Cooper DuBois Portland CEO has long believed in giving back to the community he resides in, and De La Salle North Catholic High School has recently come to his attention. The school’s mission is to provide affordable, college preparatory education to young men and women who live on the margins of society and have limited financial resources throughout the Portland metro area. Founded in 2001, this high school continues to grow and develop its community of dedicated teachers, families, volunteers, and corporate partners to provide the very best life-changing opportunities to its motivated and capable students.
Cooper DuBois Portland CEO of Truly Social Games was first introduced to the school by a friend. Several unique aspects of the school gained his attention immediately.
First and foremost, the De La Salle North Catholic High School does not turn anyone away for the inability to pay the almost $3000 annual tuition. Although it is undoubtedly one of the lowest-cost, private, faith-based high schools in the area, more than 90% of its families require financial aid. Through gifts, sponsorships, and work-study programs, the school has created an inclusive and highly diverse student population that does not overly burden financially challenged families.
As part of their curriculum at De La Salle North Catholic High School, students work five days at “real-world” jobs each month. According to Cooper Dubois Portland resident, this requirement has proven to garner several excellent results that help the school continue its mission to educate deserving, motivated, and previously underserved students. To give these students the gift of work experience and the self-esteem that comes with a job well done is invaluable.
De La Salle North Catholic students are also employees of its Corporate Work-Study Program (CWSP). Five days a month, each student works an entry-level position at one of their partner organizations. These include positions in medicine, law, banking, finance, and many other potential career fields. The earnings from these jobs go directly to tuition assistance and make the school more accessible and affordable to the students. The students, in turn, receive invaluable work experience that will help them enter the workforce with the skills and proven experience most employers want.
As explained by Cooper DuBois Portland resident, these students aren’t your average high school graduate. Almost 100% of these students have been accepted to colleges and universities before graduation. Also, they leave high school with very employable skills and the confidence to seek jobs that will help them pay for college expenses, and it is easy to see why De La Salle North Catholic High School is such a success story. For all these reasons and more, Cooper DuBois decided to create a trust to ensure his financial assistance to the school will continue for the next twenty-five years.