2024-2025 Annual Report
Created for Greatness / Creados Para Grandeza was our guiding theme this school year—an affirmation of the profound truth that each of us is created in God’s image and called to reflect His greatness through lives of compassion, humility, and service to both God and neighbor, most importantly the very special students we serve here at Risen Christ Catholic School.
This spirit of purpose and our new strategic plan guided us through a year of meaningful events and milestones including the release of our first Mission Impact Study highlighting our successful graduates. The new strategic plan represents the voices, insights and wisdom of all Risen Christ stakeholders. Our mission remains at the heart of this new plan – providing bilingual, multicultural and financially accessible Catholic education to every student that walks through our doors.
Living out Christ’s love every day is not always easy, especially in challenging times, but it is through courage, generosity and the love of our community that true greatness is revealed. Your faithful support of our students this year is an example that reminds us all that greatness is not measured by what we have or achieve, but in how we serve and support others.
THANK YOU!
“Many of the kids who attend Risen Christ couldn’t afford Risen Christ, so the donors are a very big part of Risen Christ. And without them, Risen Christ wouldn’t be what Risen Christ is.”
Jennifer ‘25 is a Freshman at DeLaSalle High School
Two Friends, One Faith: Growing Up Bilingual at Risen Christ Catholic School
Isabel and Jennifer, two 8th graders at Risen Christ Catholic School, share their story of friendship, faith, and the power of bilingual education. They reflect on how their bond has grown stronger through shared values, community, and a unique learning environment that celebrates and honors both English and Spanish.
Risen Christ by the Numbers
We extend a special thanks to the Aim Higher Foundation for their remarkable contribution of 180 scholarships to the students of Risen Christ Catholic School during the 2024-2025 school year, investing over $879,000 in our students since their inception — making it possible for these students to envision an even brighter future and aim higher.
For more detailed demographics, please visit our school profile.
Congratulations Class of 2025!
On June 3rd, our school community gathered to celebrate and send off Risen Christ's Class of 2025. This year's ceremony was held at the Church of St. Albert the Great, continuing our tradition of rotating our annual commencement among our five founding parishes. Many students were recognized for their academic growth and performance – and many are the recipients of various scholarships at the high school level.
We are very proud of our graduates and grateful for your generous support which has helped make this milestone possible for our students. Thank you!
28 Students
71% Attending Catholic High Schools including Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Cristo Rey, DeLaSalle, Holy Angels and Visitation
3 Students were accepted into Countdown to College at Saint Mary’s University
1 Student was a recipient of a Flaherty Family Foundation Scholarship
2024-2025 Financial Summary
Any questions regarding audited financial summary or related financial statements can be directed to Nathan Meehling, CFO and Director of Business Administration at [email protected] or (612) 234-8534.
Thank you Risen Christ Volunteers!
Total # volunteers: 98
Total # volunteer hours: 2,880
Using the Independent Sector value of volunteer time in Minnesota ($38.16 per hour in 2025), Risen Christ volunteers contributed the equivalent of $109,906 in time and talent during the 2024-25 school year.
Donors and Supporters
We strive for accuracy. If you discover an error, please contact the Advancement Office:
Liz Allie, Advancement Associate: [email protected]
The incredible outcomes in this report are made possible by YOU!
Please help sustain our success by making a gift today.
The Dr. Eleni Roulis Memorial Scholarship
We are honored to announce the first presentation of the Dr. Eleni Roulis Memorial Scholarship to Nube, a 7th grader who demonstrates academic excellence, intellectual curiosity and love of learning. This scholarship honors the legacy of Dr. Eleni Roulis, a longtime University of St. Thomas faculty and staff member who devoted her life to empowering students. Eleni passed away in 2022 after a courageous battle against brain cancer. We are grateful to Eleni as well as her family and friends who made her final wish a reality by establishing the Dr. Eleni Roulis Endowed Scholarship Fund at the Catholic Community Foundation, ensuring her passion for education would continue to shape the lives of middle school girls at Risen Christ for generations to come.
Nube was selected for her thoughtful essay, perseverance, and natural leadership in the classroom. Inspired by her mother to “always do better than yesterday,” Nube hopes to pursue a career in the medical field, using her bilingual skills to serve English- and Spanish-speaking communities with compassion. Congratulations, Nube!
“What I admire most about Nube is her perseverance. She is not easily discouraged by challenges and always seeks to improve. Her enthusiasm for learning and maturity distinguish her as a natural leader in the classroom.” – Risen Christ teacher
To learn more about Eleni's scholarship or to support it with a gift, please visit: risenchristschool.org/dreleniroulis
Joan and Bill Slattery Honored with Circle of Light Award
Risen Christ is pleased to present long time supporters Joan and Bill Slattery with this year’s Circle of Light Award. We chose to honor Joan and Bill not just for their generosity, but for the way they embody the spirit of community and collaboration that makes Risen Christ special.
Their dedication inspires us all, reminding us of the impact we can have when we come together for a common cause.
Impact Report Highlights Long-Term Mission Outcomes
“Risen Christ opened the doors for not just me, but my brother and our whole family. As an alum, I have maintained relationships with staff members that have helped me believe in myself. As a social worker, I want to be an advocate for families and children to give back the support and hope I once received as a student at Risen Christ.”
Our recently published Mission Impact Report was funded by the Catholic Community Foundation and celebrates the achievements of our alumni and the enduring impact of their Risen Christ education. Focusing on alumni who graduated between 2015 and 2019, the majority were Hispanic (86%), qualified for Free/Reduced Lunch (91%) and received English Language Learner services (82%). We surveyed 130 (67%) of the 194 total alumni who graduated within five class years, gaining insights into their educational pursuits after graduating from Risen Christ.
Our findings show that Risen Christ alumni are significantly more likely to graduate from high school within four years and pursue college compared to their peers in Minneapolis and statewide, highlighting Risen Christ's role in fostering academic success.
Jeyson Finds Success in Reading
In 2023, Jeyson started Kindergarten at Risen Christ as an English Language Learner. As a second grader, Jeyson finally discovered his love for reading:
“Jeyson recently came running down the hall to Ms. Cambara’s 1st grade classroom to tell her how excited he was that he could read. Over the past year, Jeyson received intensive tutoring as part of our Individualized Tutoring Program. This support led to the success that Jeyson was so eager to share with his former teacher.”
Carmen Grace Poppert, Principal
Jeyson’s success reflects the impact of great teachers, dedicated volunteers and specialized tutors in transforming students’ lives. Last year, our English Language Learners (73% of students) made remarkable progress, with those tutored by Urban Ventures as part of our Individualized Tutoring Program achieving an impressive two months of growth for every month tutored. In addition, a new early literacy curriculum implemented at Risen Christ saw a 40% increase in K-5 students meeting or exceeding benchmarks in English by the end of last year.
Risen Christ’s Individualized Tutoring Program provides one-on-one instruction to more than 50 students through the support of dedicated specialists and volunteers. Thanks to partners like the Raskob Foundation for Catholic Activities and generous supporters like you, this vital program is offered at no cost to our families—making personalized academic support accessible to Jeyson, allowing him to reach his full potential.
Risen Christ’s Debate Team Wins BIG
In partnership with Minnesota Urban Debate League and the Carolyn Foundation, Risen Christ middle schoolers had the opportunity to begin their third year of Urban Debate with a team of 45 students. At the City Wide Championship that took place this past spring, student achievement soared – with Risen Christ debaters placing FIRST in EVERY category.
We are so proud of their hard work, dedication and remarkable accomplishments!