Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The United States wastes a tremendous amount of human capital. Smart, talented, creative, passionate and caring young people from low-income, urban communities are often condemned to living in social isolation with few employment opportunities and disturbingly severe consequences for even the slightest misstep or poor decision. Economic mobility is a myth for many of these young people. Incarceration rates for young people of color are disproportionately higher than for the rest of the population. High school dropout rates exceed 50% for those in the lowest income quintile. College completion rates for this same segment are 8% compared to 32% for the general population. Yet, Cristo Rey St. Martin (CRSM) and its generous supporters are changing that reality in Waukegan and North Chicago. For the 2022-2023 academic year, Cristo Rey St. Martin experienced an 96% four-year retention rate and 100% of seniors were accepted into college.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Corporate Work Study Program
Every Cristo Rey St. Martin student carries a full course load of college preparatory coursework and works five full days each month for one of our contracted business partners in our Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP). Their employers range from global corporations, local law firms, banks, and hospitals as well as non-profits. All of the money that they earn in these entry-level full-time equivalent jobs goes towards their tuition. The cost of one CWSP job in FY24 is $42,000.
Besides providing our students with an innovative way to fund their college-prep education, the CWSP experience reinforces the critical thinking skills and positive lifelong learning behavior that are emphasized in St. Martin classrooms. Our students’ workplace experience allows them to apply
and make connections from the classroom to the world of work and prepares them
for success in college and throughout their lives.
Campus Ministry
Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep invites our students to grow in their faith journey with God. Through our Campus Ministry program, we listen to their needs and help them share their gifts with both their school and the world. As part of our Catholic identity, we respect and appreciate the unique gifts and various religious traditions that reflect the makeup of our students and staff.
Becoming people for others is a hallmark of the CRSM experience. CRSM does not have required service hours yet OVER HALF of our students provide approximately 2,400 volunteer hours in their community throughout the school year.
In addition to volunteer activities, Campus Ministry conducts class-level retreats where students reflect on their gifts and how they can use them to benefit their community and the world.
College Preparatory High School
CRSM’s rigorous 3-prong approach to education – academic excellence, work readiness, and service – allows students who enter high school behind academically to graduate on a path to success. The holistic approach to education develops the heart, mind, and soul of its students, with the ultimate goal to break the cycle of poverty and allow our students to realize opportunities that in the past were just dreams.
Because many students enter CRSM one to two grade levels behind, CRSM has several programs that improve their academic skills. The Academic Assistance Program consists of dedicated teachers available during study halls and flex-time and who also "push into" a classroom when students needs additional help. Additional assistance includes after-school tutoring and credit make-up.
A Counseling Department supports students' mental health, provides college counseling, and supports alumni. Our Nurses' office safeguards the health of students and staff.
Where we work
Awards
Green Flag Award 2013
Eco Schools
Schools That Can Partner School 2012
Schools That Can
Accredation 2011
AdvanceED Illinois
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups, Economically disadvantaged people, Adolescents
Related Program
College Preparatory High School
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of community initiatives in which the organization participates
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Campus Ministry
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
In FY23, students, staff, and families provided over 1,600 volunteer hours for local nonprofits.
Percentage of students who enter as freshmen that graduate within 4 years
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents, Ethnic and racial groups, At-risk youth
Related Program
College Preparatory High School
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The goal is to experience, at minimum, an 80% 4-year retention rate.
Percentage of work study partners who retain job teams year to year
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Corporate Work Study Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The goal is to experience a job retention rate of at least 90% from year to year.
Percentage of work study partners expressing satisfaction with student job performance
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Corporate Work Study Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
The percentage of seniors accepted into 4-year colleges
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
College Preparatory High School
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Percentage of students who maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
College Preparatory High School
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Percentage of alumni who obtain a bachelor's degree within 6 years of graduating from CRSM
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Alumni from the Classes of 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 are those impacted by the pandemic.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Cristo Rey St Martin's mission is to create students who are college-ready, work prepared, and committed to faith and justice. Cristo Rey St. Martin provides access to quality college-prep education exclusively to under-served young people in Lake County, primarily in Waukegan and North Chicago so that they get to and through college.
Cristo Rey was founded to improve the socio-economic standing and the opportunities for people in Waukegan and North Chicago. An overwhelming amount of research indicates the most effective way of accomplishing that is through quality educational opportunities. Eighteen years after our founding, CRSM is proud to say that 1/3 of recent college graduates in Waukegan are CRSM alumni.
Lasting change can only occur with the support and investment of all our constituents: students, families, teachers, administrative staff, Corporate Work Study Program partners, and benefactors of our school. Many schools measures success in graduation rates alone, however at CRSM this is just one metric that confirms our work. Success here is broad and all-encompassing—success can only occur when our 3 mission foci of academic rigor, work preparation, and social responsibility overlap. Success at CRSM involves academic growth, individualized learning, collaborative leadership, premier course offerings, college persistence supports, peak enrollment, “full employment" for our student workers, excellent retention rates, and acquisition of corporate work-study partners, and community excitement and engagement. CRSM helps students overcome inherent economic and social barriers through the collaboration of dedicated staff, the Corporate Work Study Program, engaged business partners, and individuals committed to making a difference.
CRSM's ultimate goal is to maintain a minimum of an 80% 4-year retention rate and see 70% of CRSM alumni earn a Bachelors's degree. This will result in a college graduation rate of 56% for CRSM 9th graders. This is 7 times the national average for low-income students and equal to the college graduation rate for the general population.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The strategies for achieving these goals are as follows:
I. Enhance student preparation for college success. This is accomplished by engaging all CRSM students in some type of summer programming - whether through summer jobs with Corporate Work Study partners, College/University summer programs for high school students, or some other reputable summer program; continuing to increase the academic rigor of the school (increasing the number of students who score a 3 on AP exams, providing dual-credit options, encourage students to achieve a minimum of a 3.0 GPA), and continuing to partner with college mentoring programs (College Bound Opportunities, Schuler Scholars, Waukegan 2 College).
II. Raise college persistence and graduation rates. CRSM hired a new position for the 2015-2016 academic year, Director of Alumni Support, who focuses on providing support to CRSM alumni enrolled in college programs.
III. Promote CRSM faculty and staff stability to encourage stronger, longer-term relationships with students. Strategies to make this happen include canvassing staff to find out what benefits are most important to them, finding creative ways to encourage professional development in the most cost-effective manner, and surveying peer institutions regarding benefits/pay.
IV. Solidify and expand CWSP business partner relationships. This includes achieving 90% of paid corporate jobs when enrollment is at 400 students and maintaining at least a 93% retention rate for corporate jobs from year to year. CRSM is exploring a student skill development badge program, a way of promoting teacher/job partner relationships, and creating professional development opportunities for corporate work-study partner supervisors.
V. CRSM Director of Alumni Success encourages CRSM alumni enrolled in college to apply for corporate internships, works with current corporate partners to help make connections between the partners and qualified alumni, assists Alumni with job searches.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Preston Kendall, President of CRSM since 2011, has continued to upgrade the leadership team members. Since joining he created an entirely new Corporate Work Study Program team, a new Assistant Principal, a new Dean of Students, a new Director of Development, interim CFO, and supporting staff. The staff changes were made to increase enrollment, control the deficit, and create sustainability. The Board of Trustees has grown substantially and now consists of 17 members. Board Members possess expertise across a number of different industries to benefit the school. Board member backgrounds include Personal Finance, Investments, Higher Education, Legal, Non-profit Management, Religious Communities, and Corporate Experience at multinational corporations, local privately held businesses, as well as non-profits.
CRSM's progress in increasing enrollment (at 401 students in 2021-2022), raising the jobs fee/price, increasing the number of paying jobs, and increasing income from Development efforts, have combined to now put the school on a stable financial footing.
CRSM also has a definite asset in its Principal, Michael Odiotti, Ph.D. He has established a clear path for academic success for both students and staff. It has been under his direction that the school established the Summer Bridge Program, the Academic Assistance Program, the hiring of the Director of Alumni Support. Dr. Odiotti places a focus on individualized student support, encouraging teachers to work collaboratively on instructional strategies for individual students and to participate in weekly 2-hour planning sessions. An Instructional Leadership Team composed of teachers and administrators runs a professional development program that helps drive academic change and excellence.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
When describing the success of CRSM, it is easy to cite the balanced budget and increased revenues from the Corporate Work Study Program or fundraising events. Remembering the primary mission of educating students to get them to and through college, measures of success should begin with academics.
For the Class of 2023, CRSM had a freshman to senior retention rate of 96% - the highest 4-year retention rate among the Cristo Rey Network of 39 schools. 100% of graduating seniors were accepted into 4-year colleges. 78% of the Class of 2023 were college-ready, as measured by a GPA of 3.0+ and earning a 3+ on at least one AP exam. This is the highest college readiness rate in the Cristo Rey Network. 40% of CRSM alumni college grads are now employed full-time at CRSM business partners. In FY23, 97% of work-study partners felt their student workers met or exceeded performance expectations.
Cristo Rey schools are designed to rely on the income from the Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP) in order to offset the cost of tuition. The Cristo Rey Network has set a target of generating 70% of the annual operating income from the CWSP. This has been a challenging goal since the pandemic since many business employees are still not back in the office full-time. However, 100% of CRSM students are placed with either paid partners or in funded or unfunded nonprofit jobs.
In February 2018, CRSM saw the culmination of the Occupancy Phase of its Cornerstone Campaign when we moved into our new campus. CRSM purchased and renovated about 53,000 square feet of a 115,492 square foot abandoned Kmart located at 3106 Belvidere Road in Waukegan. This move was essential to the sustainability of the school, as the former campus was over one hundred years old, designed for 200 elementary school students, and poorly maintained by its landlord. The Initial Occupancy Phase included 18 classrooms, three fully-equipped science laboratories, a library commons area, and a cafeteria space with room for 575 students. In June 2018, CRSM and its building partners - JGMA, Stevenson Advisors, and McShane Construction - received the 2018 Urban Land Institute's Vision Award for Innovative and Replicable Re-Use for the renovation of an empty Kmart into a beautiful, modern high school. In April 2021, CRSM completed Phase 2 of construction, which included a chapel, gym with a stage for performances and assemblies, locker rooms, fitness room, additional classrooms, and office space. In August 2021, Landmarks Illinois selected CRSM to receive the 2021 Richard H. Driehaus Legacy Award for Innovation, which recognized CRSM's transformation of an abandoned Kmart into a beautiful, modern high school.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep
Board of directorsas of 11/28/2023
Ms Brian Blaser
Abbott (Retired)
Term: 2019 - 2022
George Rassas
Archdiocese of Chicago
James R Thomas
Clerics of St. Viator
Terrence Brady
Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
Rob Martin
Clark Hill PCC
Mark Milliman
Harbor Farms, LLC
Steve Montross
Retired
Tomas Rivera
Discover Financial
Cindy Rourke
Maryville Crisis Center
Mary Howard Johnstone, OP
The Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa
James D Dasso
Foley & Lardner, LLP
Bill Gavin
Anixter
Sara Granack
CDW
Roger P. Hickey
Global Economics Group, LLC
Sulema Medrano Novak
Dentons
Nicole Mowad_Nassar
AbbVie
Esmeralda Silva
Children's Wisconsin
Cheyanne Williams
King & Spalding
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/26/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.