Cristo Rey-Colin Powell Center

Cristo Rey means «Christ the King», A College preparatory, faith-​based high school that opened 2007 in the Phillips neighborhood. A private Roman Catholic high and amongst a network of 25 Catholic high schools in the states that provide college preparatory education to urban youth who reside in communities with limited educational resources. This Jesuit High School in collaboration with Urban Ventures Colin Powell Center provide services and support to help students grade 9 – 12 graduate from high school and pursue a college education.
These low income inner city youth are given an education based faith on the condition that they do well in school and perform well at their perspective corporate jobs that they are given during school. The idea is through corporate partnerships these students are given a real-​life work experience working at least one day a week in banks, law firms and hospitals. And the students earnings pay for half of their tuition at school.
Good school, good program but in my opinion, it places too much emphasis on faith, maybe it is the nihilist in me, but than again I have volunteered here, so I know what I am talking about. There have been instances of kids leaving because of the pressure to perform and the stagnant daily routine where kids are missing out the ‘high school experience’.
The school says all faiths are accepted, I have yet to see anyone of a different faith. And I am not sure whether that will ever change, especially when the school’s emphasis and education are geared towards the Jesuit tradition. It could be the old religious adage that my god has a bigger penis than your god, but having read about imitateo dei, I am left asking, what would Jesus really do?
Volunteers are always needed.