Video: First Graduation for East Harlem High School Serving Students from Low-Income Families

Video: First Graduation for East Harlem High School Serving Students from Low-Income Families

Alma Mater Composed to Capture the Spirit of Innovative School

NEW YORK, June 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Cristo Rey New York High School (CRNYHS) will hold its inaugural commencement exercise on June 12, 2008. Forty students from low-income families successfully completed the school's college preparatory coursework while financing 70 percent of their education through an innovative corporate work-study program. The vast majority of the graduates will be the first in their families to go to college. The class earned 109 college acceptances and 24 academic scholarships. Graduates will attend such prominent institutions as Swarthmore, Lehigh, Fordham, Santa Clara, and the University of Rochester. Among the academic awards garnered by the seniors are a New York Times Scholarship, a Philip Evans Scholar designation at Swarthmore, a Thomas G. Labreque Smart Start Scholarship from JP Morgan Chase and a RMHC/HACER Scholarship.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/cristorey/33543/

"Cristo Rey has provided me with an experience that I could have not gotten anywhere else," said Michelle Gonzalez '08 who will study in Santa Clara's School of Engineering. "I am confident that my teachers have prepared me for college and I have an impressive resume from working at a consulting firm, law office and architecture firm during my four years of high school."

Graduation guests at St. Cecilia's Church will hear the first public performance of the school's original alma mater, "Cristo Rey". Singer-songwriter Kelley McRae captures the spirit of the school and its family-like community and emphasis on social justice. Ms. McRae will accompany the graduates on guitar.

CRNYHS opened in September 2004. Currently there are 305 students enrolled in grades 9-12. Enrollment will rise to 350 next year. CRNYHS is one of the 19 Cristo Rey Network schools around the country. Like its sister schools, CRNYHS offers economically disadvantaged students a quality education and real-life work experience that is designed to prepare them for a college education and successful careers thereafter.

"A fundamental part of the school's mission is to provide a low-cost education to families who could not otherwise afford a private or Catholic school," said Joseph P. Parkes, S.J., President of CRNYHS. "Even though our tuition of $2,000 a year is well less than half of that of the next lowest Catholic high school tuition, most of our families cannot afford the full amount."

The school distributed $279,975 in financial aid during the past year, thanks to the generosity of foundations and individual benefactors who believe in its mission.

David Gonzalez, a New York Times reporter, will deliver the commencement address.

Cristo Rey New York High School

Cristo Rey High School (CRNYHS) offers students from low-income families a quality, Catholic college-prep education and real-life work experience that are designed to prepare them for a college education and successful careers thereafter. Students are introduced to a comprehensive and demanding curriculum. The key to the financial sustainability of the school model is the Cristo Rey Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP). This program combines the business concepts of employee leasing and job sharing to offer students the means of financing their education while gaining valuable job experience. For more information and to view the prestigious corporations and not-for-profit clients log on to www.cristoreyny.org.

Kelley McRae

Kelley McRae is a local New York City musician with a modern Gospel and country feel. Her first album, entitled "Never Be," received four stars from Paste Magazine. McRae has performed on NPR's "World Cafe Live" and was named one of the best live performances of WNYC's "Soundcheck" for 2006. Her music appears in several films, including the soundtrack for the film "Loggerheads." Kelley recently recorded an album with producer Brian Deck, which will be released in the fall of 2008. To listen to McRae's critically-acclaimed music, visit www.kelleymcrae.com.

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Video: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/cristorey/33543

Source: Cristo Rey New York High School

CONTACT: Jessica Dawson O'Brien, +1-917-439-2055,
jdawsonobrien@cristoreyny.org, or Heather Hinckley, +1-212-996-7000 x125,
hhinckley@cristoreyny.org, both of Cristo Rey New York High School

Web site: http://www.cristoreyny.org/
http://www.kelleymcrae.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment