After 25 years of enabling nearly $2.5 million in minority scholarships and community grants, the St. Louis American Foundation’s 25th Anniversary Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards gala on Friday was bound to bring many surprises and bursts of emotion.
Expectations were exceeded.
In the true spirit of Salute, the event’s general co-chairs Vanessa Foster-Cooksey, senior director of community affairs for Anheuser Busch and License Collector Michael McMillan announced an unexpected tribute.
“To celebrate the 25th year anniversary of leadership, Vanessa and I got together several months ago with a few other friends, and we decided to pay a special surprise tribute to you Dr. Suggs,” McMillan said to Donald M. Suggs, president of the foundation and publisher and executive editor of The St. Louis American.
McMillan announced they will be doubling the existing Donald M. Suggs Scholarship Program at Harris-Stowe State University and creating the Donald M. Suggs Endowed Scholarship Program at Forest Park Community College – totaling $25,000. Each student will also receive a paid internship, mentor, books, scholarship and laptop computer.
“You’ve done so much for so many of us for so long,” McMillan said, surrounded by Myrtle Dorsey, chancellor of St. Louis Community College; Albert Walker, president of Harris-Stowe; Timothy Moore, president of the Collegiate 100 of the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis; and Tamarah Roberts of the William J. Harrison Campus of the Forest Park Community College.
The evening was all about improving the opportunities for youth, and each of the event’s long-time supporters had their own way of expressing that.
Co-emcee Carol Daniel, KMOX news anchor, had a touching moment on stage with Jihad Kiahann, 14, a mentee student of the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis.
“We love you,” Daniel said to the youth. “We are not going to lower our standards of you. We believe in you.”
Several of the eight 2012 Excellence in Education awardees were moved to tears by the recognition of their work. Awardee Andrea N. Hayes, seventh-grade language arts teacher at Southeast Middle School in the Hazelwood School District, sobbed as she talked about a seventh grade student who couldn’t read. She worked closely with him until he could read aloud confidently.
“This is why we do this,” she said. “You don’t realize how many lives you touch.”
Awardee Jacqueline Storman Turnage, founder and headmistress of Storman Academy, recalled paying the school’s first rent in 1981. Now 31 years later, her students are studying engineering in Rolla and have achieved excellence in their professions.
The other 2012 Excellence in Education awardees included: Jason Brown, former director of fine arts at Riverview Gardens High School; Earnestine Carr, autistic teacher at Gateway Middle School; LaChrisa Crenshaw, dean of student support services at KIPP Inspire Academy; Duane M. Foster, fine arts teacher at Normandy High School; Doretta Walker, retired administrative coordinator of supplemental educational services at SLPS; and LaRhonda Wilson, assistant professor at St. Louis Community College.
St. Louis Public Schools’ Columbia Elementary School earned the 2012 Monsanto School of Excellence honor, and the 2012 PNC Bank Early Childhood Education Award went to Dana Watts, center coordinator of Urban League Head Start.
“It makes economic sense, especially for a bank, to invest in our community,” said PNC Bank’s Regional President Rick Sems.
Southeast Missouri State University, a gold sponsor, awarded two counselors with the 2012 SEMO Counselor of the Year award: Kynedra Ogunnaike, guidance counselor at Vashon High School, and Karen Verstraete, a college and career counselor at Webster Groves High School.
SEMO President Ken Dobbins also presented the fourth annual Donald M. Suggs Scholarship Award at SEMO, a $30,000 value, to Jada Wan, a valedictorian of Clyde C. Miller High School. Wan is pursuing a degree in early childhood education.
“As a first-generation college graduate himself, Dr. Suggs’ resume fits well with the almost 30 percent of Southeast students who also are first-generation college students,” Dobbins said.
The ceremony also recognized Kevin Redmond, a recent graduate of Webster Groves High School who was awarded 2012 Donald M. Suggs Scholarship (a $57,000 value) at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he plans to study engineering.
The 2012 Salute to Excellence in Education generated $159,500 in scholarships and community grants.
