since graduating from Temple University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, double major in English and Greek & Roman Classics, he has begun working as a Client Relationship Associate at Vanguard. “In the next ten years, I want to continue to become more specialized in finance, while also doing more things as a writer.” David discovered his love for writing while participating in Slam Poetry at Cristo Rey. In college, he continued to lead the Cristo Rey Slam Poetry team as the club advisor. He also joined a Writers Co-Op through which he earned the opportunity to perform an original spoken word song at Temple’s College of Liberal Arts Graduation. Prior to starting at Vanguard after graduation, David returned to Cristo Rey to be an Assistant Teacher at the first summer of Horizons at Cristo Rey. “It was a very fulfilling experience to see the impact the program had on the children and different from any experience I’ve had before.” While focused on growing in finance and writing in the immediate future, David says he is open to becoming a teacher down the road. “I want to continue to push all sides of myself through a variety of experiences.” The values that David epitomizes – open to growth, community-minded, confident, and purposeful – are values that we hope to see in every Cristo Rey graduate. R. Carter Photography/Temple University College of Liberal Arts
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O
S
OF THE CLASSES OF 2021 RAMS-LYNE THOMAS Cristo Rey Class of 2021 Georgetown University Class of 2025
In May 2021, Rams-Lyne Thomas walked across the stage at McCarthy Stadium at La Salle University to receive her diploma from Cristo Rey as her family and friends cheered her on. It was the first time she was together with all of her peers since March of her junior year. “It was a special moment. We had a hard year, but we were able to push through when it felt like the world was falling apart. We became closer and stronger together.” During virtual learning in her senior year, RamsLyne says she was able to stay positive by building connections through the screen. As a Campus Ministry Student Leader, she led virtual retreats and helped other students find comfort in understanding that everyone was feeling the same way.While at Cristo Rey, in addition to Campus Ministry, Rams-Lyne participated in Student Government Association and Speak Out Club, where she discovered an interest in politics. She is now studying at Georgetown University and exploring a few majors including Government and Business and Global Affairs. “I either want to become a lawyer or businesswoman. My goal is to come back to Philly and create real change in the community that I grew up in.” Rams-Lyne admits that the transition to college has not been easy, but after her senior year, she feels prepared to take on anything and grateful for the forever friendships she created at Cristo Rey to support her along her journey.
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INTRODUCING HORIZONS AT CRISTO REY In July 2021, Cristo Rey Philadelphia launched a new and permanent program at our campus for elementary school students in North Philadelphia. Horizons at Cristo Rey is a six week, tuition-free, high quality summer academic and enrichment program serving K-8 children. As an affiliate of Horizons National, Horizons at Cristo Rey works to combat summer learning loss, also known as the “summer slide,” which is a major contributor to the achievement gap between underserved children and their more affluent peers. This gap is typically six months when a child begins kindergarten and grows to almost three years by fifth grade, making it nearly irreversible by middle school. In our pilot summer, we partnered with two local K-8 public schools, Kenderton Elementary and
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Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary, to enroll 15 kindergarten and 15 first grade students. The students will continue in the program every summer up until 8th grade, and we will enroll a new cohort of Kindergarten children each summer. Horizons is a proven model of success in closing the achievement gap and further extends Cristo Rey’s mission to provide a more equitable education for students in underserved communities.
Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES OFFERED: • Swimming • Yoga • Dance • Gardening • Music • Mental Health Counseling • Field Trips
3:1
Student to Teacher Ratio
70%
30
Students
80% Average Daily Attendance
18
Staff who are Black/African American
Swim Lessons Per Student
225
3
Total Hours Spent at Cristo Rey
Hours Per Day Spent on Academic Enrichment
Looking Forward At the end of the summer, we saw great improvement in our students and a need for continued programming. In the 2021-2022 school year, we have expanded Horizons After School to provide academic and social emotional support to our students after their school day. We are excited for all of our students to return next summer with a new cohort of Kindergarteners.
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MISSION FUNDING GIFT REVENUE
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 for fiscal year 2021.
• Individuals:
2,940,308
• Corporations & Organizations:
2,615,646
• Foundations:
1,348,530
Sub-Total:
$6,904,484
• Capital Gifts: Total Gift Revenue:
175,000 $7,079,484
WORK-STUDY PROGRAM REVENUE Total Work-Study Revenue:
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$2,501,000
Please note that the above shows pre-audited figures. Final audited figures are available upon request.
CRISTO REY PHILADELPHIA
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Scott Belveal Managing Director, UBS Financial Services Chair Robert J. Myers Partner, Ernst & Young Vice Chair Sr. Stephen Anne Roderiguez, IHM Ed.D. Councilor – IHM Congregational Leadership Secretary Bryan H. Carter President & CEO, Gesu School Verna Brown-Tyner Chief of Staff of City Council Ruby Chandy CEO, Lumina Advisory Services John Clayton, Jr. Director of Diversity, Inclusion & Workforce Initiatives, Independence Blue Cross
Anthony Coletta, MD, MBA Venture Partner, Empactful Capital Inc. Robert (Rip) Collins President & CEO, The Matworks Company, LLC Priscilla Connolly Co-Founder, Cristo Rey Volunteers Stephen Gleason President, Kairos Real Estate Partners Kerry Henkels Mother of four children Rod Henkels CEO, Henkels & McCoy Andrew Hope Counsel, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC Ken Kind President, van Ameringen Foundation
John R. McConnell, Jr. President, Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School Melissa McGlinn Mother of four children Sr. Mary McNulty, IHM Principal, St. Francis de Sales Meg Mitkus Executive Director, The Howley Foundation Michael Moran Retired Managing Director, Guy Carpenter & Co. Rev. Michael Murray, OSFS Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Jibreel Murray, ‘16 Fixed Income Settlement Analyst, Vanguard Fr. Donald Reilly, O.S.A. Head of School, Malvern Preparatory School
John Rooney Retired, Former Partner, Deloitte Consulting Thomas A. Shoemaker PA Market President, TD Bank, N.A. Anthony C. Stevenson, Ed.D. Principal, Radnor Elementary School Sean Sweeney Director, 1251 Capital Group Steve Tazza Director of Investments, Police and Firemen’s Retirement System of New Jersey Rachel Ward Associate, Cozen O’Connor Fr. Brian Zumbrum, OSFS Campus Minister, Salesianum High School
Bob Cohen President, Acme Corrugated Box Co.
CRISTO REY LEADERSHIP TEAM John McConnell Founder and President Flannery O’Connor, Ed.D. Principal Joanna Wusinich, Esq. VP, Work Study Program and Strategic Growth Anna Winter VP, Advancement and Engagement Anne McGoldrick VP, Finance and Operations
Evelin Roman Director of Admissions and Family Engagement Rich Pugh Director of Student Life Keshema Davidson Director of Strategic Partnerships Fr. Craig McMahon, O.S.A., Ph.D. Director of Strategy and Program Renewal
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Thank You, John!
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“
In 2010, John McConnell began the work to make the dream of a Cristo Rey school in Philadelphia a reality. That dream came true under his leadership.
John’s vision, dedication, and tireless work has positively impacted the trajectory of hundreds of young lives in our city. He and his team have made Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School a standard bearer throughout the national Cristo Rey Network. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are honored to serve alongside John and committed to continuing the success of the Cristo Rey mission in Philadelphia after his retirement. – Scott Belveal Chair of CRPHS Board of Trustees
Cristo Rey Philadelphia is now a proven model for delivering a rigorous college prep education with meaningful professional networks to students from across the city who would not otherwise have access to a high-quality education.
John’s faith, hope and love in the mission of Cristo Rey has never wavered, from creating the initial plans for the school to overseeing the building of our school’s permanent home. He is a true leader whose commitment and passion inspires all those around him to believe and lead in the same way. His leadership has laid a strong foundation for Cristo Rey to continue to believe, to dream, to lead and to serve. – Flannery O’Connor Founding Team Member and Principal of CRPHS
A TRIBUTE TO OUR FOUNDER
Now, after more than 10 years of service to our mission, Mr. McConnell will conclude his tenure as Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School’s President on March 1, 2022.
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Mr. McConnell’s vision for Cristo Rey has created opportunities for students, like myself, to become successful in college and their careers. He has fostered a community of love and family, while inspiring a strive for excellence. I am so grateful that he started the school and that I had the chance to grow under his mentorship. – Jibreel Murray CRPHS Class of 2016 and Member of CRPHS Board of Trustees
All of us at Cristo Rey – now and in generations to come – will be forever grateful for John McConnell’s founding vision and leadership.
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1717 West Allegheny Avenue | Philadelphia, PA 19132 215.219.3943 | www.cristoreyphiladelphia.org | connect@crphs.org