2011 Opus Prize Recipients

Past Winners

Pastoral da Criança - Dr. Zilda Arns Neumann
Office for Farmworker Ministry - Sister Ann Kendrick
Cristo Rey Network - Father John Foley

2006 $100,000 Opus Prize Finalist
Father John Foley
Representing Cristo Rey Network

Father John Foley’s work is all about giving kids a chance – kids for whom there may be no other options. A native of Chicago, Father Foley served Jesuit missions in Peru for 34 years, primarily in education, before he was asked by the Jesuits in Chicago to come back to work with the Hispanic community there. The result was a network of Cristo Rey high schools aimed at providing urban young people with the skills necessary for college.

The young adults who walk through the doors of a Cristo Rey school for the first time are struggling. They have not had an easy time in life, but when they walk through those doors, their lives change forever. Through a combination of academic assistance, counseling, a longer school year and smaller class sizes, they gain the academic abilities they need for college. Here students learn basic behavior, from how to use an elevator to how to make eye contact while shaking hands, and much more. They learn how to expect great things for themselves. For many, it is the first time they dare to look into their own future.

All Cristo Rey students participate in a unique work study program that takes them to local businesses where they earn money to help pay for their tuition. In the process, they learn business skills that will help them in the workplace later and social skills that will aid them throughout life.

The Cristo Rey Network was founded in 2001 with 79 students and one school. It now provides hope and experience to 2,300 students in 11 schools across the United States. Today, the Cristo Rey Network is a national model, putting rigorous college prep education within reach of young people so they can achieve their potential and build a better world.

Learn more about Father Foley's work with the Cristo Rey Network.