June 22, 2016

Fr. Joseph P. Parkes, S.J., President of Cristo Rey New York High School

Cristo Rey New York High School is a co-sponsored ministry of the Society of Holy Child Jesus.

On June 3rd, family, friends, corporate work study partners, donors, teachers, and staff gathered at St. Cecilia’s Church to celebrate 93 college-bound graduates of Cristo Rey New York High School’s (CRNYHS) Class of 2016. Among the many special guests was Fr. James Martin, S.J., editor-at-large of the Jesuit magazine America. As this year’s commencement speaker, Fr. Martin encouraged the graduates to let go of any expectations or worries that they may have about the future and to enjoy the new journey on which they are about to embark. “No matter what you do,” Fr. Martin stated, “Some people will approve of you; some won’t love you, or even like you. So just relax, accept this fact and be yourself.”

Year after year, CRNYHS is fortunate to witness nervous ninth graders begin Business Boot Camp on typically steamy July days and, over the course of four years, become confident young adults. For many, graduating from a Catholic preparatory high school was unimaginable. Four years later, these students are not only graduating with a college preparatory education and four years of real-life work experience, but equally remarkable, they are going off to some of the best colleges and universities in the country — Williams, NYU, Georgetown, Bates, Fordham, Holy Cross, Providence, to name a few. We are delighted to note that two members of our Class of 2016 were 2012 graduates of the Cornelia Connelly Center. Next fall Mindy and Maria are off to CUNY City College and St. Anselm!

The ultimate goal of CRNYHS is to develop young women and men that will not only become professionals for others, but make an impact in the world. Having achieved such significant accomplishments in just four years, we are confident that our graduates are well on their way to effecting the change in the world that CRNYHS has taught them to do as responsible citizens and surely leaders in our future!