The 2020 St. Louis American Foundation aired virtually for a two-night event on October 16 and 17 in honor of the organization’s 33rd annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards ceremony. The foundation’s signature event recognizes Black educational leaders and young scholars across the St. Louis region who have demonstrated exceptional work in the classroom and in their communities by providing them with scholarship and grants.
Donald M. Suggs, president of the St. Louis American Foundation, said that the foundation provides “recognition of outstanding local African-American educators and needed resources to high-achieving African-American students so they might pursue their higher education goals.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, educators and scholars face new and unprecedented challenges.
“We believe now more than ever that it’s critical that we celebrate these educators who are both on the frontlines in our local classrooms and meeting the virtual learning needs of our students,” Suggs said. “The scholarship funds awarded tonight bridge a critical gap given the economic hardship so many of our families are enduring – and we’re delighted to share this evening that this year we will award a record $1.95 million in scholarship and education grants.”
Emmy Award-winning actor Sterling K. Brown, a St. Louis native, made an appearance via Zoom to congratulate the awardees and urge young people to vote.
“Our scholars are coming into adulthood and pursuing higher education during a pandemic, an ongoing Black Lives Matter movement and an impending historic election,” Brown said. “Please vote. They deserve our respect and recognition now more than ever.”
This year’s gala provided four of the scholars an opportunity to share their stories and showcase their desired career aspirations for the future. Carol Daniel, KMOX news anchor and the emcee for the evening, joined the students in a roundtable discussion hosted by Maryville University.
“There are many people that go through their entire lives and no one ever asks them, ‘What do you want?’” Daniel said. “Sadly, it happens, and many people go through their lives and they are never in a situation that you are in now to write your own ticket. The pen is in your own hand, and you are writing your own ticket.”
During the candid dialogue, Allayah Qualls, Maryville University student and graduate of Soldan International Studies High School, said that as a Criminology and Sociology major she hopes to be an inspiration to young girls who look like her while she cracks the glass ceiling in the criminal justice system.
“I want to be able to say that I was a beacon of light to show other little girls, girls who came up like me in poor neighborhoods, that your dream doesn’t have to end with whatever anybody else tells you,” Qualls said. “I see that as sitting in my own courtroom with my black robe on, my gavel in hand with ‘Judge Qualls’ on the front of my desk.”
Brice Dean, a sophomore at Harris-Stowe State University, plans to correlate mental and physical health with one another, but his ultimate dream is for the generation of Black kids that comes after him to authentically be themselves.
“I want to see a generation of kids grow and truly be able to dream without that shadow of ‘but I’m Black, so they can’t discriminate against me because of this,’” Dean said. “That’s something I’m going to work towards changing every single day of my life.”
The honored educators also had the chance to express why they chose education as their calling and thanked those individuals who helped shape them.
The lifetime achievement award was presented to Rev. Doris Graham, whose formative experiences growing up in segregated schools had a significant impact on her 38-year career as a teacher and administrator and fueled her fight for equity as a teacher’s union organizer.
“If you can be the vessel that God can use to help somebody go higher in life to become more successful,” Rev. Dr. Graham said, “please do it.”
Sharonica Hardin-Bartley, superintendent of University City School District, received the Stellar Performer in Education award for her dedication in advocating for equity, trauma-informed practices and student voices in education.
“I’m a status quo disrupter,” Hardin-Bartley said. “I aim to be unflinching in my pursuit of excellence for all children, particularly the ones that I serve. I feel that we have to be brutally honest about our realities and understand where we are in order to determine where we’re going to go.”
Hodgen Tech Academy was recognized with the Bayer School of Excellence Award. The recognition includes eight new laptops and a $2,500 education grant for the school. Hodgen also received the first Bayer Fund Michelle Insco STEM Grant of $10,000, in honor of Michelle Insco, program director for Bayer Fund, who died after eight years of battling colon cancer. The grant will support a STEM program at the school.
Ariel Turner, a college and career counselor at Lift for Life Academy (and proud East. St. Louis native), was awarded this year’s SEMO Counselor of the Year. The St. Louis American Foundation’s long-lasting partnership with Southeast Missouri State University recognizes the critical work of guidance counselors.
“Lift for Life is one of the best-kept secrets in the city of St. Louis,” Turner said. “We are a strong school community. I think when you come here, a student will fall in love just like myself.”
The eight 2020 Excellence in Education awardees were LaShanda R. Boone, Head of School, LaSalle Charter School, Shantana Goodwin-Payne, Master Teacher, Magnolia Head Start/Early Head Start Center, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Head Start, Dr. Karen Hall, Superintendent, Maplewood Richmond Heights School District, Romona Miller, Principal of Pioneer Pathways, Kirkwood High School, Sheryl Denise Rogers, Science Teacher, Normandy Schools Collaborative, Rhonda Stovall, Science Enrichment Lab Teacher, Grades 3-5, Gateway MST Elementary, John E. Thomas, Assistant Principal, Webster Groves High School, and Dr. Craig Waddell, 8th Grade Algebra and Math Teacher, Hazelwood North Middle School.
“My oldest son is autistic, and I really wanted to become a teacher,” Stovall said. “But because I knew I had to be a strong advocate for my son, education was the way that I knew that I would be able to be the best advocate and best mom for him.”
“I have always believed in doing something that is almost like a ministry and spiritual in a sense in how I do the work,” Hall said. “It’s not going to work and going home. Education isn’t 9-5. It’s a part of who you are.”
The Missouri Lottery awarded each of the eight Excellence in Education award recipients with $500 education grants along with protective materials to keep their classrooms safe during COVID.
The St. Louis American Foundation has a scholarship program that offers a $2,500 scholarship for college freshmen to help them with any first-year expenses. It also includes the student’s choice of a new laptop, iPad or Chromebook to help ensure that they have the technological tools they need to succeed. The 2020 St. Louis American Foundation Scholars were Isaiah Collins, Ezarion Grant, Jennifer Nwaobasi and Maya Owens.
This year, the St. Louis American Foundation introduced a new partnership with the Omicron Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. to serve students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). The goal is to provide financial support on HBCU campuses to help students remain in school, complete their course of study and receive their college degree. The recipients of this year’s scholarships were Camryn Jones and Alexis Kemp, who were each awarded $1,000.
The 12 participating Missouri schools that provided scholarships at this year’s gala were University of Missouri-Columbia, Southeast Missouri State University, Harris-Stowe State University, Missouri State University, Webster University, St. Louis Community College, Fontbonne University, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Washington University, the Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes Jewish College and Maryville University.
The Salutatorian Level Sponsors were Bayer, Centene Charitable Foundation, and Maryville University. The Education Grant Sponsor was Missouri Lottery. The Summa Cum Laude Sponsors are: Southeast Missouri State University, The University of Missouri Columbia, Washington University in St. Louis, and Webster University. The Cum Laude Sponsors were Anheuser Busch, A.T. Still University, McCormack Baron Salazar AND Urban Strategies, St. Louis Community College and The School District OF University City. The Dean’s List sponsors were Enterprise Holdings, Harris-Stowe State University, and The Regional Business Council. The Honor Roll Supporters were BJC Health Care, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Spire, The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, and Western Governors University.