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I was a Jesuit volunteer in Peru from 1985 to 1989, and for a time my supervisor was Father John P. Foley, S.J., who worked in Peru for 34 years.I returned to the United States, studied and practiced law for awhile, and then went to work selling insurance.In 1995, Father Foley returned to the United States to start Cristo Rey Jesuit High School of Chicago.Father Foley and I stayed in touch, and in the late summer of 1997, I visited him in Chicago. We took a walk along Lake Michigan, and he told me that the high school was looking for a Development Director.We talked about the position, and in late 1997 I joined the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School leadership team as the school's first Development Director.

2) What would you say is your basic educational philosophy?

All children regardless of race or economic background deserve to have an excellent education.Young people must have the opportunity to discover the unique gifts and talents they have.A young person only gets one chance to be in high school, and we've got to make sure we offer an education that responds to their unique needs. The Cristo Rey schools provide young people an option.

3) When did Cristo Rey get started?

Cristo Rey Jesuit High School opened in 1996 in the Pilsen neighborhood on Chicago's south side.The school opened to provide Catholic, college preparatory education to young people with limited financial resources.What was and is unique about Cristo Rey is that all of our students work to earn tuition and to gain real world job experience.The work program started out as a way to finance the school but became much more than that.Our students see the practical applicability of their education, they become more self-confident, and they see a future they never before imagined.Like the model school, while all of our schools are Catholic, all Cristo Rey schools are open to children of all faiths and cultures, and they exclusively serve economically disadvantaged young people.

4) Recently, Cristo Rey was featured in Newsweek- What was that all about?

Father Foley, our founder, was featured in the "What's next" issue of Newsweek, which comes out every December. We opened seven new Cristo Rey schools this year, and our enrollment jumped from 2,882 in 2006-07 to nearly 4,400 nationwide in 19 schools for the 2007-08 school year. Our phenomenal growth and the success of the work-study program caught the eye of the editors of Newsweek.

5) AND, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School was featured on 60 Minutes. Can you give us a summary?

In 2004, 60 Minutes II did a story on Cristo Rey Jesuit High School of Chicago. It was a feature on the model school and the impact the model is having nationally.We're grateful for all the good coverage!The work-study program is very interesting and attractive to people interested in improving education.

6) Your motto seems to be "Transforming Urban America- One Student at a Time". Where did this idea come from and do you think it is working?

We believe that our schools can transform urban communities and transform the students who attend them.Our model brings together corporate America, which really wants to make a difference in the center-city, and young people with limited resources.With the help of the business community and other supporters, we can provide a first class education that transforms lives and therefore transforms the city.There's a scripture passage (Acts 9:6) that says:"Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do."We are literally going into America's cities, working with local people, and establishing schools that can bring new life and energy to a community.

7)  How many of your high school graduates go on to college? And do you do some follow up to see how they are doing?

98.4% of the 318 students who graduated from Cristo Rey Network schools in 2007 have enrolled in a two- or four-year college after graduation.We use a service called the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) to track our students after graduation, and some of our schools are hiring graduate support directors to provide support to graduates in college.We don't have very complete on persistency, that is how many students stay in and earn college degrees. We hope to get better data through the NSC program.

8)  Where do you recruit your teachers from and how is morale in Cristo Rey Schools?

Teachers hear about the model, and they flock to our schools. We have really not had trouble filling teaching positions.

9) What question have I neglected to ask?

I think you've covered them all. Please feel free to follow up.

Jeff Thielman is Vice President, Development & New Initiatives of the Cristo Rey Network which is located at 885 Centre Street, Newton, MA 02459. He can be reached at 617.244.8512 or 617.244.8747 (fax) or 781.859.9099 (cell). His e-mail is : thielman@bc.edu and further information is available at www.cristoreynetwork.org

Publised September 25, 2007