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6 <br />2204 W. McFadden Ave. <br />ire. <br />C R1 STO <br />REY <br />Santa Arwa, <br />ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL <br />43 -9626 <br />(714) 439-96 <br />www.cristoreyoc.org <br />January 17, 2024 <br />Dear Commissioners or Councilmembers, <br />My name is Stephen Holte, Founding President of Cristo Rey Orange County High School in Santa Ana. <br />Thirty years ago, the first Cristo Rey school was founded in Chicago to address the lack of affordable <br />educational options for children in one of the city's largest working-class immigrant neighborhoods. <br />Today, there are 39 Cristo Rey campuses nationwide in this highly regarded Catholic school network. <br />Cristo Rey has become a model for empowering students of limited financial means with a career - <br />focused, college preparatory education. Our average family earns $50,000 annually for a family of five. <br />Yet, 999E of Cristo Rey graduates are accepted to college and they are 2.5 times more likely to earn a <br />degree than their socioeconomic peers. <br />When we decided to open Cristo Rey Orange County location two years ago, Santa Ana was our city of <br />choice because of its long, rich history, diverse culture, demographic mix and influence as a center of <br />leadership and government in the county. it is also a community with significant potential and <br />possibilities, and we wanted to be part of that bright future. <br />We strongly believe, and hope, that Related Bristol, a transformative mixed -use residential and retail <br />project in South Santa Ana, will also be part of our city's future. Our students and their families need <br />new reasons to be proud of this city. Related Bristol's vision as a reimagined destination to create <br />community, culture and connection will become a magnet for interest and activity within Santa Ana <br />and across the region. <br />Related Bristol's unprecedented economic benefits, including 7,500 new jobs and $10.7 million in <br />annual tax revenues, will provide resources to improve the quality of life for all in the second largest <br />city in Orange County. <br />At Cristo Rey, our objective is to prepare students to be future leaders and keep their knowledge, <br />talents, and passion in Santa Ana to build on the good work already underway. Related Bristol could <br />well become a highly desirable place for many of our future graduates to eventually live, work, and <br />even raise families. <br />This is why we are excited about Related Bristol and encourage you to support this visionary project. <br />Thank you, <br /> <br />Stephen Holte, <br />Founding president, Cristo Rey High School Orange County <br />The School That Works <br />