Mayor Francis G. Slay recently presented the Mayor’s Spirit of St. Louis Award today to Stella Maris Child Center. Founded in 1849 as a children’s orphanage, Stella Maris Child Center is the oldest child-learning center in St. Louis.
The Mayor’s Spirit of St. Louis Award recognizes businesses that make major expansions or improvements to their existing locations, open or relocate to the city, and certain major City projects.
The center purchased and renovated a vacant St. Louis Public School – former Clark School – at 5183 Raymond in North St. Louis. The center made $1.3 million in improvements, including age-appropriately designed classrooms, new roofing, fencing, and utility systems, and an exterior facelift.
Stella Maris offers year-round educational programs for children ages six weeks to six years and a summer program for school-aged children. Stella Maris has been a United Way agency since 1944 and is licensed by the Missouri Department of Health, accredited by the Missouri Board of Voluntary Accreditation, and is a member of the Child Day Care Association of Greater St. Louis.