At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 25, Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School (HFCR) held the commencement ceremony for the Class of 2022 at Munger Auditorium on Birmingham-Southern College’s campus. Desireé Page, interim president of HFCR, presided over the ceremony and conferred the graduates’ degrees. Also in attendance were Dan Sansone, chairman of the Board of the Directors; Margaret Dubose, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama; and Terri Harvill, director of the YMCA of Greater Birmingham, who delivered the commencement address.

Remarks were given by salutatorian Michelle Torres and both valedictorians, Jonas Hernandez Alejo and Mi’Youshi Hopkins. All three are members of the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society, Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society, and Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (Spanish Honor Society). The Bishop’s Trophy was awarded by Dubose to Mi’Youshi Hopkins for her leadership, commitment to Christian service, and outstanding academic achievements.

The Class of 2022 is comprised of 49 graduates, who have received more than $2.3 million in scholarship offers and financial incentives to date.

In the fall, HFCR’s newest alumni will attend colleges such as Howard University, the University of Richmond and Berea College (both Cristo Rey Network University Partners), the University of Alabama, Tuskegee University, and the University of Alabama-Birmingham.

The graduates include members of three local parishes. Salutatorian Michelle Torres, Eddie Javier Miranda, and Estefani Garcia Huesca attend St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Leandro Juan Felips, Melissa Hernandez Ojeda, and Joana Romero Alvarado are parishioners at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, and Karime Gonzalez Ramirez is a member of Prince of Peace Catholic Church.

Congratulations to all the graduates of the Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School: Malek Adams, Arion Allen, Kendis Allen, Austin Chandler Anderson, Alyssa Bellamy, Tyler Brown, Janna Calhoun, Cameron Cole, Taylor Collins, Jayla Cunningham, Ki’Mya Davis, Leandro Felips, Jailan Ford, Theron Ford, Jaylen Fowler, Estefani Garcia Huesca, Je’naiya Gipson, Karime Gonzalez Ramirez, Miracle Hankins, Justin Harris, Jonas Hernandez Alejo, Melissa Hernandez Ojeda, Ashley Hicks, Mi’Youshi Hopkins, LaMya Hunter, Mauryce Knox, Destinee Lee, Ernesto Leon Gonzalez, Zaniyah McCollough, Eddie Miranda, Meylin Munguia Figueroa, Vanessa Olguin Portillo, Aerrion Reynolds, Joana Romero Alvarado, Jakyra Rowser, Daijsha Rudolph, Desirae Rudolph, Shanece Runner, Layda Sevilla Manzano, Keniya Smith, Maulta Studmire, Ja’Mika Sullivan, Kuyla Taylor, CaMeron Thomas, Michelle Torres, Maydelin Ulloa, Jalecia White, Sharon White, and Zachery Woods.

Holy Family Cristo Rey is one of 38 members of the Cristo Rey Network. Cristo Rey schools deliver a career focused, college preparatory education in the Catholic tradition for students with limited economic resources, uniquely integrating rigorous academic curricula with four years of professional work experience and support to and through college. Cristo Rey partners with educators, businesses, and communities to enable students to fulfill their aspirations for a lifetime of success: students are three times more likely to complete a bachelor's degree by age 24, compared to the total U.S. low-income population.