ACCESS Graduate to Participate in the HCC STL Foundation’s Hispanic Leadership Institute

ACCESS would like to congratulate Jennifer Carrillo for earning the opportunity to participate in the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis (HCC STL) Foundation’s Hispanic Leadership Institute.

Sponsored by the Centene Corporation, the HCC STL Foundation’s Hispanic Leadership Institute is a skills-based leadership training program. HLI will consist of nine training sessions conducted once a month which will focus on a particular skill set for the developing leader. The Institute will train this group of Hispanic professionals on for-profit and non-profit management skills and network development within the St. Louis business community. In addition to leadership training, participants will be encouraged to give back to the St. Louis region through community involvement.

One of 15 participants of Class V, Carillo currently works at St. Francis Community Services South, which strives to be a catalyst for change by helping people overcome poverty and work toward a better life. This includes, but is not limited to legal aid, refugee resettlement, homeless services, youth programs, meals for older adults, bilingual mental health counseling, case management and more. She graduated in 2015 with her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from St. Louis University.

The HCC STL Foundation will kick-off the Hispanic Leadership Institute on October 9, 2015. For more information, please visit www.hccstl.com.

ACCESS Academies is pleased to announce Terry Mehan as the newest member to our Board of Directors

Since the late 90’s Terry Mehan has advocated on behalf of students in Catholic schools. First, he served as the Associate Director at Loyola Academy teaching Spanish and offering support to the Executive Director as well as counseling services to students. He then moved to Christian Brothers College High School as the Director of Development to spearhead fundraising efforts.

In 2006, Mehan joined ACCESS Academies as the Director of Development to expand fundraising efforts, including new donor cultivation, and coordinate the annual Scholarship Dinner. He served until 2011 before returning to the schools and joining St. Cecilia School and Academy. There he has found a passion providing counseling and support for Academy graduates and their families as the Associate Graduate Support Director.

Maureen DePriest has been a Catholic educator for more than 20 years. After leaving the classroom, she’s served as principal of Notre Dame Catholic School before becoming the founding principal of St. Frances Cabrini. Later, she served as the Director of Mission Schools and Special Projects with the
Archdiocesan Catholic Education Office.

After many years of proven academic excellence, it is with great excitement that we announce Maureen DePriest has been promoted to Associate Superintendent for Elementary School Administration, following in the footsteps of Alan “Al” Winkelmann, whose retirement was announced earlier this year.

In addition to taking on this new leadership role, Maureen DePriest has accepted a position on the ACCESS Academies Board of Directors.

Other organizations DePriest actively supports include the Today and Tomorrow Educational Foundation and the Principal Institute.

Previously, DePriest has been a convention speaker for the National Catholic Education Association. She’s also been a member of the Mayor’s Task Force on Education, St. Louis University Catholic Leadership Advisory Committee, Vincentian Partners Against Poverty Board, Youth Initiative Committee and the English Tutoring Project.

(Featured photo courtesy of Ladue News, Sarah Conard, Photographer.)

(Feature photo reprinted with permission from Ladue News.)

Al Winkelmann, Associate Superintendent for Elementary School Administration for the Archdiocese of St. Louis and active member of the ACCESS Academies Board of Directors, has retired after 30+ combined years of service to our community.

“Al is a role model for living your faith. By using the teachings of the Catholic church, he has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of education in our faith-based schools while expanding services and support to students and families in need. It is no surprise that his accolades outnumber his successes, and we wish him a peaceful retirement,” said John Vatterott, Board President.

Father Christopher Collins, SJ, Assistant Professor of Theological Studies and Assistant to the President for Mission and Identity at St. Louis University, has joined the ACCESS Academies Board of Directors. He assumed the role August 1st.

“It is an honor to welcome Father Collins to our board,” said Betsy Liberatore, Executive Director of ACCESS Academies.

“His expertise in academia as well as in faith and social issues inspires and motivates us to push further into our community and broaden our efforts as an organization,” she adds.

A member of the Peace and Justice Commission, Father Collins also is working to address societal issues such as poverty, racial tension and the lack of educational opportunities from a Catholic perspective.

Previously, Father Collins served as SLU’s Director of Catholic Studies and co-coordinator of the committee that established the Billiken Teacher Corps, a program allowing graduate students to earn a master’s degree while serving as teachers in Metro area Catholic schools.

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We would also like to note that Father Collins is a published author, whose latest book, “Three Moments of the Day: Praying with the Heart of Jesus” helps form simple, yet profound prayer habits.

He will be leading a day of prayer and reflection on Saturday, Sept. 12, 9am-2pm, at the Cardinal Rigali Center, 20 Archbishop May Drive.
Cost is $20. For more information, please call (314)792-7250.

The Employees Community Fund of Boeing St. Louis Awards $10,000 Grant to ACCESS Academies

ST. LOUIS, MO. July 28, 2015 – ACCESS Academies has received a one-year, $10,000 grant from the Employees Community Fund (ECF) of Boeing St. Louis in endorsement of the Graduate Support Program, which provides counseling and resources for Academy graduates as they pursue their secondary and post-secondary educational and career aspirations.

The ECF of Boeing St. Louis is an employee-owned and -directed giving program that allows employees to support the needs of the St. Louis community via tax-deductible recurring payroll deductions or one-time gifts. Boeing pays all administrative costs for the ECF so that 100 percent of every employee dollar contributed supports the community.

“We would like to thank Boeing, and its employees, for their support,” said Betsy Liberatore, Executive Director of ACCESS Academies. “The funds will be used to provide much-needed assistance to the mission and work of our Graduate Support Directors.”

Since the establishment of ACCESS Academies in 2005, Graduate Support Directors have been partnered with Archdiocesan middle schools to provide critical academic, social, and emotional support for low-income and/or minority students and their families for the next seven years of their educational journey. This includes, but is not limited to:
• Collaborating with school-based leadership and faculty to oversee the extended school day and mandatory summer school programs through the ACCESS middle school Academy
• Working with middle school students and their families to find a college-preparatory high school that fits the student’s unique personality and learning style. This includes high school visits, application support, financial guidance, and more through the ACCESS middle school Academy
• Transitioning Academy graduates from middle school to high school. This includes, but is not limited to, consistent high school visits, tutoring, mentoring, tuition scholarships, and monitoring each student’s individual academic growth and achievement through all four years of high school
• Providing post-secondary counseling and support for Academy graduates through college tours, ACT test prep, college application and essay support, and FAFSA counseling, as well as paying for all ACT tests and college applications
Impressively, more than 600 low-income students have benefited from the Graduate Support Directors’ support and services. What’s more, during the 2014-15 school year, 98% of Academy graduates were admitted to private, college-preparatory high schools; 99% graduated on-time; and 94% were accepted to a post-secondary institution.

For more information regarding this release, please contact Julie Linder, Public Relations for ACCESS Academies, by calling (573) 268-0639.

(For a printable copy of this release, please click here)