About
Christ the King Jesuit College Prep is a Catholic Jesuit, independent, coeducational, college preparatory school for students from families on Chicago’s west side.
In the tough Austin neighborhood, where Father Christopher J. Devron SJ runs Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School most kids never finish high school. Prison is a more likely destination than college. But not for these teenagers.
For the students, who officially moved into their home the first week of January, 2010, the new, state-of-the-art building at 5088 W. Jackson Blvd. symbolizes dreams they never imagined could be their own. The revolutionary school is a beacon of hope and opportunity in one of the most economically challenged and crime-ridden neighborhoods of Chicago.
As the twenty-second Cristo Rey model school in the United States, its mission is to foster each student’s intellectual and spiritual growth based on deepening relationships with Jesus Christ. Christ the King seeks to prepare its students to become creative leaders and “men and women for others” who are committed to work for justice in the Church, the civic community and in their chosen profession.
“We‟re trying to help them first find hope and potential inside themselves, and then they can go out into their community and make a difference too,” says Father Devron.
CtK – Here's What they are saying about us: A Beacon of Hope
ABC-7 Chicago’s Frank Mathie:
“It was more than just a first day of school. It was the beginning of hope realized. Christ the King College Prep opened Monday morning in an old grade school on the West Side. Next year they move to their new facility. And what the Cristo Rey schools have done for Latinos, the Jesuits say Christ the King will do for young African-Americans. “
Christopher Gardner, author of the best seller Pursuit of Happyness and one of the school’s earliest supporters:
"If we don't invest in them, who will. The cavalry is not coming.” On the first day of school, he told the students: “If you’ve got a dream, go get it.”
A CtK Mom and her son in USA Today
"I like that they're building in the heart of a black community where property values are low. It gives a lot of kids opportunity," says Tesha, 39, whose son, Anthony, 15, attends the school. In an essay, he writes of gangs, drugs and murders on his streets. "At the school, everybody is friendly," he says. "Everybody takes care of each other.”
Fundraising: Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School
"I think that people feel good by giving to us, especially in this recession," says Father Christopher J. Devron SJ, president of CtK says. "This is a tangible way to help a community that is most in need and suffering the greatest."
Donations go to:
Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School www.ctkjesuit.org
1. Offers students a strong academic and spiritual foundation integrated with a corporate work internship in a safe, faith-based place.
2. CTK is rooted in the centuries-old Jesuit tradition of academic excellence and leadership development.
3. Makes possible the dream of a quality and affordable education for students whose families could not otherwise afford it.