School celebrates with scholarship ceremony
By Brandon Gilliam
For the St. Louis American
Cote Brilliante Elementary School in North City turned 100 this past Sunday. To celebrate, a host of students, staff, faculty and friends of the school gathered on its playground for an anniversary ceremony that also showcased student achievements.
In particular, the ceremony highlighted two graduating high school seniors and Cote Brilliante alumni, who received Vera Atkinson Scholarships.
Jerome Harris, a senior at Beaumont High School who plans to attend Juliett College in Illinois, accepted a $1,000 scholarship. Jessie Bell, a senior at Beaumont who plans to attend Lincoln University, received a stipend of $250 for course books.
“It let’s you know that somebody cares about your future and the fact that you want to be something in life,” Harris said of the scholarship.
Harris and Bell said they endured attending schools in impoverished, troublesome neighborhoods by staying away from the wrong crowd.
“You just avoid who brings trouble to your table,” Bell said. “When people talk negative, I just go on about my business.”
“You hear all this stuff from folks who really don’t know the St. Louis Public Schools, and they’re saying all the kids do is raise Cane,” said Atkinson, the scholarships’ namesake, a former 10-year principal at Cote Brilliante and St. Louis American Salute to Excellence in Education awardee.
“These guys have put that to the lie.”
Atkinson said she’d like to “see opportunities like this put into place by other principals.”
Last year’s scholarship recipient, Curtis Hopson, gave a heartfelt speech and expressed his sincere appreciation for the award. Hopson has been featured in Ebony magazine as one of 40 up-and-coming leaders in the U.S.
“It just took some financial pressure away from me and my family and encourages me to go on to college,” Hopson said of his scholarship.
Endowment of the scholarships was a surprise retirement gift for Atkinson, who said she was floored and speechless after learning of the gesture. It was presented by her retirement committee, colleagues, friends, and family to honor her lifelong commitment to promoting higher education for inner-city students.
The scholarships are awarded to two college-bound, graduating high school seniors who attended Cote Brilliante Elementary School.
Atkinson served as principal of the school for ten years. Accordingly, the scholarship will be awarded in her name for 10 years to give all students who attended Cote Brilliante during her tenure an opportunity to apply. The scholarship awardee is determined by a panel of educators and other professionals in the community.
Cote Brilliante has an estimated 350 students enrolled from preschool through grade five. In addition to the regular curriculum, the school offers after-school programs, mentoring, computer labs, “Reading Recovery” classes and a school/community garden.
Atkinson credits Linda Riekes, development officer for the St. Louis Public Schools, for helping establish the school’s programs.
One of the programs chartered at Cote Brilliante when Atkins was principal is the Mentor St. Louis Program, which matches students with positive role models. The coordinator of the program at Cote Brilliante, Michelle Watson, stressed the importance of programs like Mentor St. Louis and said new mentors are always needed. The program now serves 100 students, with many young hopefuls waiting for mentors.
Anyone wishing to serve Cote Brilliante students or contribute to the scholarship fund are urged to contact Vera Atkinson at (314) 741-1170.
