by Miranda Eby | Apr 17, 2025 | School News
April is National Volunteer Month, and at Cristo Rey St. Martin, we would not be where we are today without our volunteers. That’s why on April 11, 2025, we hosted a Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast as a small way to thank the large contributions of all of our volunteers.
At the breakfast, we had representation from all the departments our volunteers help with, including Campus Ministry, Corporate Work Study, College Counseling, Development, AAP, and general frequent volunteers.
CRSM appreciates having the opportunity to honor these individuals, as they give so much time and effort to our students and mission.
“I believe in the CRSM Mission and access to education for all, as well as access to healthcare,” said Dr. Venoncia Bate-Ambras, a CRSM volunteer of 3 years.
Many of our volunteers also come from the organizations we partner with for the Corporate Work Study Program. Tania Bedrosian, a research microbiologist at AbbVie, has mentored our students for about a year. “As a Latina, growing up, I always wished I had someone to mentor and guide me while I was in high school. I am happy to do that for these students and give them guidance.”
At CRSM, our volunteers are more than just helpers— they are mentors, role models, and champions of our mission. Their generosity of spirit and time uplifts our entire community and impacts our students’ lives. We are deeply grateful for their commitment, and we look forward to continuing this journey together.
by Miranda Eby | Apr 17, 2025 | Campus Ministry, School News
Each spring, Cristo Rey St. Martin sophomores step away from their usual routines for a meaningful day of reflection and connection at the Greenbelt Cultural Center. The day-long retreat allows our students to explore their faith, grow in community, and deepen their commitment to justice and service.
Highlights of the retreat included a peaceful prayer walk through the forest preserve trails, creative mug painting, and a fun and thoughtful activity where students acted out their interpretations of Gospel stories.
“It was a peaceful experience and I’m glad I got to grow deeper into my faith with God,” said Sophomore, Kaylee A. “The retreats are new experiences that help me work together with my community. I am able to reflect and have fun with my friends, and also become more involved in CRSM.”
The retreat is an integral part of the student faith formation journey at CRSM, providing space for students to pause, pray, and connect their values with real-world action.
by Miranda Eby | Apr 17, 2025 | Alumni Spotlight, School News
It is a blessing that CRSM alumni can return to campus to share their experiences after graduating. Just before we went on Spring Break on March 21st, Eileen Rodriguez (CRSM ‘23) spoke to our students at Friday’s assembly about her experiences as a first-generation college student at Hope College.
Eileen shared that CRSM was a comforting community for her to rely on, and she is glad to have found a similar level of support at Hope College through her friends and extracurriculars like flag football. She urged current students to do the same once they get to college, emphasizing the importance of a support system when moving to an unfamiliar place.
Eileen iterated what it was like being a first-generation college student surrounded by others who were not. “At CRSM, we’re more similar than students at my school. We’re mostly first-generation and from a low-income background. When I went to college, people thought it was unique and cool that I was a first-generation college student. Just know you are unique in this as well.”
Eilleen expressed how the CRSM community has made her feel valued, encouraging current students to embrace this mindset in all their endeavors. “Know that you’re valuable, and know that you’re worth much more than you think. Honor that in school and yourself. Prioritize yourself, and go forth and set the world on fire,” she concluded, echoing the inspiring words of Principal Dr. Odiotti.
by Miranda Eby | Mar 17, 2025 | President’s Pen
Hard to believe we are two weeks into Lent and have already begun the fourth quarter of the school year! What’s more, Daylight Saving Time just stole another hour. While I can’t complain too much about driving home now and getting to see the sunset, the message this season is abundantly clear: time is fleeting.
In high schools, it is especially evident. Seniors who, just 3 and ¾ years ago were wide-eyed freshmen, are seasoned veterans planning for prom and making decisions about which college to attend. The transformation is nothing short of miraculous. Science tells us that the high school years are second only to the first 18 months of life for human brain development, and second also in physical development. Students grow corporeally and intellectually before your very eyes.
As faculty and educators, what an honor and a privilege (and extremely humbling) it is to walk beside these talented and determined young people who are defying the odds to find upward economic mobility for themselves and their families. It is inspiring and grace-filled to accompany them during these few, transformative years of their life-long journeys.
For the beginning of Lent, Ash Wednesday, CRSM has established a tradition of starting the day with a completely student-led prayer service. We use the Taize prayer format that began in France during the dark days of WWII. It is a meditative worship practice intended to foster a contemplative atmosphere of prayer and reflection. Taize incorporates repetitive music, scripture readings, intentions, and a long period of silence. Everything about it is intended to help slow things down.
So, it is a bit ironic that at this point in the year when time is accelerating almost beyond control, we are called to slow down, take stock, and reflect on our soul purpose, isn’t it? Yet, that is exactly what we should and need to do; and, yes, “soul purpose” is precisely the right term.
It is difficult to describe the incredibly profound experience of sitting in CRSM’s cafeteria with nearly four hundred students, faculty, staff, and visitors (remember 100 students are out at their worksites in the Corporate Work Study Program) when the period of silence comes. When I say a period, I do not mean a minute or two minutes; I mean seven minutes or more! I encourage you to set a timer for seven minutes and then sit in complete silence and prayer. It’s not easy! But, come to CRSM on Ash Wednesday and experience it together in a giant room with hundreds of people, most of whom are normally squirrely, restless, impatient teenagers.
Imagine sitting there with all those young people in a 100,000 square foot building and hearing the soft hiss of the ventilation system, the low hum of traffic on Belvidere Road outside over 100 yards away, and the softened buzz of a commercial jet flying 30,000 feet over head. To say you could hear a pin drop borders on understatement. A cough, or occasional sniffle occurs but is rare. You are immersed… enveloped… swaddled in an overwhelming silence. The sense of peace and shared harmony with one another and the world is deep and moving and memorable.
When the silence is over and the prayer service ends, there is a palpable regret that we all can’t just keep flowing through this plenum of belonging and togetherness.
Some of the announcements after prayer included reminders from our Campus Ministers about our regular community service opportunities at Feed My Starving Children, St. Anastasia’s Soup Kitchen, Big Brothers Big Sisters at Glen Flora Elementary, and the Broadview Prayer Vigil for families of immigrants facing deportation.
As students walked back to classes, you couldn’t help but be reminded of the duality of our existence. We all are still floating in that powerful spiritual plenum we just experienced while simultaneously back to engaging in the noisy busyness of this life. Hopefully, a little more certain of our spiritual essence despite the human uncertainties life throws at us; a little more composed in the chaos because we were brought closer to our soul purpose… not just as individuals but as a community. Our prayer was not a singular experience but a communal one. We are in this world together and called to bring God’s Kingdom to fruition in the here and now.
AP exams are around the corner. Finals and end-of-term projects are coming due. Busyness is with us; it’s part of being human. The Jesuit mystic, Teilhard de Chardin is purported to have said, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings immersed in a human experience.”
This earthly experience is a short one – even for high schoolers who have their whole life ahead of them. Lent reminds us that we are called to be contemplatives in action. Making the most of this immersive and imperfect earthly experience by loving one another and lifting one another up – including strangers, immigrants, the homeless, marginalized, and destitute – by sharing our gifts to make this world a better place for everyone. That really is our “soul purpose.” ¡Viva Cristo Rey!
by Miranda Eby | Mar 14, 2025 | Development, School News
After taking a 5-year hiatus, the Associate Board at Cristo Rey St. Martin has been revived! Previously known as the St. Martin Advisory Counsel or SMAC, the Cristo Rey Associate Board is a group of young professionals eager to assist with raising money for the school through fundraisers, help the work-study program with student professional development, and take part in service initiatives throughout the school year. As their new charter states, the mission of the Associate Board is “to enhance the experiences of the CRSM student body, both in and out of the classroom.”
Currently, the Associate Board consists of 16 members, which include 3 CRSM alumni. All members have been previously acquainted with CRSM through volunteer initiatives or other involvement in the past.
We are grateful to have these new vital champions for the school and the greater community. CRSM is looking forward to having an Associate Board back on campus and to all of the fun and engaging initiatives that will take place within the next few years.
Interested in joining the Cristo Rey St. Martin Associate Board? Contact Director of Development, Candice Tonon, for more details.
