Every student. Every chance. Every day. 2018-2019 Annual Report “We believe every child can reach his or her potential if given the right structure, environment, education, motivation, and inspiration.” — JOHN C. VATTEROTT, FOUNDER & EMERITUS CHAIR LETTER FROM OUR BOARD CHAIR OUR MISSION Access propels at-risk Dear Friends and Supporters, middle school students What makes Access Academies through high school successful? It’s a question I’m asked and on to college frequently and one I often answer with and career success a single word: Commitment. From the moment our students enter a 6th grade with enrichment, classroom until they accept their high counseling, and school diplomas, we walk alongside scholarships. them. And now, thanks to your generous support, we stay with them beyond high school. This year we doubled down on our steadfast commitment to helping students unlock their potential and achieve their OUR HISTORY dreams. First, we launched our College and Career Program, Access was founded in thus extending our graduate support relationship with each 2005 by a small group of student from seven to 11+ years. Now, when an Academy St. Louisans convinced graduate needs help navigating the unfamiliar territory of that education was the higher education, submitting financial aid paperwork, selecting most enduring path out college classes, and editing their resume, we are there to help. of poverty. Embracing Second, we completed a fruitful first year of enrichment an innovative model that emphasized extended with our new partner, Sister Thea Bowman Catholic school days, a challenging School in East St. Louis. We couldn’t be happier with the enrichment curriculum, and relationship and are excited about shepherding even more hands-on counseling, they students through our program and onward to success. started the first Academy And third, we reduced the financial hardship on with 15 students in a single even more Access families by covering the cost of South City middle school. Today, Access partners with registration and technology fees, and by paying for four middle schools and orientation programs for our rising 9th graders. 25 private high schools, Indeed, it has been a successful 12 months for the students and it serves over 500 at Access Academies. That success, however, wouldn’t students across the St. Louis have been possible were it not for the commitment of our metropolitan area. many partners — from parents, teachers, and principals, to Graduate Support Directors, middle and high schools, and colleges too. And, of course, our dedicated donors. Everyone’s collaborative investment in our students OUR VALUES Access is committed to… continues to bear fruit, and we are grateful for all of your contributions. On behalf of the entire Access team, thank you. • Supporting a top-quality, values-based education Sincerely, • Focusing on the individual student • Strengthening our communities Robert Mathias • Leveraging our Chair, Board of Directors partnerships 2 2018-2019 Highlights Sister Thea Summer Bowman Scholars Catholic at SLU School Joins The annual one- the Access week Summer Family Scholars program provided our rising Access expanded Annual Dinner College juniors and seniors across the Celebrates and Career with an opportunity Mississippi River Access’ 507 Program to experience dorm by partnering Students Launches life at Saint Louis with Sister Thea University, tour Bowman Catholic What a special Amy Clark joined local colleges, and School to open a night we had Access in June attend invaluable new Academy in celebrating the 2018 as our first seminars on the East St. Louis. After achievements of College and Career admissions process, helping usher the our 507 students, Counselor. She’s financial aid, essay inaugural 6th grade including our 58 now had a full year writing, and ACT class through an hard-working 8th helping our high preparation. exciting first year grade Academy school graduates of enrichment graduates. The 11th negotiate the The Winter programs, Dean of Annual Celebration challenging Students Carmelita Dinner, held in transition from Party Returns Spencer joined the June at the Ritz- high school into Our popular Winter team as Graduate Carlton, was a huge college and other Party was back in Support Director. success and raised post-secondary February at John D. a record amount programs. McGurk’s Irish Pub toward fulfilling our in Soulard. More mission. than 125 supporters enjoyed an evening of food, fun, and trivia. 3 Our Impact 99% 98% 96% 11+ 600 ACCEPTED GRADUATE ACCEPTED YEARS HOURS to college- high school to college or of counseling, of annual preparatory on-time other post- mentoring, and extended-day high schools (compared secondary advocacy for and summer to 84% institution each student enrichment nationwide) instruction $5.2 million 1,200 students SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 2005: awarded in high have benefitted from school scholarships our programs Our Partner Our Partner Schools Middle Schools Our Partner High Schools Althoff Catholic High School Bishop DuBourg High School Cardinal Ritter College Prep Chaminade College Prep Christian Brothers College High School Cor Jesu Academy De Smet Jesuit High School Incarnate Word Academy Lutheran High School North Lutheran High School South MISSOURI ILLINOIS Marquette Catholic High School Nerinx Hall Notre Dame High School St. Louis Catholic Principia School Academy Most Holy Trinity Rosati-Kain High School Catholic School Saint Louis Priory School St. John Vianney St. Joseph’s Academy Sister Thea Bowman St. Louis University High Catholic School St. Mary’s High School Trinity Catholic High School Ursuline Academy St. Cecilia School Villa Duchesne Visitation Academy Westminster Christian Academy 4 ALUMNA UPDATE: she was prepared for Our thanks to her education. Kyra Harris “Nursing school was rough,” Students says Harris, who enjoys Kyra Harris comes from painting watercolors to a family of nurses. Her relax from the stress of grandmother was a nurse. Her the hospital, “It was a hard aunt was a nurse. And when degree.” But she credits the 186 she entered Avila University in STUDENTS encouragement she received the fall of 2015, the Rosati-Kain from her Access Graduate IN graduate was determined to Support Director, as well as 4 continue the family tradition. the financial assistance from “I just felt I could do more the Work-Study program and city middle as a nurse than I could as a enrichment classes at Most schools doctor,” says Harris, who puts Holy Trinity Catholic School as a high priority on bedside contributing to her success in manner. “Doctors might talk both high school and college. 179 to you for 15 minutes, but “Access definitely prepared STUDENTS the nurse is there all day me to go to private school,” watching over their patients.” IN Harris says. “It was a good After an admittedly foundation. It exposed me 22 challenging four years of to a lot of things that made college-preparatory nursing school, Kyra officially Rosati a comfortable place.” high schools earned her degree — and And the time management her scrubs — this May. She skills developed through the graduated from Avila and program, she notes, proved returned to St. Louis to join invaluable when juggling 142 the critical care team at a full course load and two STUDENTS DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton, jobs during her senior year. IN where she spent the summer “The program gave me skills 57 working 12-hour shifts in the that I wouldn’t have had intensive care unit. It’s been otherwise,” Harris says. “Like colleges and other a busy and demanding few managing my time, and being post-secondary months, Harris says, but one responsible for my work. They programs do a good job of making kids learn responsibility early.” While Kyra is excited about 97% her new job, she still has one represent minority eye on the populations “No matter where I future. “I want to go to have been, Access has grad school always reached out.” next year to 94% get my MSN qualify for free/ to be a nurse practitioner,” reduced lunch she says, noting that a year of work experience is required to apply to most programs. 66% And while she’s unsure where live in she’ll apply, Kyra is certain of single-parent one thing: Access Academies households will be there for her if she needs help. “No matter where I have been, Access has always reached out.” 5 Our Programs Counseling “I like how the Graduate Support Directors push us. They want our hard work to pay off, and they want us to succeed. Their philosophy is: ‘Shoot for the moon and if we miss, at least we end up in the stars.’” Gio V, 8th grade, ENRICHMENT IN St. Cecilia ACTION: Book Club School Brings History to Life Counseling is the cornerstone Book Club helps of our program. Starting in foster a lifelong love 6th grade and continuing of reading while through high school providing students graduation, our Graduate with an in-depth Support Directors build look into important strong, enduring relationships historical subjects. with each student, providing This spring, the 6th individualized mentoring, graders at Sister Thea guidance, and advocacy at Bowman read I, Dred every step of their educational Enrichment Scott: A Fictional journey. Our GSDs are located within each partner middle Through our extended-day Slave Narrative Based on the Life school and maintain frequent, enrichment program, we use consistent contact with our extra class time to reinforce and Legal Precedent of Dred Scott. high school students academic lessons, expose throughout their In addition to giving students to new subjects, entire four years. and foster creativity. We each student an offer a selection of more autographed copy of than 80 after-school (and Shelia P. Moses’ book, summer) enrichment classes Access also invited the to challenge students in award-winning author, important STEM subjects poet, and playwright like robotics, coding, to visit the school and computer science, and share words of as well as in key areas encouragement.