In partnership with the Christian Brothers and Jesuits, the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus founded Cristo Rey New York High School (CRNYHS) in 2004. Like its sister schools in the Cristo Rey Network, CRNYHS offers students from low-income families a quality education and real-life work experience that are designed to prepare them for college and successful careers thereafter.

Serving students in urban areas, the Cristo Rey schools take a unique approach to education. Students work one day a week at an entry-level job in the corporate world, while spending the other four days in the classroom. Four students work at one job for one day each week. The salaries the students earn pay for most of their tuition for the year.

As an endorser of these schools, the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus appoint two board members, publicly support the schools, contribute personnel and money as able, and share the Society’s educational traditions.

Fortunate to attend the Cornelia Connelly Center as a middle school student, Jessica enrolled in Cristo Rey New York High School (CRNYHS). Given her family’s financial situation, a college education could have been outside Jessica’s reach, but she was lucky.

All students at CRNYHS participate in the Corporate Work Study Program, which offsets the cost of their tuition. Jessica was placed with a local company, and worked one day a week, while attending CRNYHS the other four. Through the program she learned the value of hard work, acquired new skills, and was able to show her employer her talents. Her employer, so impressed with her abilities, awarded her a $5,000 college scholarship. Jessica now attends Mercy College and hopes to own her own business.