Nearly 1,500 people celebrated area educators and the awarding of $314,000 in scholarships and community grants at the St. Louis American Foundation’s 26th Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala, held Friday at America’s Center.
Donald M. Suggs, president of the St. Louis American Foundation and publisher and executive editor of The St. Louis American newspaper, introduced the evening as “a very special St. Louis celebration” of excellence in education.
The highest honor of 2013 Lifetime Achiever in Education was awarded to Lynn Beckwith Jr., Ed.D, E. Desmond Lee Endowed Professor of Urban Education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
“I have the great honor of introducing an individual who has dedicated his lifetime to promoting diversity, equality and excellence through education,” Thomas F. George, chancellor of the University of Missouri-St. Louis, said of Beckwith. “It’s hard to pinpoint where Dr. Beckwith is most effective since he is most effective everywhere.”
Beckwith individually thanked members of his immediate family, whom he described as the wind beneath his wings. He acknowledged his parents, the late Myrtis and Lynn Beckwith Sr., and his four sisters, all of whom set the bar of excellence in education, he said.
“I reject the concept that black children are innately intellectually inferior,” Beckwith said. “If you take that away, then it’s got be something else. Well taught, well learned.”
Beckwith donated his $2,500 grant from the St. Louis American Foundation to the West Side Missionary Baptist Church Scholarship Fund at his home church.
The penultimate honor of 2013 Stellar Performer in Education (but longest acceptance speech by far) went to Art McCoy Jr., Ph.D., Ferguson-Florissant superintendent.
“Dr. Art McCoy is a stellar performer who truly merits our recognition,” said Craig H. Larson, Ed. D., board chair of St. Louis Community College. “The key to his success is his clear vision, which is to serve and lift up all children.”
Larson said McCoy has a gift for “rocking the boat without letting more water in.”
McCoy dedicated his award to his mother, Norma McCoy, who was celebrating a birthday that night.
As the nation’s leaders debated whether to engage in war against Syria, McCoy spoke of fighting an ongoing “war against ignorance.” He stated that 75 percent of fourth graders read below grade level.
“They use those same test scores to predict how many jail cells to build,” he said. “By the time those children are adults, they fill them up. That’s my rule for judging how great of an educator I am – if I can be a jail cell closer.”
The St. Louis American Foundation issued McCoy a $1,500 grant, which he said he would donate to the Ferguson-Florissant School District.
One school that benefits from McCoy’s leadership, Vogt Elementary School in the Ferguson-Florissant School District, was awarded as the 2013 Monsanto School of Excellence Award.
Principal Leslie Thomas-Washington, who accepted the award, publicly thanked both the Stellar Performer and the Lifetime Achiever. McCoy is her superintendent who highly recommended the school for the award, and Beckwith, she said, “is a very special mentor to me.”
Deborah Patterson, president of the Monsanto Fund, presented the award to Thomas-Washington and also announced that the Monsanto Fund will donate eight laptops to Vogt Elementary.
Brian Bauer, senior vice president and business banking market manager at PNC Bank, presented Deborah Thomas with the 2013 PNC Bank Early Childhood Education Award. Thomas serves as lead infant teacher at the William L. Clay Sr. Early Childhood Center at Harris-Stowe State University.
“You get attached to the children,” Thomas said. “They are like your own. I really want our babies to form a desire for learning.”
PNC Bank will donate $2,500 to the William L. Clay Sr. Early Childhood Center, Bauer said.
Kenneth W. Dobbins, president of Southeast Missouri State University, presented Chat Leonard with the 2013 SEMO Counselor of the Year Award. The award recognizes counselors who have nurtured first-generation and historically underrepresented students in postsecondary education.
“I’m really humbled and honored that Southeast Missouri State University, one of my favorite schools, decided to bestow this honor on me,” Leonard said.
In addition to their awards, Thomas and Leonard each received $500 grants from the St. Louis American Foundation.
Eight educators also received 2013 Excellence in Education awards: Clara Collins Coleman, curator of Interpretation at Laumeier Sculpture Park and Museum; Tiffany Fane, seventh grade science teacher at Hazelwood East Middle School; Nathalie Means Henderson, principal of Jefferson Elementary School; Vanessa Howard, instructional coach for teachers at Johnson-Wabash Elementary School; Wanda LeFlore, principal at Kennard Classical Junior Academy; Wilma Slaughter, seventh grade math teacher at Hixson Middle School; Jody Squires, urban youth specialist and city program director with the University of Missouri Extension Program; and Deitre Terrell, reading interventionist instructor at Confluence Charter Schools.
KMOX-AM news anchor Carol Daniel and former KSDK NewsChannel 5 education reporter Sharon Stevens reprised their familiar roles as banquet emcees, entertaining and inspiring the audience. At one point, when scholarship awardees were handing down new laptops given to them by the St. Louis American Foundation, Daniel joked that they were “handing down laptops like a bucket brigade.”
Mark your calendars. The 2013 13th Salute to Excellence in Business Awards and Networking Luncheon is Thursday, November 14 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Tickets are now on sale.
