Viatorian Schools: Innovating and Succeeding

Cristo Rey St. Viator students working on resume building Cristo Rey St. Viator is just two years old but already its innovative work study model is drawing interest from some big corporate partners in Las Vegas. At their first information session for the upcoming academic year, they drew an impressive group of Las Vegas stakeholders. In attendance were professionals from government agencies, banks, the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Nevada, the Diocese of Las Vegas, a local university, law firms and advertising agencies. They also drew Sr. Phyllis Sikora, OP, Vice President of Mission Integration for the Dignity Health - St. Rose Hospital System in Nevada. The large, faith-based network includes three acute care hospitals, four neighborhood hospitals, six wellness centers, medical clinics and offices. During the pandemic, students have been unable to work but instead have been working on work readiness skills, including becoming proficient in various computer applications, interview skills and resume building. When they can safely return to their jobs, they will be work-ready. Saint Viator High School launched its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) campaign this semester to broaden students’ perspectives so they are inclusive as they seek to transform the communities they encounter. Administrators described the effort as part of educating the whole person – and growing leaders who will become beacons of inclusivity for the next generation and beyond. As part of their commitment, the school formed student advisory groups, and faculty members and coaches began meeting regularly to examine everything from diversity and race to economic abilities, social status and educational access. Br.

John Eustice, CSV, Vice President of Viatorian Identity and Mission said the DEI program is an extension of Viatorian spirituality. “We approach our mission with an open mind,” he said, “seeing the world the way others see it, and sharing the gospel to promote positive change.” In January, Cristo Rey St. Martin learned it would share in a $4 million award from the Perry Foundation, a family foundation named for Zach Perry who died from leukemia. The award was distributed between the three Chicago-area Cristo Rey schools and the Cristo Rey Network. President Preston Kendall said the gift was one that would keep on giving.

Saint Viator High School DEI Student Focus Groups

Its proceeds helped to partially offset the financial hardship resulting from COVID-19, which has impacted the Corporate Work Study Program and Cristo Rey families. “The Perry family’s generosity ensures that Cristo Rey students can follow their dreams for generations to come,” Mr. Kendall said. The generous donation also helped complete the school’s latest expansion – and allowed for its recent large-scale events such as the pop-up food bank and vaccine clinic. A café located near the teachers’ lounge at Bishop McNamara High School in Kankakee is serving up more than gourmet coffee drinks. This popular gathering spot is the brainchild Students at St. Viator Elementary School in Chicago proudly demonstrate their of a Viatorian academic success. and it supports page, adding that the Viatorian school has long prided itself on youth ministry high standards of academic excellence. “While the COVID-19 programs while pandemic has challenged our administrators, faculty, students teaching valu- and parents in ways we could never have imagined only a year able life skills to ago, the dedication to a comprehensive and rigorous curricuits student staff. lum has never been compromised,” St. Viator officials said. “St. Appropriately Viator is proud to be a Catholic school within the Archdiocese named, Holy of Chicago, all working collectively to provide safe, in person Grounds Café, learning during the pandemic.” the shop opened in the fall of 2018 Workers at Holy Grounds Cafe and has percolated ever since. Fr. Daniel Belanger, CSV, brought the idea to the school. In doing so, he fell back on his own experience in Junior Achievement — whose mission is to foster entrepreneurship through experiential learning — and his passion for youth ministry. To his knowledge, the student-run coffee shop is the only one of its kind in the region. The café was four years in the making. In taking the concept forward, Fr. Belanger raised nearly $30,000 from parishioners of St. St. Viator Parish School students dress up as their favorite book characters.George, where he is pastor, as well as contributions from Bishop McNamara alumni and a grant from the Viatorian St. Viator Parish School in Las Vegas once again participatCommunity. ed with schools across the state in the 30th annual Nevada The success of students at St. Viator Elementary School in Reading Week. The observance takes place every year on the Chicago was reflected in a statement in January from the Chi- first week of March and was created to foster a lifelong love cago Archdiocese’s Office of Catholic Schools. Its data pointed of learning. St. Viator students enjoyed the different themes to all the gains students had made despite the pandemic. “New each day, which included dressing up as their favorite book data from Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic schools reveals that character, dressing in black and white – promoting newspapers students have defied the national trend reflecting pandemic-re- – and wearing spirit wear from their favorite college, under lated stagnation and decline in academics,” the statement said. the heading, “Oh, the places you’ll go.” St. Viator teachers and “Not only did archdiocese students meet academic expectations administrators were considered stewards of the Nevada Readby staying on track with their learning, but an overwhelming ing Week, along with school librarians, educators, the Nevada number of them exceeded learning goals set out by the sys- Department of Education, the Nevada State Library, public tem’s annual i-Ready assessment exam.” Administrators at St. libraries and community leaders. All the stakeholders firmly Viator shared information from the report on its Facebook believed in this year’s theme: “Change Your World: Read!