Cristo Rey’s Work Study Program Thrives During Pandemic

As the coronavirus pandemic crippled businesses and sent students home for virtual learning in March 2020, Cristo Rey Baton Rouge Franciscan High School officials were concerned about the future of the program that is the cornerstone of its educational mission.    

When Gov. John Bel Edwards announced a state lockdown March 13, 2020, school officials made the difficult decision to suspend the Corporate Work Study Program, which allows students to spend one day a week working in a business environment, for the remainder of the school year. The work study program is what  distinguishes Cristo Rey from other schools and provides students a unique opportunity to augment their classroom education with real life, workplace experiences.

“It was a complete unknown at the time,” Cristo Rey president Eric Engemann said. “I remember early on we had made a number of contingencies, working our way through the end of the school year.”

One of those discussions centered on the feasibility of students making one final visit to the corporate offices where they had been working but the realization quickly set in that could not happen, Engemann said.

Also unknown was how many businesses, still struggling with the economic challenges presented by the pandemic, would be able to participate in the work study program in 2020-21. Engemann said “we really did not know how it was going to go.”

Although some corporate partners did not renew, many new partners came on board, thus creating what amounted to a neutral effect on the program.

“Our focus was on renewals and not so much on new partners but the response we got from the new partners was really remarkable, to be able to add those new jobs and still be able to serve the students we have,” Engemann said. 

Additionally, some of those business partners who have been unable to host a student for the school year have continued to support Cristo Rey financially.

“Our corporate partners have been amazing,” Engemann said. “Everyone has been affected by this and for everyone to jump back in and continue to be a part of this has been special. A lot of Cristo Rey schools nationwide have struggled with the corporate partner issues.”

One of those returning was the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, which operates Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University and Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, both in Baton Rouge, along with other medical and urgent care facilities throughout Louisiana. Although the health system typically has 16 students in the Corporate Work Study Program spread throughout a variety of departments, that number has dropped to six during the current school year.
 

“This is not a game, this is an actual job, and I am learning stuff that can benefit me in the long run.” 

Jeffery Azard Jr.
Cristo Rey sophomore

But the enthusiasm remains high among those system employees engaging with Cristo Rey students. 

“I don’t think there was a question if we were going to do it; I think it was more of figure out what the process was going to be to ensure kids would be in a safe environment,” said Joe Bumpus, director of Information Systems for the health system. 

He said the health system has participated in the school’s corporate work study program since its inception five years ago. Typically, his department will have two students during the school year but this year, it’s only one student. 

“The students are great, they bring joy to the team, they are there, they want to learn,” Bumpus said. “You see someone you can share your passion with. The entire department rallies around the students, they become part of the family and want to be a part of that.”

Cristo Rey sophomore Jeffery Azard Jr., in his first year at the school, is grateful for the opportunity to be working in Bumpus’ department. Azard said his education in information technology has been broad-based, learning about programming, networking, printers and even something as simple as l the differences between power cords.

“You learn something new every day,” Azard said. “I think it can help me in the long run because if I want to do something like this when I get older, I can do it because I learned it in high school.”

For Azard, however, the Cristo Rey experience is much more than learning about computers; it has challenged him educationally, pushing him to test his own limits.

He said the excellent grades that he was making a year ago at a public school “were given to me, easy work.” 

“I wanted to challenge myself and when I first got here, I was impressed,” he said. “I was eager to learn. When I wake up now I think ‘let’s see what is going to happen today, what kind of stuff am I going to learn today because I’m ready to do it.’

“I’m focused and determined to do what I need to do.”

Along with the educational growth, Azard said the work study program has helped him mature, admitting when he is at his job he is “a bit more focused because this is how a real job is supposed to be.

“This is not a game, this is an actual job, and I am learning stuff that can benefit me in the long run.”

He said the health system staff always makes him feel welcome and even eats lunch with them on the days he is there.

“They treat me as an equal,” he said. “I have the (corporate) nametag. I feel like I am part of them part of the family. 

“That means a lot to me. I am blessed to be here.”

Bumpus said his department has developed a curriculum that covers the entire spectrum of technology. Ultimately students progress to the point where they are able to complete work orders sent in by system employees.

“We are all about mission, all about being respectful. That is part of our core,” Bumpus said.  “When you talk about Cristo Rey it gives you an opportunity to share your expertise, to give back, to teach someone in your field of study.

“When you hear they graduate and go on to college, it is great to hear. They are part of your life.”

Vice-President of Community Engagement Carissa Graves said this school year has presented unique challenges. Students are transported by school vans to their respective offices but with about  10% of students are still learning remotely, the staff has developed alternative avenues, including students being able to become certified in Excel and other software.

“There are lots of moving parts but we are making sure students are always growing and developing in their workplace skills which is hard to do when they are not at the workplace,” Graves said.