Christofort of Cristo Rey Atlanta Named 2025 Arete Scholars Graduate of the Year

We are excited to announce the 2025 Arete Scholars Graduate of the Year, Christofort, a recent graduate of Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School in Atlanta, Georgia. This prestigious honor, awarded annually to an exceptional Arete graduate, celebrates the transformative impact of their school experience and their aspirations for the future. Christofort’s captivating submission, chosen by a panel of judges, highlighted the profound influence of his education and the outstanding work he has done to build a life of courage and virtue.

Choosing a winner for Arete’s 2025 Graduate of the Year was no easy task. We received an incredible number of heartfelt and inspiring submissions from graduates across Louisiana and Georgia, each one highlighting resilience, academic excellence, and personal growth. After much thoughtful deliberation, our panel selected Christofort as this year’s first-place winner, earning a $1,000 prize. 

At Arete, we believe education is not just about shaping minds—it’s about preparing leaders to shape the world. We are thrilled to honor Christofort as our 2025 Graduate of the Year, a student whose story exemplifies resilience, brilliance, and the power of purpose-driven learning.

From the Democratic Republic of Congo to the halls of Cristo Rey Atlanta, Christofort’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Graduating in the top 10% of his class, he leaves high school not only as a National Honor Society member in good standing, but also as the recipient of numerous honors—including the Excellence in Instructional Technology award, given to the top student in computer science, and the Intellectually Competent Award, a rare recognition nominated by every teacher.

But academics are only part of Christofort’s incredible story.

He’s a passionate innovator, forming a student-led team of animators and programmers who design video games using Unity and Roblox Studio. As head programmer and project manager, he’s devoted weekly hours to cultivating creativity and collaboration among peers. In robotics, Christofort’s leadership and engineering talents shine—first as captain of his own team, and later as co-captain of the varsity squad—devoting 15-hour weeks to designing competitive robots and creating an inclusive team culture.

“I’ve always believed that if you want to lead, you have to serve first,” Christofort shares. “Whether I’m programming or mentoring, I want the people around me to feel empowered.”

Beyond school walls, Christofort made an impressive mark through Atlanta’s corporate work-study program. Over four years, he interned at Microsoft, Crawford & Company, EVO Payments, and Marist School, tackling real-world problems in cybersecurity, software engineering, and robotics education. As a Microsoft intern, he even programmed a new tool to help a finance team access their database more efficiently.

Christofort’s spirit of service runs deep. From tutoring younger students and leading STEM outreach events to volunteering with Open Hand and packing meals for the homeless every other Sunday at the Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, his actions reflect a profound sense of responsibility to others.

“Opportunities are powerful,” he says. “But they only matter if you use them to lift others up. I want to make sure kids who come from where I come from know they belong in STEM, too.”

His passion for equity in STEM isn’t just something he talks about—it’s something he’s lived. He’s seen the disparity firsthand between well-funded programs and under-resourced ones. And instead of being discouraged, he chose to lead, to mentor, to build bridges. As he shared in his application essay:

“I want to inspire the next generation of low-income students by giving them a view of STEM as good as any other student. I want to be the change I seek.”

That change will continue at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where Christofort will major in Computer Science on a full-ride scholarship, bolstered by support from Best Buy, Georgia Tech Cristo Rey, Zell Miller, and the Madeleine Jude Brown Scholarship.

“When I look ahead, I see more than just a career—I see a mission. I want to create access. I want to help build the future by making sure every student has a chance to shape it.”

Whether building robots, guiding peers, or reimagining access to tech, Christofort’s future is as bright as it is intentional. We’re proud to stand beside him on this journey and can’t wait to see how he continues to shape a more equitable, innovative world.

Read Christofort's Graduate of the Year submission here. Abby was awarded second place and a $250 prize. Read her Graduate of the Year submission here. TyLeah received third place and a $100 prize. Read her Graduate of the Year submission here. We’re proud of all our graduates and the remarkable journeys they’ve taken!