March 21, 2017

Preston Kendall, President, Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep

Cristo Rey St. Martin is a co-sponsored ministry of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.

As a first year student at Duke University, Kala Juett is an exemplar of a strong, smart, young woman and a leader destined to play a significant role in society. Kala, a Cristo Rey St. Martin (CRSM) Schuler Scholar and 2016 graduate, is one of only 18 women selected for the University’s Baldwin Scholars Program. She was chosen because school leadership believes Kala and the other scholars will positively influence the culture for women on the college campus and will become leaders in society.

The oldest of three children who lived in Round Lake Beach and near the Naval Base, where her parents were in the military, Kala says she is pursuing every creative outlet at Duke, including writing, music, and producing videos, before she selects a definitive career path. “I chose Duke because I know it will take me to places I never imagined I’d get to,” she says.

At Duke, Kala is also working part-time to finance her education and is a member of a dance troupe that performs the classical African dance Nakisai. She says that looking ahead tens years from now, “I hope to be happy. That’s kind of an overall life goal as well. I think no matter what I’m doing, I would like to be enjoying it and reflecting on how it’s causing growth in my identity.”