A groundbreaking ceremony for Cristo Rey Charleston High School was held this month at the historic Old Chicora Elementary site in North Charleston, marking a new phase in the efforts to bring the successful Catholic school model to the Palmetto State.
The ceremony was held on Jan. 8 with Mayor Reggie Burgess; Rev. Bill Stanfield of Metanoia, the nonprofit that owns the property; and the upcoming school’s acting CEO, Joanna Wusinich.
“We are excited to build and open a high school that will empower our future students to realize their limitless potential, graduate from college, and become leaders and agents of positive change in the world,” said Wusinich.
“The momentum we celebrate as we break ground is made possible by families who believe in new possibilities for their children, school and nonprofit leaders who recognize the transformative power of a mission-centered education, and partners who understand the urgent need to expand access to opportunity for underserved youth. Their shared faith and commitment have brought this vision to life.”
Plans for the school first began in 2019, with the national Cristo Rey Network exploring the Charleston area as a possible site for their career-focused model of Catholic education accessible to low-income students. Their hallmark Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP) allows students to work one day a week with a local business partner to gain job experience and offset tuition costs.
North Charleston, which has a plurality of African-American residents, currently has no Catholic high schools. The two closest, Bishop England High School and the independent Chesterton Academy of St. Finbar, have relatively few Black students.
Plans for a Cristo Rey feasibility study in South Carolina were temporarily upended by the global COVID-19 pandemic, and the process resumed with community support in 2023. The Cristo Rey Network reached an agreement in 2024 with Metanoia for use of the Old Chicora property, which had previously been set for a different school project before a 2020 fire and drawn-out insurance battle.
“After years of listening to our neighbors and believing in what’s possible for the Old Chicora site, we are honored to see this vision come to life,” said Rev. Stanfield, a Baptist minister who serves as CEO of Metanoia.
“The Cristo Rey model fits perfectly with our mission to walk with families, build on their strengths, and invest in a future where young people in North Charleston can thrive without leaving their community to find opportunity.”
The Cristo Rey Network officially approved the North Charleston site for its newest school early last year, followed by a successful financing effort that secured $37 million by November, including from the Coastal Community Foundation and Truist Bank.
Nate Tinner-Williams
Cristo Rey Charleston is now hiring for various positions and plans to welcome 100 freshmen for their inaugural high school class in the fall of 2027, followed by one new class in the years thereafter.
“Even after setbacks, like the 2020 fire that delayed progress, our commitment to the community never wavered,” said Stanfield. “Today, we’re moving forward with hope—and with partners who believe, like we do, that every young person deserves a future rooted in opportunity.”
Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.
