For over 25 years, Christel House has empowered more than 20,000 students with the support and opportunities necessary to achieve their academic and career goals. By providing a comprehensive support system that extends beyond the classroom, our students have achieved remarkable success, rising above their circumstances, and breaking the cycle of poverty. Christel House’s steadfast commitment to every child’s long-term success has created lasting and generational change, proving that with the right support, every child can achieve his or her full potential.
Lericia remembers living on the streets with her mother and siblings when she was only 6 years old. A local church offered the family a shipping container in which to make a home. She and her brother then enrolled at Christel House. Today she is a Supervisor of Employee Training at iiNet, a large technology company.
For Divya, it was hard growing up in a single-parent home. Joining Christel House in kindergarten changed her life. The College & Careers program provided her with financial support to pursue a college degree, and she graduated with a B.E. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the renowned MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology. Today she is a product design engineer at Daimler.
“As a first-generation college student, the Christel House College & Careers program helped me feel supported while stepping into the unknown,” says Zicri. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management at Indiana University. Graduating during the pandemic, she took a series of positions before landing at the Indiana Latino Expo. “The ILE is a nonprofit statewide organization that represents a platform of opportunities for the Latino community. I am grateful for where I am today.”
Ivan grew up in a little room on the roof of the building where his mother worked as a janitor. Today this Christel House Mexico alum is a successful dentist, and a 12th grade science teacher at his alma mater. He recalls his first class when he was a student at Christel House – amazed to be sitting in front of a computer. “It was a dream come true!” Returning as an instructor at Christel House, Ivan remembers the positive impact of his teachers.
Javoni dropped out of high school after having two babies by age 18. She was just three credits shy of earning her diploma. After discovering DORS, Christel House’s adult high school, Javoni met with the staff who immediately contacted her old high school and got her transcripts. “I was enrolled that same day. I knew that this was my time.” Javoni says going to DORS helped build her confidence. She received her high school diploma, then continued at Ivy Tech Community College earning a 3.7 GPA. She studied for the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) for nursing and passed.
84% of Christel House India graduates complete post-secondary education. This is five times the rate of their national peers.
Christel House Mexico graduates are twice as likely to secure formal employment (jobs with benefits) compared to their national peers.
At Christel House South Africa, 82% of graduates qualify for university study through the national senior exam. This is double the provincial average.
Christel House Indianapolis graduates have higher median incomes five years after high school than all but one other public Indianapolis school network or district. They also have the highest earnings among Marion County high schools serving a high percentage of students from low-income backgrounds.
