St. Andrew Nativity School is Oregon’s only tuition free, private middle school for low income students. Supported by the Jesuits, St. Andrew Nativity provides a values centric curriculum, welcoming students of all faiths from around the Portland area. The school welcomed its first class of 20 students in 2001. Small class sizes allow for individualized attention to raise students' learning by as much as five grade levels in three years. 96% of Nativity School students go on to graduate from high school and 80% go on to attend college. The school now serves 79 students and has over 300 graduates.

From 2014-15, I served as the school’s health teacher as a volunteer with Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest. I taught lessons covering topics like anatomy, nutrition, and sexuality and developed a participatory curriculum for the classroom.

Learn more about St. Andrew Nativity School on their website.

See a student’s inspiring story here.

Interested in volunteering? Check out Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest here.