The Detroit Athletic Club welcomed over seventy first-generation college students from Detroit Cristo Rey High School on Thursday, May 1st, as they gathered in the club’s main dining room alongside parents and siblings to announce their college selections on National College Decision Day.
The event, led by Pauline Weber, Director of College Counseling and Alumni Advising and herself a graduate of Cristo Rey’s first class in 2008, showcased the school’s remarkable achievement of maintaining a 100% college acceptance rate since its founding.
Among the graduating seniors, EL CENTRAL contributing writer Kaylee Razo stood out as this year’s recipient of the highly competitive Gates Scholarship, one of the nation’s most prestigious awards for outstanding minority students from low-income households. The scholarship, which covers the full cost of attendance including tuition, fees, room and board, books, and other expenses not covered by other financial aid, will support Razo as she heads to Harvard University after visiting the campus earlier last week. Only 300 students nationwide receive this award annually, representing less than 1 percent of applicants.
The ceremony featured newly appointed Lincoln president Joaquin Nuño-Whelan, who delivered a moving bilingual address reflecting on his family’s immigrant roots. He encouraged the seniors to “go forward with the confidence that not only do you belong at the schools you’ve been admitted to, but that you’re already ahead of the students you’ll be working with.” Nuño-Whelan, whose grandparents first arrived at Michigan Central Train Station in 1954, had been announced as Lincoln’s new leader on April 4th after previously serving as vehicle program director for full-size utilities including the Navigator and Ford Expedition.
This emphasis on belonging and professional readiness echoes Cristo Rey’s own educational philosophy. What makes the private Catholic high school’s model unique is its innovative corporate work-study program, which allows students to offset almost all tuition costs. The school partners with major organizations including General Motors, the Detroit Athletic Club, Corewell Health, Henry Ford Health, and The Detroit Zoo, among others, to provide students with valuable professional experience while offsetting tuition costs.
Civil engineering hopeful Eduardo Flores, accompanied by his brother Antonio, shared his excitement about choosing between University of Michigan Ann Arbor and University of Michigan Dearborn. “My favorite thing about Cristo Rey is the opportunities for internships,” said Flores, who currently works as an accounting intern at Expeditors.
Seventeen-year-old Yohan Irineo, supported by his sister Guadalupe, proudly announced his decision to attend University of Michigan Ann Arbor, while Joanna Gutierrez, with her mother Adriana by her side, revealed her plans to study psychology at Grand Valley State University. Fellow graduates announced destinations ranging from Wayne State and Michigan State to colleges across the country, with some venturing as far as Georgia to pursue their dreams.
As Weber concluded the ceremony, she added one final reminder: “Today is not only senior breakfast, it is also prom. Doors open at 7 and close at 7:45.” Her words served as a gentle reminder that these accomplished students – some bound for Harvard, others for military service – were still teenagers at heart.
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Michael D. Gutierrez is a screenwriter and filmmaker with a decade of experience in the television and film industry, contributing to projects including THE HOLDOVERS and LETHAL WEAPON on Fox. He is an active member of the Writers Guild of America-West and its Latino Writers Committee.
EL CENTRAL Hispanic News is partially funded by Press Forward, the national movement to strengthen communities by reinvigorating local news. Learn more at www.pressforward.news.
