Cristo Rey Orange County High School

Rising senior Daniel recently returned from the Washington University in St. Louis FLI-In program — and returned with a new vision of what college life can look like.

From dorm living and financial aid sessions to a city tour that left him in awe, Daniel embraced every moment of stepping into unfamiliar territory.

“The city tour was gorgeous — the architecture was stunning and very detailed, as was the university.” — Daniel

Daniel is one of dozens of Cristo Rey students who had the opportunity to explore college campuses this summer — made possible by your support and the dedication of our Academic Counselors who work every day to connect students with experiences that expand what they believe is possible.
 

Cristo Rey is proud to welcome Cathy Cassin as our Vice President of Philanthropy.

Cathy brings more than 30 years of development experience spanning Catholic ministries, higher education, and nonprofit leadership — including nearly a decade with EWTN, and significant advancement work within the University of California system.

For the past three years, she has volunteered her expertise as a trusted advisor, quietly helping shape our fundraising strategy long before she ever held a title here. She believed in this mission before it was her job to do so.

As we move into our new permanent campus and continue to grow, Cathy’s leadership will be instrumental in ensuring that every student who walks through our doors has the support they need to thrive.

Welcome to the team, Cathy. 

Summer Success Institute 2026 is a wrap!

For one incredible week, our incoming freshmen and transfer students participated in Summer Success Institute (SSI)—an immersive workforce readiness experience designed to prepare them for success before they ever step into the workplace.

Throughout the week, students participated in hands-on workshops and trainings focused on both hard and soft professional skills—from confidence, communication, and professional etiquette to Excel fundamentals and workplace readiness.

The week culminated with Speed Networking, where students put those skills into practice while connecting with 50+ professionals from leading Orange County organizations. These interactions also help our team thoughtfully match students with the organizations where they will work during the upcoming school year.
This is workforce development in action—building Orange County’s future workforce one student at a time.

A heartfelt thank you to every speaker, volunteer, corporate partners, board members, and professional who invested in our students this week. Your impact will last well beyond the classroom.

Are you ready to open doors for the next generation of leaders?

We are actively welcoming Corporate Partners who want to invest in Cristo Rey students through our Corporate Work Study program. Contact us to learn more:
📩[email protected]

💙💛

Ropes Course

Ropes Course

Founding President Steve Holte, Keynote Speaker Rameen Talesh, and Vice President of Corporate Work Study André Feijoó . The Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Life spoke to students at the UCI campus.

Students listening to a panel of UCI professionals.

Students touring the UCI campus.

Over 50 professionals joined students on campus to participate in Speed Networking.

Speed Networking gave students live networking experience.

Speed Networking gave students live networking experience.

Students experienced hands-on workshops and trainings focused on both hard and soft professional skills.

Students listened to keynote speakers nearly every morning — in this photo is

Some people do not just do their job — they embody a mission.

Congratulations to Laura Machado-Browne (English Teacher) on receiving the 2026 Outrageously Bold Award — a Cristo Rey Network honor recognizing staff members who lead with ambition, compassion, and radical hope in service of our students.

Inspired by the Cristo Rey Credo and the vision of Network Chair Emeritus Fr. John Foley, S.J., this award celebrates the people who show up boldly, love deeply, and refuse to settle for anything less than transformative for the young people in their care.

Mrs. Machado-Browne, that is you — every single day. Cristo Rey Orange County is so proud to call you ours. 💙💛

Summer Success Institute is officially underway — and we are not starting small.

This week, Cristo Rey welcomed its incoming class with everything they need to hit the ground running. Day one set the tone beautifully:

🏛️ A field trip to UC Irvine — walking a college campus not as a visitor, but as someone who belongs there.

🎤 A UCI panel — hearing directly from UCI professionals and the insight on their career highlights.

💡 A keynote from Rameen Talesh, Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Life & Leadership and Dean of Students at UCI — whose lesson on self-motivation reminded our students that the drive to succeed has to come from within.

This is what we mean when we say Cristo Rey prepares students for college and beyond. From day one, our students are being challenged, inspired, and shown exactly what is possible.

The best part? This is only the beginning.

Want to be part of what we’re building?
Become a Corporate Partner, share your industry with our students, or volunteer as a mentor at an upcoming event. Every connection you make with a Cristo Rey student is an investment that lasts a lifetime.

📩 [email protected]

Summer at Cristo Rey looks a little different. 

While most students are on break, our accelerated Algebra 2 class took a field trip to UC Irvine — exploring microscopy, cyanotypes, and yes, even time travel.

Cristo Rey students spend their summers getting ahead — in the classroom, in the workplace through summer work opportunities, and now, in the lab.

Thank you for giving our students this great opportunity to put math practice to work.

South Bend, meet Bryan. 

We are so proud to congratulate our own Bryan, a Cristo Rey OC rising junior, on his acceptance into the Notre Dame Summer Scholars Program — a competitive, two-week college immersion experience on campus where students take real college-level courses taught by Notre Dame faculty.

Bryan will be diving into neuroscience. 
 
“I am very grateful to my counselors Mrs. Perez and Mr. Z because without them I wouldn’t have found out about this program. They supported me throughout the whole application process, as well as my family — they truly are amazing.”

Bryan, you earned this. We cannot wait to hear everything you learn.💙💛

OrangeCounty

Show up. Every day. With your whole heart. 🤍

Congratulations to Allison — recipient of the St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross Award!

Named after two saints who devoted themselves completely to loving Christ and loving others, this award honors a student who demonstrates an unwavering commitment to being present — at school and at work, every single day.

A new school year is almost here — and it is going to be one for the books.

Save these dates, CROCS! Here’s what’s coming up for the 2026–2027 school year:

🟡 Summer Success Institute — July 13–18 at the IHM Campus. SSI kicks off for all new Cristo Rey students. We can’t wait to welcome you!

🟡 Summer Sports Week — July 20–24. Open to all students! Athletes must have a current physical on file. Interested? Email Mr. Gonzalez.

🟡 Camp CROC Orientation — August 20. All students must attend in uniform. Workplace reveal will take place at the SOCO Campus. Schedule details to be sent to families.

🟡 Draft Day — August 21. A mandatory all-student event at Angel Stadium. More details coming in August. Schedule details to be sent to families.

🟡 First Day of School — September 14 at 8:15 AM at the SOCO Campus. The 2026–2027 school year begins! 🎉

Big things are ahead. We’ll see you soon, CROCS. 💙💛

The next generation of Orange County entrepreneurs has arrived! 

Huge congratulations to Andy, Brandon, and Dulce for dominating the Banking on Our Youth competition and securing college scholarships!

1st Place: Brandon & Andy with B.A.M. Landscaping, a premier OC landscaping business focused on uplifting marginalized communities and remodeling abandoned buildings!

Behind every great student achievement is a network of support. As our founding class steps into their senior year this fall, our counseling program is expanding to include an Alumni Advisor to ensure we guide our CROCs to and through college!

Way to go, CROCS! 🐊



🥉 3rd Place: Dulce with her innovative deodorant company designed to help individuals with hyperhidrosis control excessive sweating.

1st Place: Andy & Brandon with B.A.M. Landscaping, a premier OC landscaping business focused on uplifting marginalized communities and remodeling abandoned buildings!