« back to spotlight stories

Ricardo Henry

When students enroll at Saint Martin at age fourteen, it’s impossible for us to know how they will contribute to our work of “transforming urban Cleveland one student at a time.” They come to us as bright, capable adolescents who are full of potential, and when they graduate they are confident, competent scholars and professionals, ready to make valuable contributions to our community and to the world. Take for example, Ricardo Henry (Saint Martin ’09, Bowling Green State University ’14) who was drawn to Saint Martin because it offered a high quality education that was affordable. His mother had made sacrifices to send him to private school from K-8, and she was determined for him to receive a high quality high school education, but needed an option that was more affordable than a traditional, tuition-driven model. Looking back, Ricardo reflects that “everyone has heard that ‘you get what you pay for.’ At Saint Martin, you get what you work for.” Saint Martin’s Corporate Work Study Program allowed Ricardo to work his way through high school. He gained professional experience in law firms and a court reporting agency surrounded by professionals who mentored him, charged him with important responsibilities and helped him imagine the kind of lifestyle he wanted for himself. Upon high school graduation Ricky was prepared to directly enroll at Bowling Green State University to major in Construction Management. The efforts of Saint Martin’s Alumni Support Advisor kept him engaged with our school community and ultimately Ricardo learned of a job lead while speaking with one of our board members at an Alumni Networking Event. He pursued the lead and after college graduation was hired by The Albert M. Higley Co., a construction management firm based in Cleveland and the builder of our new school. Today, Ricardo splits his time between his office at AM Higley, and the construction site.

When asked how he is transforming urban Cleveland, Ricardo replied, “I’m building institutions that will nurture the next generation of doctors, engineers, lawyers, builders and entrepreneurs.”