Cristo Rey Boston High School's entire class of 2023 heading to college
DORCHESTER - There's lots of celebrating at Cristo Rey Boston High School in Dorchester. All 38 members of its Class of 2023 will be attending college in the fall and 25 percent of them are going on full scholarships.
"Most of our students would be first-gen students, many of them immigrants, children of immigrant families," said President Rosemary Powers. "For them to have the opportunity to go to college, it will make a difference not only in their own lives but their families and greater community."
Cristo Rey is a Catholic high school exclusively serving families of limited economic resources. Senior Eniyah Henderson, who will be attending Northeastern, said she couldn't believe it when she heard the news.
"It means a lot because I want to go into pre-med," said Henderson. "And I'm going full ride, so I will be a nurse without debt. I got my financial package and then when I saw the big zero, they were like, you're going there!"
Senior Elian Morla will be going to Assumption College in the fall on a full academic scholarship.
"It was just one big sigh for everyone," said Morla. "And I was 100 percent grateful because those opportunities don't come by often."
At Cristo Rey, the staff puts a big emphasis on preparing their students to get through college and they even connect them with local businesses as part of a corporate work study program.
"Knowing that they have achieved, that their hard work has paid off, that their hard work has been recognized by a third party, by a college, is really a wonderful feeling," said Powers.
"For my parents, it means a lot for them," said Henderson. "My mom was going to go to Northeastern and then she had me, so she couldn't go. So it means a lot that I'm going for free, it's like an extension of her."