Jesuit Identity

Overview
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School was founded by the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1996 to serve the immigrant Latino community of Pilsen/Little Village on the near southwest side of Chicago. Jesuits have been established international educators for over 450 years. They operate 47 high schools and 28 colleges and universities in the U.S. with a combined enrollment of 200,000 students. Over 1,000,000 students have graduated from Jesuit High Schools in the U.S. Of those, well over 95% have graduated from college.
For more information on the Chicago Province, please visit their website at www.jesuits-chi.org
For more information on the Jesuit Secondary Education Association, please visit their website at www.jsea.org.
For more information about the Society of Jesus and its founder, St. Ignatius Loyola, please visit the Jesuit Resources Page at www.jesuit.org/resources/index.html.

Graduate at Graduation
One of the salient characteristics of a Jesuit School is the "Grad at Grad" statement that pinpoints goals and characteristics that a graduate of a Jesuit high school should attain by graduation. There are five characteristics that are shared amongst all JSEA schools and Cristo Rey has one additional to reflect the unique nature of the school.
Profile of the Cristo Rey Graduate at Graduation

Open to Growth
The graduate of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School is confident, inquisitive, reflective, motivated, and flexible. He or she views learning as a life-long pursuit, inside and outside the classroom. The graduate always strives for success, but is also aware that failure is an important part of learning and maturity.
The graduate knows that an understanding of and deep appreciation for one’s self and one’s background are essential to a full life. Moreover, the graduate sees this self-awareness as the basis for any further growth. This appreciation of one’s own background naturally compels the graduate to have constant respect and openness to other people’s cultures, religions, experiences and socio-economic backgrounds. Ultimately, the Cristo Rey graduate learns to seek out new challenges and opportunities to enrich his or her experience or perspective be it religiously, socially, culturally, emotionally, or intellectually.

Religious
The Cristo Rey graduate has a sincere and deep sense of God’s presence and love in his or her life. The graduate understands that he or she was created for a unique purpose, which awaits fulfillment in this life and the next.  Such a realization compels the graduate of Cristo Rey to be an active participant in his or her own faith, journey, and to be ever reliant on prayer and reflection on Christ’s example for guidance and development.The Cristo Rey graduate maintains a deep understanding of the Church’s teaching and the Good News, and relies on these as the basis for strong morals and ethical judgments. She or he participates in his or her parish and views the Church as a source of strength. The graduate of Cristo Rey appreciates the rich religious gifts of his or her family, community and culture and is also eager to build on those in an ever deepening and personal way.

Intellectually Competent
The Cristo Rey graduate has a firm foundation in the liberal arts, which is necessary for further study, as well as a mastery of thinking, reasoning and cognitive skills and habits. The graduate constantly thinks across disciplines and cultures, always maintaining a deep respect for wisdom and truth. The graduate is able to express himself or herself effectively in both English and Spanish, and, as a young ambassador of culture, the graduate seeks the challenges and growth opportunities that diversity brings.
The graduate of Cristo Rey is capable of engaging with all types of work and pedagogy at the college level and is also prepared to educate himself or herself outside of the classroom. The graduate wonders about the world around him or her and is in the habit of analyzing the problems and questions that one may encounter. The Cristo Rey graduate is expected to assume enthusiastically his or her role as a life-long learner who savors the rich opportunities that the world provides, and who truly owns his or her education by helping others to learn as well.

Loving
The graduate of Cristo Rey believes that he or she is truly loved by God. This love is made manifest in the beauty of creation and the love of the people around him or her. The graduate sees loving relationships with others as the foundation of a Christian life. He or she has a healthy love of self, rooted in deep self-respect and confidence in his or her own gifts and talents.
This love of self enables the graduate to move towards true and meaningful love for others. The graduate is aware that a full life involves loving other human beings as much as one’s self, and he or she values the uniqueness of each relationship. The graduate sees his or her own way of loving as a response to God’s gifts and heeds the call to demonstrate that love through service and dedication to others. The graduate is generous with his or her time and talents, and strives to share his or her gifts with others. The graduate knows that respect, trust and fidelity are the basis of any loving relationship, and that love, for God or for another person, requires us to give without asking anything in return.

Committed to Justice
The Cristo Rey graduate is keenly aware of injustice and prejudice and gives of himself or herself in service to others because he or she believes in the dignity and equality of all people. The graduate believes in himself or herself and in his or her cultural heritage. The graduates work for and with the impoverished, the unfairly treated, and those who are without representation, both locally and globally. As a leader and role model he or she speaks out, and when necessary he or she takes action.
Experienced in service, the Cristo Rey graduate heeds the call of the Gospel to effect change and sees service as a gift to self, not only to others. The graduate is ready to lead, especially by example. The graduate understands that some of life’s most worthwhile endeavors are neither easy nor comfortable. The graduate of Cristo Rey also believes that justice is necessary for equality, respect, and love.

Work Experienced
Through the Cristo Rey Corporate Internship Program, the Cristo Rey graduate has learned to be a dependable, responsible worker of integrity with high ethical standards. The Cristo Rey graduate has participated in the professional culture of the workplace and has begun to explore his or her own potential. The Cristo Rey graduate is a personable and effective team player who is a confident self-starter as well as a respectful and respectable. The graduate has learned the value of work both in the rewards it produces and in the self-satisfaction it allows one to attain.
The graduate of Cristo Rey has learned to see work as an invitation to participate in the creative and salvific work of our God as “One who labors” on our behalf. Work offers the opportunity to discover and demonstrate personal talent - both as stewards and as leaders – and encourages growth. This stewardship implies the responsibility to use all resources wisely for the good of others and the greater glory of God. As a future leader in the workplace, the Cristo Rey graduate recognizes the dignity of work, its integral connection to justice, and the choices he or she has to create a better society.