Oct 8, 2009 7:01 pm US/Pacific
Catholic Students Offering Students Free Tuition
LINCOLN (CBS13) ―
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Jesse Maravilla, a Cristo Rey senior.
CBS
Students at a Sacramento Catholic school are getting an education for free, but they have to work for it. Parents and their kids say it's paying off.
It looks like a typical freshman high school class, but kids at Cristo Rey actually put their lessons aside one day a week, to go to work.
"I really like working here," said Jesse Maravilla, Cristo Rey senior.
Jesse is in the office by 8 a.m., always wears a tie and he happens to be in high school.
"This is my workspace, this is what i do!" said Jesse.
While Jesse helps with marketing at Pacific Coast Companies in Rancho Cordova, his classmate Jacelyn works in accounting.
"It's so great to come into work...and you learn so much," said Jacelyn Alvarez, Cristo Rey senior.
Students say their weekly work experience exposes them to a variety of fields and develops valuable skills. Plus, they're learning how to interact with adults, from handshakes to their habits.
"One thing, they always drink coffee!" said Martha Aguilar, Cristo Rey student.
"It gives them great insight into the real world," said Sister Anne Marie Miller, Cristo Rey School.
Miller says all 281 students at Cristo Rey High School in South Sacramento participate in the program. In exchange, the companies they work for pay half of the students' education costs at the school
"I think they learn a lot, and we enjoy having them," said Leslie Blomquist, Pacific Coast Companies Inc.
At this point there are 70 businesses that work with the school, but they're hoping even more form partnerships so the kids can get work experience.
There are 24 Christo Rey schools around the country and their college attendance rate is 98 percent.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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