Verbum Dei High School, the Jesuit high school profiled in the Spring 2003 issue of Santa Clara Magazine, will receive nearly $500,000 over the next three years from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Cassin Educational Initiative Foundation.
In May, the two foundations announced plans to grant nearly $19 million to create 12 small college preparatory high schools across the country, modeled after the Cristo Rey-model schools such as Verbum Dei. The schools target low-income and minority youth through rigorous coursework, a work-study program, and a personalized learning environment.
Verbum Dei will receive $160,000 each year for the next three years to help the school reach its target enrollment of 400 students. The school, like all schools in the Cristo Rey network, offers a work-study program in which students help finance the cost of their education by sharing entry-level clerical jobs at local businesses. The proceeds subsidize three-quarters of the tuition cost, making the school an affordable option for most families.
Verbum Dei’s program places students in some of the top law and business offices in downtown Los Angeles, including businesses that employ or are owned by Santa Clara University graduates.