Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School and Corporate Work Study Program will continue to grow as a beacon of hope for students under new president
May 8, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A sign near the entrance to Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School says it all: “The School That Works.” The Catholic high school in Takoma Park, co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington and the Salesians of Don Bosco (a religious order) has been a beacon of hope for students and their families in the Washington area since it opened in 2007 under the direction of its founding president, Rev. Steve Shafran, S.D.B.. This summer, Fr. Shafran takes on a new role as provincial of the Eastern U.S.-Canada Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco.
This week, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington announced that Rev. Michael Conway, S.D.B. will take over as president of Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School and Corporate Work Study Program effective July 1, 2015. “Last weekend, we celebrated a Mass marking the bicentennial of the birth of Saint John Bosco, who believed in providing children with a Catholic education, so they could learn about the Good News of Jesus, be inspired to help build God’s kingdom here on earth, and ultimately find everlasting joy in heaven,” said Cardinal Wuerl. “In the spirit of Saint John Bosco, our school in Takoma Park offers a challenging academic curriculum and an innovative corporate work study program to help children from low-income families find a brighter future rooted in faith. I wish to thank Fr. Shafran for his tireless dedication over the last eight years. The future continues to shine bright for Don Bosco Cristo Rey as we welcome Fr. Conway to take the helm at the school.”
“It has been a privilege to serve our students and offer them an education and workplace experience that is making a great difference in their lives and in our local community,” said Fr. Shafran. “Eight years ago when we started Don Bosco, we knew we had something very unique and special to offer. We are still a young school, but it has been deeply moving for me to see in a very short amount of time our local community embrace that same passion for our school as our school family has grown and changed lives. It has also changed my life, my experience as a priest and a Salesian. I am confident in the future of Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School in the very capable leadership of Fr. Conway.”
Fr. Conway, a native of Boston, Mass., has been a Salesian priest for 23 years. He has a distinguished history as an educator and has taught at Salesian schools around the country. Since 2008, Fr. Conway has served as president of St. Petersburg Catholic High School in St. Petersburg, Fl. “I am truly honored to follow in the footsteps of Fr. Shafran, who has given the past eight years of his life to the students and families who make up the Don Bosco Cristo Rey family,” Fr. Conway said. “I look forward to shaping the lives of the Don Bosco students through the strong academic program based on Catholic values and helping each student reach their full potential to make their dreams a reality.”
All of the students at Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School are from families with limited financial resources, but the school helps its students work towards their dreams by participating in the innovative Corporate Work Study Program. The students gain professional work experience in nearly 100 leading Washington-area businesses and earn money to pay for a significant portion of their education. The school has a 100 percent college acceptance rate and more than 80 percent of its students are the first in their families to attend college.
Don Bosco Cristo Rey was founded by the Salesians of Don Bosco, the second largest Catholic religious order in the world. When St. John Bosco founded the Salesians in 1859, his mission was the betterment and education of poor and disadvantaged youth. The school is part of the nationwide Cristo Rey Network of 28 schools, the largest network of urban high schools in the country enrolling only low-income youth.
For more information about Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School and Corporate Work Study Program, please visit dbcr.org.
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The Archdiocese of Washington is home to over 620,000 Catholics, 139 parishes and 95 Catholic schools, located in Washington, D.C., and five Maryland counties: Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s.
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