I had always planned to attend the same public high school that my sister did, but when I learned about the corporate work study program at Cristo Rey and the opportunities it would give me, I knew that was the right path for me. I’ve never heard of another school having anything like Cristo Rey’s Corporate Work Study Program. It was an option that was new and different. All my expectations for my high school experience were changed when I thought about the possibilities that could be open to me.
During our two-week Summer Success Training I was taught skills that I had never been exposed to before. Even just shaking someone’s hand when you greet them is such an important prelude to a business experience.
During the school year, I was partnered with the Oklahoma City Thunder in their marketing division. While it wasn’t the career path I thought I wanted, it really interested me and I learned a lot. My supervisor was in guest relations and she gave me tips and advice every day and that drew me toward making a change in my plans. I still don’t know exactly what type of marketing I will do, but I know that’s the field that I want to be in now.
“When I enter college, I’ll already have a network built through my four years in high school that I couldn’t have gotten in a different school.”
I feel like I have an advantage over my peers in public school because public schools don’t have the connections to the business world that Cristo Rey has cultivated. We have that edge that community relationships provide to us that you just can’t get anywhere else. When I enter college, I’ll already have a network built through my four years in high school that I couldn’t have gotten in a different school.
Classes are smaller at Cristo Rey and that allows our teachers to really give us individual help. They are more focused on us and able to give us one-on-one time. Our counselors are always there in case we have any issues outside of the classroom. My father is incarcerated, and it really means a lot to me to have a close relationship with our priest. Our campus ministry has really built my faith.
I don’t have to wait to build the life I want. I am investing in my future right now, and I am grateful for the Equal Opportunity Scholarship donors that are making that investment with me.
