Our Roots are Strong

Jun 1, 2018 | Cougar Chronicles

“Our roots are strong”

A few days ago, Cristo Rey Columbus High School hosted its second graduation ceremony since our inception in 2013. It’s been an honor to watch the Class of 2018 transform into confident and spirited seniors over the past four years.

Our valedictorian, Catherine, came to Cristo Rey Columbus passionate about her faith and enthusiastic about Campus Ministry. She quickly stood out as a strong leader and was lovingly coined the “class mom” by her peers. During her valedictorian speech, Catherine’s words resonated with me:

“We are like plants that have outgrown the pots we were planted in. It is time for a transition. As any good gardener knows, when you move a plant from one pot to the next, you have to be mindful of the roots. Looking out at all of us, I can tell you our roots are strong.”

I agree whole-heartedly with Catherine and it’s why I’m so proud to be a part of Cristo Rey. Next year, Catherine will attend Creighton University, which she visited after her Theology teacher, an alumna of Creighton, suggested it. Catherine pursued her teacher’s suggestion and instantly felt at home in Omaha. Our faculty, counselors, and staff have an incredible influence on the strong roots that our students grow during their time here. And it’s an honor to guide their journey.

While it’s bittersweet to send them off, we’re filled with pride and confidence that the Class of 2018 will use the strong roots they grew at Cristo Rey Columbus to make the world a better place.

With appreciation,

Jim Foley
President

College Bound

For the second year in a row, 100% of our seniors were accepted into college and earned $7.2 million in merit-based scholarships over the next four years! Check out what a few of our seniors had to say about their next adventure:

Diamond Evans
University of Buffalo

“The University of Buffalo has a great public health program and their diversity is well above the national average. I’ve always had an interest in public health and I’m thinking about going to med school after college. Cristo Rey really helped me figure out what I wanted in a school and I’m looking forward to being independent at college!”

Mario Banales
Ohio Dominican University

“Cristo Rey helped prepare me for applying to college and our counselors and teachers were really supportive. I’m going to Ohio Dominican because it’s close to home and they offered me financial aid. It’s also a very nice school and I love the campus!”

Catherine Cottrill
Creighton University

“Creighton has a really strong undergraduate research program and I plan to double major in physics and math. Ultimately, I want to be a high school teacher, preferably in a Catholic school. I’m excited about learning more in college, I want to learn as much as I can. And, I’m excited to not have a uniform anymore!”

Monte Williams-Jeter
Otterbein University

“I already knew a little bit about Otterbein because Cristo Rey has internships there. My college counselor made the application process easier and helped put me in touch with people at Otterbein. I was offered a great scholarship and I’m excited to major in systems engineering.”

Partnerships That Last a Lifetime

Oftentimes, a special bond is formed between students and their work-study supervisors. The relationships go well beyond a student’s time at Cristo Rey. Our alumni have even used their work-study connections to gain summer internships and networking opportunities! Here’s what this year’s supervisors had to say about our hardworking Cristo Rey students:

“Dayna has been an excellent asset to Diamond Hill. We can always count on her to do an awesome job.”

“Samantha is like a ray of sunshine here at COSI. She has a very professional and friendly attitude towards team members and guests.”

“Vicky is amazing when it comes to staying on task. She knows what needs to be done in her role at Otterbein and just gets started.”

Emma, ’18, was gifted an autographed Ohio State football by her work-study supervisors at Lancaster Pollard. Emma’s supervisors wanted to celebrate her two-year pairing with the firm and her graduation from Cristo Rey. Emma said, “Working at Lancaster Pollard changed my life for the better. I really enjoyed having supervisors who cared about my life and wanted me to succeed. I plan to keep in touch with them after graduation.”