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As the Network continues to make progress toward that goal, The Howley Foundation’s catalytic investment will deepen and strengthen the efforts of our schools as well as the national office to serve every Cristo Rey student from the first day of freshman year to graduation. By matching strong academic emphasis and support from the national staff with competitive school grants, this programming will empower schools to bolster retention through efforts that specifically align with each school’s individual culture, staff, and organization.

Lorie Howley, President of the Board of Directors of The Howley Foundation stated, “We believe a Cristo Rey education is not only empowering but also transformative for each student. As we continue our longstanding support of Cristo Rey schools and the Network, we are proud to further the Cristo Rey mission through the Student Retention Initiative.”

Through this program, the Cristo Rey Network and The Howley Foundation continue a partnership that seeks to counteract the predictive power that a family’s economic status currently holds over the educational trajectory of our youth. Meeting 70% student retention is an important element of the Cristo Rey Network’s 2020 Strategic Plan and integral to the Cristo Rey belief that we take responsibility for each student we admit from the day they enter our schools.

“From the first day of freshman year, all the way to and through college, the Cristo Rey Network continues to focus on college completion. Our partnership with The Howley Foundation recognizes and seeks to address the holistic approach that serves our students most effectively,” said Cristo Rey Network President and CEO Elizabeth Goettl. “The Howley Foundation’s support generously reinforces our work to transform urban America one student at a time.”

About the Cristo Rey Network®:
The Cristo Rey Network is the only network of high schools in the country that integrate four years of rigorous college preparatory academics with four years of professional work experience. Comprised of 32 Catholic, college preparatory schools that serve 10,933 students across 21 states and DC and collectively claim 11,508 graduates, the Cristo Rey Network delivers a powerful and innovative approach to inner-city education that strengthens the competence, confidence, and aspiration of students from economically-disadvantaged families and empowers them to transform their lives. From freshman year, Cristo Rey schools establish a culture of high-expectations by blending rigorous academic preparation, significant professional work experience through the Corporate Work Study Program, Catholic educational values, and support for students to and through college. Learn more at www.cristoreynetwork.org.