April 2025 President’s Pen with Preston Kendall
A very good friend of CRSM frequently marvels at the results our students are getting. He repeatedly asks, “Why is it that your incoming 9-grade academic and behavioral profile is essentially the same as other schools serving low-income youth from Waukegan and North Chicago, and yet, the outcomes for CRSM graduates are exponentially stronger?” My frequent response is that, first and foremost, everyone – students, faculty, staff – want to be here. Of course, wanting to be here is just the beginning. While it is elemental to our students’ success, there is far more at work in our educational model.
As is likely the same with you, I have a backlog of articles, books, and research studies that I want to read but never get the time. One of my New Years’ resolutions was to try to make a dent in reviewing them. In doing so, I came across a policy report from August put out by TNTP, a forward-looking educational institute entitled, Paths of Opportunity: What it will take for All Young People to Thrive. The authors start by citing research (from Raj Chetty of Harvard whom I greatly respect) that supports their statement that, “The opportunity gap in the U.S. is… real and widening, and income mobility has been on a steady decline since the 1940’s.” They then go on to propose a plan with five critical factors to guide educational programs. As they say, “It’s time to build a future in which …education can truly make it possible for all young people to thrive in life, pursue careers of their choosing, and shape our democracy.”
Their 5 factors for reforming education for the future are:
- A Strong Academic Foundation bringing students up to learning at their grade level
- Career-Connected Learning to unite education with real-world work experiences
- Opportunities to Build Social Capital beyond family and neighborhood
- Personal Support in the form of advising, tutoring, and career coaching
- Civic and Community Engagement to promote a sense of belonging and agency
As I read the report, it occurred to me that CRSM embodies all these factors for the benefit of our students, and we have done so for the last 20 years – I really believe the factors in this report describe our “secret sauce” as a highly effective institution.
Strong Academic Foundation: On average, students come to CRSM 1.5 to 2.0 years behind grade level. Yet, in the four years they are with us, they catch up and are college-ready by graduation. The proof is in the pudding: This is our 6th year in-a-row with 100% of the CRSM Senior Class accepted to at least one college bachelor’s program.
Career-Connected Learning: Our Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP) is a defining characteristic of our school. One full day per week, every student is sent out into a professional work environment to perform a real job and contribute value. Students gain important life-long skills and experience while earning a substantial portion of the cost of their education.
Opportunities to Build Social Capital: Through the CWSP, students build a network of relationships that bear fruit in many ways, lasting far beyond high school. Supervisors and co-workers serve as references for college applications, help students find summer work and even their first jobs after college. For many, they find important career mentors who advise and encourage them for years.
Personal Support: CRSM is very intentional in scaffolding customized supports for each student. Our Student Support Team (SST) consists of teachers, counselors, CWSP coordinators, and the Dean of Students. It meets weekly to discuss students’ needs and then develops individualized plans for students that also include engagement with parents or guardians. How many other schools of only 400 students do you know that have 2 full-time college counselors, 2 full-time alumni support counselors to ensure students get through college and into the careers, 2 full-time social/emotional counselors to promote mental health, a part-time licensed therapist, and a full-time nurse? In addition, CRSM’s Academic Assistance Program (AAP) offers students access to 3 full-time dedicated teachers who provide tutoring during study halls and after school. We also engage a cadre of 6 part-time, highly experienced business professionals to support students’ success in the CWSP. This is all about creating an environment where students can be challenged, grow and thrive.
Civic and Community Engagement: Yet another area that sets CRSM apart for typical schools is our Campus Ministry program because it challenges students to think about what they believe and how they live out their beliefs in the world. Community service opportunities are myriad – from working at food pantries to tutoring grade schoolers to comforting the homeless to praying with immigrants and their families as they face deportation the list goes on. Despite not requiring any service hours, about 2/3’s of our students participate in regular service beyond the walls of our campus. What’s more, CRSM hosts food drives, summer academic camps, various sports camps, townhalls for elected officials, health fairs and blood drives; all supported with student volunteers. These experiences not only connect students with issues facing our community and world, they also instill in our students a sense of responsibility for others and the first-hand knowledge that they can make a real difference in the world through their own actions.
How reassuring it is to read a research-based paper that affirms everything we do at CRSM!
College acceptances continue to roll in and students will be making their decisions about where they will attend in the next few weeks. Some already know where they will go. So far this year, we have students committed to MIT, Yale, Stanford, Georgetown, Smith, Tufts, University of Chicago, Middlebury, Notre Dame, U of I – Champaign, Loyola University, Marquette, and Lake Forest among many others. As each acceptance gets announced, I can’t help but think, “If that isn’t proof of concept that what CRSM does day-in-and-day-out is highly effective and defies conventional educational practice, then what is? We’re on the right track.
¡Viva Cristo Rey!
