Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep is hosting a farmers market every Friday until August 30, 2024! Check out what the Chicago Tribune has to say about it here.
There are only two times in our entire school year when all the students gather together. Because of our Corporate Work Study Program, ¼ of the students are out at work each and every day throughout the year except for 1) the first day of school when we hold and all-school assembly to start of the year and 2) the last day of classes when we share our Senior Send-Off & Awards Ceremony.
At the year-end assembly, seniors receive their caps and gowns in preparation for graduation and we present all the academic, work-study, and service awards for the year except for our Spirit of St. Martin de Porres Award (which is given to one Senior at graduation who best exemplifies all the values of our school). This year’s Senior Send-Off was last Friday. It is an opportunity to recognize our outgoing class before they leave our community for college and lives beyond CRSM.
It’s also a way to celebrate the best in us and remind each other about what brings us together as a community – hard work, resilience, care for others, developing our God-given talents, and collective success. When we celebrate selected individuals, we are also celebrating all of us because no one achieves success alone. Each story of success includes people who helped that person get to where they are.
In what has now become a favorite tradition of the last 12 years, I get to lead the faculty, staff, and students in a final prayer for the school year and a blessing of our seniors. For this month’s President’s Pen, I would like to share with you what we say:
Blessing for Our Seniors
Christ the King, You are always with us, even at this very moment.
You called us into being THROUGH love.
You joined us to one another IN love.
You put us in this world TO love.
You are love.
Grant each one of us the strength, compassion, and focus
To bring your message of love from this place to the next.
We find you in all those we love.
May we continue to look for you in the new people we meet.
Our lives are but a moment,
And yet, we can do so much with the short time you give us.
Make us constantly restless to bring your Kingdom to life as long as we live.
For those of us who will return next year, keep us safe and productive this summer. Keep us reading.
Keep our seniors safe and without fear as they prepare to leave us. Help them know our love goes with them and that they will always be part of our Cristo Rey St. Martin family.
Accompany them to-and-through college.
Be with them in the professional world of work.
Invite them to find You by living lives of faith, committed to justice.
You, Lord, give us purpose. You ARE our purpose.
When we love one another, You live in us and Your love is made complete in us.
Bless the Class of 2024, make them instruments of your peace.
Grant them the grit to be true disciples of Your love.
Seniors…
Go forth knowing you are capable of more you than you can imagine.
Go forth to discover and strengthen the unique gifts God has given only to you.
Go forth with the compassion and humility of St. Martin de Porres.
Go forth to be persons for others.
Go forth in the name of Cristo Rey
Go forth and set the world on fire!
Amen.
CRSM Juniors gathered after school on April 30th to hear from alumni, business partners, and dedicated volunteers about their own career journeys. Career Exploration Day, organized by the Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP), was created to empower students with the knowledge and connections needed to navigate their professional journeys confidently.
The event featured diverse career tracks spanning various industries. From Arts and Communication to Health Science and Technology, students had the opportunity to explore areas of interest and engage with professionals representing many organizations. Representatives from many of our prominent business partners such as AbbVie, IBM Global Services, and Abbott Laboratories, offered students firsthand insights into the realities of different professions. Volunteers from local organizations like the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Waukegan Park District provided valuable perspectives on their respective fields.
“I had a meaningful conversation with one of the students where they explained to me their strong interest in Engineering and all the wonderful things they were doing to achieve their goal of going to college. Seeing the drive and ambition of the student was very impressive. It was not only a sign of their dedication and effort, but also of the exceptional work being done by the CRSM staff”, said Marco Vazquez, CRSM ‘18. Marco currently works as an Associate Project Engineer at L3Harris Technologies. He was able to participate in the Career Exploration Event as a panelist representing the Engineering career field.
Lori Bell, a CWSP Coordinator and Operations Lead, emphasized the event’s significance in aligning with CRSM’s mission to cultivate purposeful professionals. “The Career Exploration event serves as a platform for students to engage with professionals from various industries, gaining insights into the real-world challenges and triumphs they may encounter,” said Bell.
CRSM Junior Yeleyni O. also shared her thoughts on the event. Yeleyni’s engagement in three career tracks—Arts, Communication, and Technology; Agriculture; and Health Science—shed light on her evolving interests and aspirations. “Both the agriculture and health science panels really left a big impact on me,” she reflected. “I feel like career exploration definitely helped me be more confident in going into that field.”
As CRSM continues its mission to prepare students for the professional world of work, events like Career Exploration play a pivotal role in shaping students’ futures. By offering firsthand experiences and fostering meaningful connections with professionals, CRSM empowers its students to embark on their career journeys with confidence and purpose.
At Cristo Rey St. Martin, part of our mission is to have students become people for others. We have several organizations on campus that allow for this through their various activities, one being Oportunidades Para Todos (OPT). Throughout the year, OPT has hosted several fundraisers and efforts to support the local Waukegan and North Chicago Hispanic communities. The group also partners with various organizations within the community, such as Viator House, Catholic Charities, La Escuelita, La Casa De Misericordia, and Bethany House. Some events throughout the year have included a Christmas tree sale to support Viator House, a dress down day to raise money for La Casa De Misericordia, and many more!
At the end of the school year for the past two years, OPT has participated in the MIKVA Challenge, where they present the work they have done for their community throughout the year, and what they hoped to accomplish. Last year, the students had the opportunity to present their work with the Viator House at this event, and speak with Senator JB Pritzker and Representative Brad Schneider. This year, in similar form, the students presented their work with all the aforementioned organizations, and again had the opportunity to speak with Representative Brad Schneider. By the end of the event, one OPT member remarked how “Representative Schneider was on a first-name basis with most of us”.
This year the MIKVA Challenge was held at Waukegan High School. Five high schools in the area participated in the event; Stevenson High School, Round Lake High School, Waukegan High School, North Chicago High School, and CRSM. All groups focused on different areas in their community or school that they wanted to advocate for to make a positive change. The challenge was centered around young people getting involved in democracy and advocating for an impact. “Democracy is a verb”– the official motto of MIKVA.
“We are privileged to attend CRSM and make a difference in our community” says one OPT member.
On Saturday, May 4th, CRSM held the Dedication Ceremony for the Zach Perry Soccer Field. Zach Perry Field was named as such to honor the late Zach Perry, who passed away in his 30’s of Leukemia. 60+ friends and family of the Perry family, along with CRSM staff and students and their families, came to honor Zach in the unveiling/blessing of the new field.
The 200+ guests were dressed in CRSM soccer jerseys that said “Zach Perry” on the back with the number 24 to commemorate the year. Everyone gathered on the field to witness speeches from CRSM President Preston Kendall, Barb Perry (Zach’s mother), and Molly Perry (Zach’s wife). All parties spoke to Zach’s love of soccer, the CRSM community, and his family. The field was blessed by Fr. Steve Katsouros S.J., who officiated both Zach’s wedding and funeral, along with several other important religious events of the Perry family. The ceremony culminated in everyone singing “Happy Birthday” to Zach.
“It’s a beautiful day because we are gathered here in the memory of Zach Perry, and to dedicate this beautiful field. And, to have a place where young people and their families can gather. We’re going to hone our skills, develop our god given gifts, we’re going to learn about good sportsmanship, we’re going to be healthy, we’re going to make friends, and most of all we’re going to have fun,” said Preston Kendall, President of Cristo Rey St. Martin.
Following the ceremony and reception the Varsity Girls Soccer team faced off against Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. The game ended in a tie between the two Cristo Rey teams with a final score of 2-2. Afterwards, the Junior Varsity teams played one another on the field while members of the Perry family and CRSM spectators stayed to watch. CRSM is honored to have hosted this ceremony for the Perry family, and to have a field named after such an avid soccer fan. Thank you to all who attended this special event, and to Chris and Kathy Perry for making this field a possibility!