Cristo Rey St Martin College Prep is a private high school in Waukegan, Illinois, established in 2004. It is a member of the Cristo Rey work-study network of high schools, and is in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago.HistoryIn 2001 Auxiliary Bishop Gerald Kicanas and Rev. George J. Rassas, both of the Lake Forest church St. Mary's Catholic Church, suggested opening a Cristo Rey school to enroll Hispanic and Latino and low income teenagers in the Waukegan/North Chicago area. St. Martin de Porres was the first Catholic high school to be established in Lake County since Carmel High School in Mundelein, which opened in 1963.BackgroundThe Cristo Rey Network comprises 30 high schools that provide a Catholic, college preparatory education to urban young people who live in communities with limited educational options. Students cover the bulk of their tuition by working at entry-level jobs in the corporate world. Around 86 businesses employ students from St. Martin's.Cristo Rey St. Martin is open to students of all faiths and cultures. There are five school-wide liturgies, prayer services on Martin Luther King Day and Ash Wednesday, and a spiritual retreat program for all the students. Sixty-five percent of the students choose to participate in voluntary service projects.AcademicsTwenty-eight two-semester credits are required for graduation. This includes 4 credits in English and math, science, and social studies, 2 in world languages, and 1 in physical education/health. A credit in theology and in work study must also be earned for each year in attendance. Also 4 credits must be chosen from the choice of 9 advanced placement courses and about 11 other electives. Further, eligible students can earn college credit directly through College of Lake County. And Jesuit Virtual Learning Academy (JVLA) courses are available online for courses not offered at St. Martin.
