“Like all schools, we’re fighting a new fight,” says David Perry, president of Cristo Rey High School Sacramento, of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Nonetheless, our students are continuing online with our college-prep curriculum, and our sponsors are continuing their generous support.”

Established in 2006, Cristo Rey High School Sacramento helps prepare our future workforce with its Work Study Program. In addition to a quality Catholic college-preparatory education, Cristo Rey students log nearly 1,200 work hours by the time they graduate. Under normal conditions, every student from ninth to 12th grade works five days per month, gaining valuable job experience and business contacts.

Those jobs, supplied by regional businesses, help fund students’ tuitions in addition to giving them real-world work experience. Dave Lucchetti, President and CEO of Pacific Coast Building Products and one of the school’s most impactful sponsors, says, “As a business community member, I’m proud to provide ongoing support of Cristo Rey in Sacramento. We each have an opportunity to help others, and what better way to start than to support such an important school and program.”

Of Cristo Rey’s 340 students, 265 went out to work last year compared to 130 this year. “We still have companies paying for about 210 jobs, though, continuing their support of our students even when they’re unable to have them at job sites,” says Perry. “As things open up, more kids will have the opportunity for that work experience again.”

Cristo Rey is still laser-focused on its mission of helping students with limited financial resources gain work experience and matriculate to college. “We’re still providing college-prep education, our students are still headed to college, and we’ll have them back on campus as soon as we have clearance. Also, when companies are ready to host students again, we’re ready to bring students to them. Our kids are ready to go to work!” Perry says.