by Miranda Eby | Feb 28, 2024 | Development, School News
Larry and Sheila Marshall are like Godparents to CRSM: donors, ambassadors, business partners, and friends for Cristo Rey St. Martin from our very beginning. Larry’s business, L. Marshall Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc., is one of CRSM’s original business partners in the Corporate Work Student Program giving students jobs every year since 2004 until the present. Larry also served on the Board of Trustees for 8 years.
Now, almost 20 years later since they first became involved with CRSM, Larry and Sheila continue their support by sponsoring our annual Founders’ Dinner being held on Saturday, April 27th. Their generous contributions and dedication to our students allow us to continue our mission of getting our students to-and-through college, and helping them transform their community.
“The mission of the school still remains close to the hearts of Sheila and I… Our reason for supporting you and the future leaders of Waukegan and America is one of Hope and Service to Others. We see dreams becoming reality at your Prep School.”
We cannot say thank you enough, Larry and Sheila Marshall. We are truly grateful for your on-going support, kind words, and professional partnership.
by Miranda Eby | Dec 28, 2023 | President’s Pen
Christmas break rushed in quickly this year. Why does it always seem to take us a bit by surprise? With mid-term exams finished, the school’s hallways stand empty and quiet as students spend Christmas and New Year’s with their families.
Our Principal often says, “Coal under pressure turns into diamonds.” CRSM students embrace that. We never want stress to be so great that it overwhelms, but a manageable amount can motivate and energize. Our students appear to have found that sweet spot. I remember exam week when I was in school: hallways littered with the pages of post-test outlines and notes, snack wrappers, and general jetsam from emptying lockers before break. Not the case at CRSM. The hallways were remarkably clean and students (for the most part) smiling and friendly, as usual.
While we sprinted through that week, our students impressed us not only with their composure under the stress of finals, but also with their determination to continue community service work right up to the holidays. Each afternoon, our Campus Minister would come on the intercom and announce a bus leaving for some local non-profit – St. Anastasia’s Soup Kitchen, Northern IL Food Bank, Feed My Starving Children, etc. – encouraging students who signed up to get aboard. No difference from any other week of the school year, the buses were always filled.
Just a week earlier, led by their peers from our National Hispanic Honors Society, students celebrated “Las Posadas.” In Latin America, Las Posadas is a popular component of Advent – a song-filled, call-and-response retelling of Mary and Joseph going from inn to inn seeking shelter. Caesar Augustus had little regard for what it meant to call a census and force everyone in the empire back to their hometowns! It’s a beautiful experience, traveling with the Holy Family for the evening, being rejected time and again, only to finally experience the joy and relief of finding welcome… even if that welcome was a humble corner in the barn out back. We rejoice with the final innkeeper who said, “Look, the best I can do is a dry place with the animals, but it has a roof and some modicum of warmth.” The travelers (our saints pregnant with God by the way!), exhausted and desolate, didn’t ask for much – just some basic human charity.
Still, the other innkeepers deserve a little compassion. Think of the stress. They were likely feeling very much stuck in their circumstances. “We ‘re full-up. It’s more than we can handle. There’s too much going on. We couldn’t possibly take any more. We’re exhausted!” Sound familiar? Especially during the holidays?
All it takes to change the world is for one or two people to think beyond their present circumstances, to be motivated by the troubles of someone in front of them and get a little creative. Having the perspective to think outside of ourselves and prioritize the needs of others is no easy feat. If the Nativity means anything, it is a message of God’s desire for us to practice “radical hospitality.” We are called by faith to welcome the “stranger.” In particular, the vulnerable, the homeless, migrants and refugees. These unfortunate people did not create their situations. To vilify those caught in the middle of war, violence, economic and political upheaval and oppression, is to deny our faith… to deny that in their eyes are the eyes of Mary, and Joseph, and Christ in our world. We are in this boat together and we cannot all stop bailing until someone fixes the leak. Waiting for that, as necessary as it is, sinks us all. We somehow must find a way to do both simultaneously.
When the world is too much with us, it is really a call to find perspective, to find our humanity, to love. Our students are one little example of that – maintaining a sense of belonging to one another and the world at large despite personal stress; continuing to seek out ways to give hope to the desolate, care for the hungry, and welcome to the stranger. Even when our own worries and responsibilities try to distract us, we are called to focus on our one, true purpose in life: to love one another.
Merry Christmas! God is with us! Viva Cristo Rey!
by Miranda Eby | Dec 27, 2023 | CWSP, School News
At the age of 15 Samantha (Sam) Bahena began her journey as a student intern with Advanced Resources. And today at the age of 24, she has risen to the role of Director of Recruiting for that company. In Sam’s sophomore year at Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep she was placed in a CWSP job at one of our CWSP business partners, Advanced Resources, a leading staffing and recruitment firm in the northern Chicagoland area. Little did she know that this internship would foster not only professional growth but also a lasting, impactful relationship between mentor and intern, transforming a school requirement into a career-defining opportunity.
The 2016 Emmy Award Winning video, A Day in the Life of a Cristo Rey Student- Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep followed Sam throughout the day as she prepared for work at Advanced Resources. During the feature, Sam says she felt like her work was meaningful to the company, even at her young age. She states that CRSM students like her “go to work to pay our tuition, but the companies actually want to give us a chance to have an experience”. Advanced Resources opened the doors to an intern experience that would stick with her for life.
While working for her supervisor, Dina Fiorelli (also featured in the video), Sam found not only a mentor but a friend. Dina, now the President of Advanced Resources, lauded Samantha’s capabilities as a student intern. “Initiative work ethic, competence, those are just a couple of words to describe her”, says Dina in the Day in the Life video. “We have no problem saying she’s an intern, she’s here with Cristo Rey, and she’s fantastic. We always have to remind ourselves that she’s only 16.”
After Sam’s high school graduation in 2017, Dina and Samantha continued to collaborate, even as Samantha pursued higher education. Samantha worked towards her bachelor’s degree and her career simultaneously, with Dina’s encouragement to stay on part-time at Advanced Resources. Their connection strengthened over the years, evolving into a friendship that Samantha deeply cherishes. Sam expresses her gratitude to Dina during her most recent interview, and says that “she’s been a part of every milestone in my life, and I’ve been honored to witness her milestones, like recently becoming a mother of two… She goes above and beyond as a boss, mentor, and friend. She’s a genuine, good person, and very successful in her career. I feel so incredibly blessed to have learned from one of the best people in our industry.”
Their professional relationship transcended time and titles. Dina’s support remained unwavering, allowing Samantha to grow both personally and professionally. “I had the most incredible experience working with Samantha Bahena… Her drive and professionalism were over and beyond all expectations. Ten years later, I sit side by side with her, where she now works as a full-time, permanent employee. I am extremely grateful for the CWSP program to introduce the two of us. She is an absolute pleasure to have on the team, and I have enjoyed watching her grow personally and professionally.”
7 years after graduating, Samantha emphasizes the significance of the work done as a CRSM student, highlighting the positive impact of early professional exposure. “I would advise every (CRSM) student to be a sponge. Take in every opportunity and have the ambition to want to learn more,” says Samantha. “The work that you do as a CRSM student is so important because you are given these opportunities before you even graduate high school, let alone college.” The CWSP’s success is not just in preparing students for college and life but in shaping lifelong careers and relationships, as demonstrated by the enduring collaboration between Samantha and her mentor, Dina Fiorelli.
Thank you Advanced Resources and Dina Fiorelli for being the outstanding Business Partner you are, and for helping Sam grow and develop into the professional she is today!
by Miranda Eby | Dec 26, 2023 | CWSP, School News, Student Life
The world has been taken by storm with AI and the new technological revolution it has brought forth, and Cristo Rey St. Martin students are not immune to this phenomenon. Every Monday after school, CRSM’s Robotics Team meets to utilize the ever expansive elements of development and technology. Our Robotics Club is a testament to the power of partnership and hands-on learning, thanks to our business partner, Abbott Labs.
Abbott graciously hosts our students biweekly, offering a space for creativity and knowledge exchange. These sessions provide a wonderful opportunity for our students’ growth, outside the classroom. From tinkering with legos and beginner-level programming tools, to delving into the intricacies of AI and coding, each interaction sparks curiosity within our CRSM students.
On the off weeks where students don’t meet at Abbott Labs, they congregate in a conference room at CRSM and work on their next robotics project for the week to come. It’s during this time that students are able to create, code, and collaborate amongst one another to further their understanding of robotics and the technology it involves. So far, our students have built Sumo Wrestling robots that are coded to fight one another in a ring, robots that are coded to rescue other robots that are malfunctioning or disabled, and so many more! Alonzo Villasenor, the president of our Robotics Club, exemplifies the spirit of exploration and technological avidness. When asked about his future aspirations, he stated that he was interested in pursuing a STEM career, with a particular interest in coding. “Robotics brought that interest out.”
What’s more, this program creates an impact beyond our school. Recently, our students had the privilege to collaborate with peers from Vernon Hills High School on exciting build projects. These opportunities not only broaden horizons but also foster a community of young minds dedicated to shaping the future through innovation.
Through the support of Abbott and the enthusiasm of students like Alonzo, we continue to foster a generation dedicated to shaping a future where technology and innovation intersect. The journey of the Robotics Club at our school is not just about building robots—it’s about building futures, one innovation at a time. As we look ahead, our commitment remains resolute—to inspire, to create, and to forge ahead in the realm of technology and innovation.
by Miranda Eby | Dec 26, 2023 | School News, Student Life
From Thailand to Costa Rica to right here in the Sierras of the United States, our students are national and international travelers! All because Cristo Rey St. Martin is fortunate to partner with several organizations that allow our students to travel abroad to a country or US state of their choice, complete service work, and immerse themselves in a new culture. Two of those programs are The Ellie Burns Foundation and Road Less Traveled. For these excursions, our students apply to receive scholarships to pay for their expenses through either the programs themselves or an outside organization such as the Crystal Fund or Farther Foundation. During their time away, students don’t have access to their cell phones, except to call their families on occasion. This is in hopes they fully immerse themselves in their new surroundings without everyday distractions.
The Ellie Burns Foundation was started by Sally and Michael Burns in honor of their daughter, Ellie, who tragically passed away. Ellie loved traveling and being in nature, so to honor her memory, Michael and Sally created a foundation that allows high school students to experience being out in the world. It’s through the goodwill of Sally and Michael and their foundation that our students are able to partake in these new experiences and expand their horizons. Monserrat L., junior at CRSM, explains how her experience traveling to the Sierras of California was an awakening for her that solidified her love of nature and sent her on a journey of self-discovery. “This journey was not just about conquering mountains, but about conquering myself. The challenges I faced were not only physical but also internal, pushing me to confront fears and uncertainties… The pristine landscapes [of the Sierras] became my sanctuary, a place where I could disconnect from the chaos of daily life and reconnect with my inner self.”
During this trip, and others through the Ellie Burns Foundation, students were tasked with something seemingly impossible, but something that would really leave a strong impact on their sense of self. Students were “given the ambitious goal of… [summiting] a 14,180-foot volcano mountain, aka Mount Shasta”. This is something that pushed the students both physically and mentally, but in the end, students like Monserrat felt as though they could overcome anything. Valuable lessons can be gleaned from experiencing something challenging like legitimately ascending a mountain, but overall they shape us into resilient individuals. CRSM is extremely grateful to The Ellie Burns Foundation for providing our students with these transformative experiences. We look forward to many more opportunities to partner with them!
The other travel opportunity that our students often engage in is provided through the Road Less Traveled where our students have had the opportunity to go to places like Hawaii, Costa Rica, and Thailand. Yeili and Yinnel O., went to Thailand last summer. On their trip, the students taught English to kids, spoke with Monks, and volunteered at an Elephant Sanctuary. Yeili and Yinnel explained that the “main mission of the trip was to teach English to the kids,” but in the end, they enjoyed so much more than that! The group first visited Bangkok, where they engaged with the local children in their schools. Yeili says that she now has a new appreciation for how hard her teachers work after teaching the local kids. “We spent hours lesson planning, woke up early, taught all day, and then lesson planned some more!” The group then went to Shanghai, where they interacted with Buddhist Monks, and were able to “learn lessons from monks about their religion, and… [in turn would then] teach them about [their religions].” Yinnel and Yeili reflect on the surrealness of their experiences, as traveling to Thailand was not something that they ever thought they’d be able to do, but with the help of the Farther Foundation scholarship and the Road Less Traveled program, the students feel like they are able to accomplish anything now!
