This month, we are proud to highlight one of Cristo Rey Jesuit's incredibly talented faculty members –Greg Adragna. This is Mr. Adragna's third year at Cristo Rey Jesuit, having taught Biology and now Chemistry and Earth and Space Sciences. In addition, Mr. Adragna was a team leader for the Spring and Summer sessions of the Woods Project. Mr. Adragna possesses quite an impressive resume.

He received a Bachelor of Science Degrees in Science and Education and Physical Oceanography from the Florida Institute of Technology. He completed a Master of Science Teaching Degree in the Physics and Astronomy Department at Rice University in December 2010. Mr. Adragna is presently enrolled in a Master of Education Program in Administration at the University of St. Thomas.

In March 2012, Mr. Adragna will be presenting his original laboratory, "Photocataylitic Water Purification", at the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Convention in Indianapolis. He wrote the lab while working as a summer intern at the Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN) at Rice University.

In addition, Mr. Adragna is a Third Degree Night of Columbus in Council 12385 in Corpus Christi Parish.

Below is a short interview with Mr. Adragna about his experiences at Cristo Rey Jesuit.

What drew you to Cristo Rey Jesuit?
God directed me to Cristo Rey Jesuit by situations and people that He put into my life. I have learned not to question why particular circumstances change in your life. Life is change and God places you where He wants you to use your talents. That place for me is Cristo Rey Jesuit.

How is teaching at Cristo Rey Jesuit different than other schools you have taught at?
At Cristo Rey Jesuit, I can use my talents and abilities to best instruct the particular student population that we serve. This is facilitated by the trust that has always been extended by the school leadership without the artificial constraints of public school bureaucracy.

How are the students different?
The faith component and the Work-Study Program at Cristo Rey Jesuit help accelerate student maturity and development of the complete individual. The students work for their education and are motivated to learn.

What is your favorite Cristo Rey Jesuit memory?
Going to my first Mass at school and realizing that I was in a Catholic, faith-based school. It is so different from the sanitized, secular world of public education.

What is the biggest change you have seen in your students over the past years?
Students learning how to learn. I have the opportunity to work with our Juniors since their first year at CRJ. Watching them grow academically, mentally, and spiritually has been very exciting professionally and personally.

What vision do you have for the future of Cristo Rey Jesuit?
I envision our Science Program to continue to develop and evolve in order to produce the future scientists and engineers that will direct our country and our world. Our Science Department will continue to expose our students, who represent an underserved segment of our society, to the most current and critical issues in science and engineering. Our school will become a showcase of progressive STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in our community, state, and country.

Cristo Rey Jesuit's humming halls are now halls of thunder! Thanks to an amazing admissions campaign led by Sujey Romero, Director of Admissions and Family Services, and the Assistant Director of Admissions, Mackenzie Burns, the school welcomed more than 140 new students, bringing our total student body to over 270.

At Cristo Rey schools around the country, a boost in admission numbers means a jump in corporate jobs needed, as every student must works to help manage the cost of their education. The Corporate Work-Study team, led by Dan Walsh, Director of Corporate Work-Study Program, and the Associate Director, Brandice Pierre, worked tirelessly over the summer to secure additional jobs to keep pace with the tremendous success of the admissions team. The CWSP team worked closely with several volunteers and Board members to ensure that all students were employed by the first day of school. With their incredible dedication, the Cristo Rey Jesuit Corporate Sponsor list boasts over 75 blue-ribbon companies representing a large variety of industries!

Click here to view the 2011-2012 Corporate Sponsors!

On August 29th and 30th, all Cristo Rey Jesuit students met their sponsors at business breakfasts hosted in the school's café. Although the mornings began with nervous smiles and timid handshakes, they ended with each Corporate Work-Study team giving their new supervisors a spirited tour of the school and sharing their excitement to begin work.