450 STUDENTS FROM CRISTO REY PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL "DRAFTED" BY LEADING BUSINESSES IN NFL-STYLE SIGNING DAY

This month, leading corporations and non-profits including VWR, Haverford Trust, Brandywine Realty Trust, and Essent Guaranty, Inc., all located in Radnor, took part in an NFL-Style Signing Day at Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School, showing their support for the school and announcing their work-study students for the school year. In a high-energy event, 450 students and leaders from more than 90 area businesses gathered for the “job draft”.

Now in its fourth year, the event featured business leaders from some of the region’s most prominent corporations presenting company-branded apparel to each student-worker as they announce their names to cheers from the crowd. For students, this event was full of anticipation as they heard for the first time what company will be mentoring them through the work-study program for the year ahead.

“Our work-study program is central to Cristo Rey’s success. Not only are students given an opportunity to experience a real work environment, but they are mentored by college-educated professionals who teach the students the importance of gaining a quality education and who contribute to that education in immeasurable ways,” said John R. McConnell, Founder and President of Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School. “We are thrilled to work with so many fantastic organizations that understand the importance of providing quality education to all students, especially those who have the most need.”

Through Cristo Rey’s work-study program, students work one day per week in mentored, entry-level positions in real professional settings. Local businesses and organizations hire students to do real work for real wages, which offsets the majority of the cost of each student’s education and provides students with invaluable, on-the-job experience.

Other participating businesses and organizations include Comcast, CHOP, The Philadelphia Police Department, Deloitte, Wawa, WHYY, Independence Blue Cross, Mayor’s Office of Philadelphia, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, GlaxoSmithKline, Penn Medicine, The Franklin Institute and PricewaterhouseCoopers, among others. Each job provided by a company employs four students for the year.

Now in its fourth year in Philadelphia, Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School, a co-ed college prep school is welcoming 150 students into its fourth freshman class this fall and will celebrate its first graduating senior class on June 3, 2016. The school is a much-admired, national model for Catholic, college prep education that serves low-income, highly-motivated students.