Do you even remember what a classroom looks like?
The return of school is on my mind these days, and not just because I’m a three-time Boy Mom. I’ve also been thinking about our partners at Cristo Rey Dallas, a Catholic, college prep school that combines class time with an innovative corporate work study program.
Cristo Rey
Cristo Rey Dallas students — who often come from low-income families — work to earn the majority of their tuition so that when they graduate. They have valuable professional experience to go along with their education. Talk about making an impact: 95 percent of Cristo Rey Dallas students will be the first in their family to attend college.
Launching the website
We were proud to launch the latest version of the Cristo Rey Dallas website this week. Our mission was to shift the site’s focus so the school could recruit corporate partners. Each plays such an important role in students’ success. The school depends on relationships with the local business community. These relationships give students opportunities to gain real-world training while they prepare for college.
Educators face enormous challenges under normal circumstances, but trying to carry out such an important calling in such an uncertain environment — with our children’s health on the line — is a tall order, to be sure. Their work is not confined to a classroom, not by a long shot.
The Cristo Rey Dallas relaunch reminds me of the true value we aim to bring our partners, one that goes beyond a well-made site: getting to know their challenges and seeing their opportunities, so our work delivers the most impact.
Especially right now.
Interested in helping Cristo Rey Dallas students? Consider taking part in the corporate work study program or making a donation.
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P.S. This week marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Since the ADA’s passage in 1990, technology has revolutionized our lives, but digital accessibility has not kept pace. At Lifeblue, we believe the Internet should be for all people. We aim to go beyond accessible design standards for our partners. We believe inclusive design should be the industry standard.
