The cars filled the Pleasant Grove parking lot at Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep on Friday, July 31, before 2:30 p.m. So much so that the parking lot across the street soon was put into play.
Despite the July heat, suited types like Don Glendenning, Sean Bellomy and Karen Hughes and Cristo Rey frosh class families with babies in tow made their way to the school’s gymnasium. Along the way the guests were greeted with smiles and “Welcomes” by the first class of Dallas’ Cristo Rey.
Once inside the dark gym, it became apparent that this event was going to be busting with participants. One organizer admitted that this turnout was the biggest one so far for the new school.
The draw for the sizable crowd was the Cristo Rey Draft Day 2015. No, the kids weren’t joining the military nor a football team. Instead it was Cristo Rey Dallas’ Corporate Work Study Program where more than 35 organizations were “drafting” the 128 Cristo Rey ninth graders t to work for them part time to help pay for their tuition.
To add excitement to the big day, WFAA sports reporter Joe Trahan was emceeing the event with Dallas Mavericks/FC Dallas and Fox Sports TV Play-by-Play Mark Followill doing the analysis and Dallas Mike Rawlings doing the official welcome.
Just as the gym filled to a point where a fire marshal would have had blown a gasket, the program commenced with Monsignor Milam Joseph providing the invocation and Cristo Rey Dallas President Kelby Woodward officially opening the day’s activities and admitted that “We’re gonna need a bigger gym next year.”
But before the draft commenced, Cristo Rey Corporate Work Study Director Gunnar Rawlings was introduced on stage. The place exploded with cheers and applause by students, parents and the suited ones.
Looking out at the sea of people, he looked right at home at the podium with the students in their uniforms seated to his left, the organization reps to his right and the families behind the draftees and drafters.
With the skill of a proven public speaker, he addressed each of the groups — the sponsors, the kids and the families — with direct eye contact. At one point, he spoke to the parents in Spanish. No wonder he was greeted like a rock star.
Even when Gunnar had to deliver some disappointing news, the crowd didn’t seem to care. It seems that the Mayor had “bailed on us.” Seems Papa Rawlings had been called out of town, but he had sent a video to emphasize the importance of the college preparatory program.
But the day’s real stars were the students in their uniforms with perfect posture cheering for each other and the job partners like A.H. Belo Corporation, AT&T, Bellomy Energy, Boston Consulting Group, CBRE, CitySquare, Corgan & Associates Inc., Cristo Rey, Dallas Heritage Village, The Dallas Morning News, Dal-Tile Corporation, Dieste, Ernst & Young, Fish & Richardson, Grant Thornton LLP, HFF, Hunt Oil Company, Hunton & Williams LLP, ISNetworld, Jackson Walker LLP, Jones Day, KPMG LLP, Lincoln Property Company, Locke Lord LLP, McKool Smith PC, Meadows Collier Reed Cousins Crouch & Ungerman LLP, Mi Escuelita Preschool Inc., MoneyGram International Inc., Navigator Energy Services LLC, Norton Rose Fulbright, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Santander Consumer USA, Sidley Austin LLP, Southcross Energy, Taxco Produce Co., United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and Vogel Alcove.
As their names were called, the students joined with their new work study organization with Mike and Gunnar providing analysis like, “Andrea has a turtle.”
When the final names were called, 128 students were celebrated by friends and family for their being the inaugural class of Cristo Rey and on a grand journey into education.