Royals Report

A Warm Welcome 
Hello to all readers! I’d like to give a very special thanks to the Sooner Catholic for shining a light on Cristo Rey OKC this year and giving us Royals the incredible opportunity to share the myriad of stories that happen in our little corner of the world to everybody in our larger community.  

I’d also like to thank our esteemed principal, Kelsey Herman, for giving me and Mariana Carrera, my co-writer, the honors of being the current voices on behalf of our school's community. It takes a great deal of responsibility to be the representative of an entire community, therefore Mariana and I are grateful for having been trusted by our principal with carrying out that responsibility during our time writing for the Sooner Catholic. 

We are all so excited to share our adventures throughout this 2024-2025 school year with everyone and hope to have an amazing year alongside the rest of our community. Go Royals! 

Watering our Roots ... 
It’s hard to believe that this is only our second year in this new building. We’ve already grown so many roots here within a single year like build a completely new parking lot to call our own to make this building feel like home.  

Although I do find myself missing certain parts of our old building like anything other than the stairs thanks to the health and happiness of our community this place has quickly cemented a place in my heart and led us to realize that home really is where the heart is. 

An Anticipated Update
We asked and were listened to. This school year all grades are allowed to wear a Cristo Rey navy blue polo shirt throughout the entire school year, instead of arriving to school every day dressed up like they’re prepared to go up to the front of the room and teach a class.  

Although I will miss seeing everyone on campus look like a tobogganing of penguins, I am relieved to not have to re-tie my tie every single morning. 
 
Students of the Month 
Our Royals have taken the transition into their Corporate Work Study Jobs (CWS) and some have even gone out of their way to step into their jobs living by our school's motto to “Lead with the heart of a servant. [and] Serve with the heart of a Royal!” – receiving high praises from their supervisors. It’s our duty to make sure it’s not going unnoticed.  

During the announcements after Mass, our CWSP head director, Brianne Webb, gave a shoutout to these Royals, giving them the award of “Student Worker of the Month,” where they receive a certificate recognizing their endeavors and a $10 Chick-fil-A card proving that hard work does pay off.  

Hispanic Heritage Month 
Que comienzan las fiestas! Cristo Rey started the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month with a bang with our Hispanic Student Association (HSA) hosting an assembly showcasing a multitude of Hispanic dancers, each from different backgrounds performing unique dances from their specific cultures.

We had the wonderful Associación de Hondureños en Oklahoma, Xochipilli Mexican Folklore Group, Eterna Primavera, Hilda DeLeon Xavier, Grupo Panamerica, Joyce Thomas, Clips and Hips, Marti Rickman and Sandra Castillio join us for this special celebration of unity.

From the tippy top of Latin America (LATAM) in Mexico to the very bottom in Panama, each dancer reminded us that we are not united by looks, practices or even by the language we speak, but by our passion and pride in our countries and the resilience they’ve shown throughout decades of oppression by letting their colors shine as resistance allowing us to be able to practice our cultures as we do today.  

I am really proud of my heritage. It delights me to stroll down the bright hallways of Cristo Rey decorated from top-to-bottom in all the different colors of LATAM, reminding me of the beauty of my culture. I am beyond excited to see all the event's HSA has planned for this month. I heard there are going to be games and snacks every Friday.

A Pleasant Surprise 
This year our school has been given the opportunity to offer school lunches to all Royals free of charge. Although to some this seems like a small step forward, to many students this is a huge leap in helping to further their education.  

Throughout my years as a student, even as far back as elementary school, I have witnessed multiple instances in which students would starve themselves for the entire school day and be unable to concentrate in their classes simply because they could not afford to purchase a lunch from the school. It brings me so much relief to know that because of this new addition no Royal will ever have to sit through a single school day on an empty stomach.