ALUMNI HELP CLASS OF 2024 BECOME COLLEGE READY WITH Q&A PANEL

Five CRJ alumni participate in a college experience panel discussion with members of the Class of 2024.

The definition of a Trailblazer is "the first person to do something or go somewhere, who shows that it is also possible for other people." Thirteen Cristo Rey Jesuit alumni returned to their alma mater to do just that by sharing their college advice with the Class of 2024 through discussion panels as part of the seniors' College Readiness class. Jonathan Andrade Plascencia, '22, said, "It's an honor to be able to come back to CRJ. The first semester of college can be a really challenging time for students so I hope my experience and advice, as well as those of my fellow alumni, can help these current students achieve success right away."

While alumni have stopped by in the past to speak to classes, this was the first instance of a formal discussion panel with alumni. The goal was to give CRJ seniors a chance to envision what their next calendar year will look like and learn more about being a college student from actual college students. “It also gave students the opportunity to hear from former classmates instead of college counselors as their experiences may resonate with the Class of 2024 because of the common experience they share having attended CRJ,” shared Director of Postgraduate Success Zuleyka Rios.

Senior Genesis said, "The student panel was very insightful! I feel like all the college students' experiences reinforced that college will be a great plan for my future." Senior Emmanuel added that the panel was really informative in what the college experience entailed. "I enjoyed getting actual current advice from college students who are trying to help us navigate through college in their first year. It was comforting to know their experiences, and that we're not alone."

Thank you to the following alumni who participated in the panel discussions with the Class of 2024:

Hope is a word I hear a lot this time of year. As many people turn the page to a new year, they make New Year’s resolutions which are held together by a hope that things will change for the better. While there is certainly great merit in a desire to improve through adopting healthier habits or maximizing talents, the hope that is supposed to drive this change is often fleeting. As a matter of fact, people often gave up on their resolutions on average just under four months according to a recent Forbes Health poll. When I think of hope at Cristo Rey, it is different. It is a hope that sustains, that believes, and that trusts. I can feel this difference when visitors and staff members discuss the feeling of hope they have when they meet our students or learn about our school.

Recently, I conducted my mid-year meetings with teachers who started with us this last August. These discussions provide me the opportunity to hear about their first semester experiences at our school. I also can ensure they feel support in their daily work with our students. I was heartened to hear that all of the teachers I spoke with expressed that they felt supported in their work by our academic leaders and their colleagues and that their first semester was a positive one. 

One teacher, who was in his first year at Cristo Rey Jesuit (but would be considered a veteran in education given his overall years of teaching service), reflected on the hope his teaching experience at Cristo Rey Jesuit renewed in him. As I asked this teacher to reflect, he told me about his experiences at previous schools. From dealing with major student discipline issues to the struggles of executing basic instruction in the classroom, I could hear the exasperation in the teacher’s voice. At one point, he admitted that he had struggled so long that he didn’t think he was making a difference and that he should choose a different career. He just wasn’t finding that he could be a teacher amidst all the other issues at his school. Then, he paused, looked at me, and said, “Teaching at Cristo Rey has given me hope.” As I sat and listened to him, I could hear a rekindled passion for his craft. He was excited about what the students were producing in class so much so that he brought examples of student work to show me!

I often think of the hope that is present amongst the students, families, staff, Corporate Work Study Partners, donors, and other stakeholders who allow Cristo Rey Jesuit to be the school it is for our community. It is this virtue of hope that brought Cristo Rey into being. As Father John Foley, SJ, founder of the Cristo Rey Network of schools expressed in the Cristo Rey Credo, “May our hope be so outrageously bold that we are afraid people will laugh at us if they knew what we hoped for!” When I came to Milwaukee in 2012 and spoke about the bold vision for Cristo Rey Jesuit and its students, there were some who laughed, who doubted, or who thought we were totally unrealistic. Thinking about all our progress since that time makes me so grateful for many who were and continue to be outrageously hopeful for our mission. Our Milwaukee community continues to be transformed because of it!

STUDENTS SOLVE MURDER MYSTERY

CRJ seniors and Facility Manager Scott Juedes inspect the crime scene of Mr. Juedes' "murder".

Students from Teacher Katie Volcensek's Forensic Science class found themselves in an exciting "Who Done It" investigation. Students were charged to solve the mysterious murder of CRJ’s Facility Manager Mr. Juedes. However, this particular investigation wasn’t a real murder investigation, but instead was the culmination of a semester of learning about forensic sciences. Volcensek explained, “All semester, students worked on lab skills for solving a crime - hair analysis, fingerprinting, DNA - and the final project was taking all the lab skills learned and applying it to a mock crime scene.”

Staff and faculty members volunteered as suspects that the students interviewed as well as collected numerous evidence samples from. From there, the students analyzed the evidence based on everything they had learned over the semester to determine who the “killer” was. “It was awesome - this was truly collaborative work where every student had a role to play to create an overall determination as a group,” said Volcensek.

The project was a highlight for the students as well. Senior Diego shared, "This project went above and beyond my expectations. It was so exciting to be able to use our skills from labs and experiments that we had learned all semester to create a scenario that would lead us to our culprit!" Senior Emily added, “The project was so exciting, it made me feel like a true forensic investigator! By doing the actual work, we now truly understand the grit and integrity that comes with studying a crime scene as well as the scientific elements like DNA and blood types. I’m so thankful to Ms. V for putting in so much time and effort into us as a class and giving us the opportunities that she has within the classroom!”

CELEBRATING 2023

Earlier this month, you may have rung in 2024 with joy and anticipation for the year ahead. Today, we invite you to take a moment to reflect on and celebrate all that YOU helped CRJ students accomplish in the last 12 months through (with) your prayers, financial support, and Corporate Work Study experiences. With your help, CRJ students and alumni blazed new trails in 2023 and continued to positively impact our neighborhoods and workplaces across Milwaukee. Here are some of the highlights:

• 100% college acceptance for Class of 2023 with more than $17M in financial packages
• Three CRJ alumnae were inducted into Marquette University's Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program
• CRJ holds first Career Day for underclassmen students
• CRJ alumna Yesenia Gomez '20 is one of just 13 college students accepted at the Medical College of Wisconsin through the ASPIRE program
• 21 CRJ students earn Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) certification during month-long training program over summer break
• Jonathan Andrade Plascencia ‘22 is one of 20 fellows participating in the Open Quantum Initiative Fellowship Program (OQI) through the Chicago Quantum Exchange
• Class of 2024 students Julisa and Jazmin attend three week pre-college enrichment program at Georgetown University
• CRJ hosts Youth Entrepreneurship Accelerator (YEA) workshop
• Welcoming 123 members of the class of 2027
• Two ofrenda displays were created by the Latin Pride club for Dia de los Muertos celebration at the Mitchell Park Domes
• Advent Service Project distributes 800 food boxes through partnership with Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, Phoenix Investors, LLC & Crivello Family Foundation
• Class of 2024 reaches 100% college acceptance at fastest rate in CRJ history
• Two members of the Class of 2024 awarded QuestBridge Scholarships

Thanks to you and the generosity of CRJ friends and partners, 2024 promises even more opportunities and achievements for Cristo Rey Jesuit students.

Is your business interested in partnering with our work study program?

We would like to speak with you about how your business or organization can partner with our Corporate Work Study Program! Contact Everette Fernandes at 414.436.4600 Ext. 3141 or efernandes@cristoreymilwaukee.org.

Make a difference in the lives of CRJ students!

The generous support of Cristo Rey Jesuit donors like you makes it possible for us to offer a Catholic, college-prep education combined with unique professional work experience to young women and men of all faiths and limited financial means.