ACCESS Academies, a not-for-profit that ensures disadvantaged students in the St. Louis area have access to a top-quality, character-based education, has named Tom Mackowiak the Executive Director. Mackowiak succeeds Betsy Liberatore, Interim Executive Director, who stepped down at the end of July.

“Tom has served on the ACCESS Academies Board of Directors since 2013 and as the Vice President of the Board for over a year. During that time, he has shown a deep passion for our mission and students, and we readily accepted his resignation from the Board so his extraordinary leadership could transition from a part-time advisory role to a full-time operational role,” said Marian “Bo” Mehan, Board Chair.

Mackowiak, who recently retired from Enterprise Holdings Inc., spent over 29 years in a variety of management positions, most recently as the Assistant Vice-President – Business Management, Truck Rental Division. He received a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Illinois.

“ACCESS has a rich and successful history of helping disadvantaged youth, and I look forward to finding opportunities to continue and expand our efforts serving more students in need,” said Mackowiak.

Since 2005, ACCESS has partnered with middle schools serving high-poverty populations to open Academies promoting a robust curriculum, homework assistance, service projects, and enrichment through extended school day and school year programming. ACCESS also provides a school-based Graduate Support Director who works directly with students and their families all seven years of their educational journey, from middle school, through high school, and into college. Services include mentoring, advocacy, counseling, and more. Academies are currently located in Most Holy Trinity School & Academy; St. Cecilia School & Academy; and St. Louis Catholic Academy. ACCESS is also laying the groundwork to open a new Academy at Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School in East St. Louis next year.

To date, ACCESS has served more than 500 disadvantaged students in the St. Louis region. Ninety-eight percent of its graduates have been accepted to private, college-prep high schools; 99 percent graduate on-time; and 95 percent are accepted to college.

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

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My name is Kyra Harris, and I am a 2011 graduate of Most Holy Trinity School and Academy, a 2015 graduate of Rosati-Kain High School, and a future 2019 graduate of Avila University.
There are people who doubt the power of inner-city schools, and the minority students who attend those schools, but with the help of ACCESS Academies, those people are proven wrong. Most Holy Trinity has been a part of my life since I was 7 years old. There I learned how to play the violin, ballroom dance, speak French, and built a strong academic foundation that has gotten me this far.
During my 8th grade year, my teachers and graduate support director asked us where do we want to go to high school and why? I told them Rosati-Kain was my first choice because I wanted to go to a good high school so I could get into a good college. With the support of my family, Holy Trinity, and ACCESS Academies, I was accepted to my first-choice high school.
At Rosati, I played the violin all four years for the school’s Performing Ensemble, a skill I learned in the 2nd grade at Most Holy Trinity. During my time at Rosati, Mr. Nick, the graduate support director from Most Holy Trinity, would come and visit me to make sure my grades weren’t slipping. One time I had a C in one of my classes and he gave me that look and said, “I see you have a C here” and all I could do was look at him and go “yeahhhhhh” (lol). But he told me that if I was having trouble with the class he could help me find tutors and resources. I think it’s pretty cool that he made sure I was doing my best in school. It’s a beautiful thing that ACCESS Academies helps get students through some of the best Catholic high schools in St. Louis.
After I was accepted to college, Mr. Nick asked me if I had the things I needed to start the semester. Through his support, and ACCESS Academies, I was able to purchase some of my books for school. And don’t let anyone fool you, books are VERY expensive (lol)! But even now, Mr. Nick calls me and asks me how school is going and if I need anything. When I told him I was having a little trouble with my tuition, and needed help, he offered me a spot with ACCESS’s work-study program.
I’ve been a part of the work study program for about a year now. Last summer, I worked at Holy Trinity’s summer school for the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. It was so cool to see some of the kids who had gone there while I was going there. Each work-study participant had a different responsibility. Mine was to oversee the reading portion of the kids’ day and to make sure the work study participants signed in and out. I also worked at Holy Trinity over my Christmas break while I was home from school. One of the best parts of going back to MHT is being able to see all the people and families I’ve known from when I went there and watch my school grow and flourish.
God-willing, in 2019 I will graduate with my Bachelors in the Science of Nursing. I chose nursing as my major because I believe it has a lot to do with medicine and health and more to do with how you make someone feel in their time of need. I’m kind of a people pleaser—I like to see people happy and I hope I can engage this part of my personality into my career.
I think I am a pretty driven person but my mom has definitely given me the extra push and occasionally the shoulder to cry on when needed. I wouldn’t have gotten this far without her and she has definitely inspired my career goals. There isn’t a day when she has told me I couldn’t reach my goals and be what I wanted to be.
After I get my BSN, my plan is to work at a hospital in the emergency room, labor and delivery unit, or the neonatal intensive care unit. In the near future, I plan to get my Doctorate of Nursing Practice. I hope that within my career I can help bridge some of the gaps between nurses and physicians while giving my patients the best care I know how to, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I also want all the little girls and boys that walk the halls of Most Holy Trinity to know that they have the power within themselves to be whatever they want.
Through the support of people like you, I have been able to accomplish so much and I plan on accomplishing much more. So, with my sincerest gratitude, I would like to thank God, my family, Most Holy Trinity, and ACCESS Academies for helping me through my journey and continuing to support me. Thank you all.

Below is a brief excerpt from Jenny Carrillo’s speech from the 9th annual ACCESS Academies Scholarship Dinner.

“My name is Jenny Carrillo, I am 24 years old, I have my MBA, and work for a Fortune 500 company.

I attended St. Cecilia School & Academy from Kindergarten through eighth grade. After, I was encouraged by my family and graduate support director to attend Nerinx Hall. I was thankful for my time at Nerinx because they were incredibly supportive of me and my family. I remember Ms. DeLany signing me in late every morning because I had to drop off my five siblings before school. I also remember my college counselor pushing me to take the next step in my journey.
You see, sometimes as you go through life you find yourself at a crossroad and needing help. After my junior year, I was at my crossroad. My mother was ill and, as the oldest, my family depended on me. I couldn’t fathom going to college and leaving them with no support. However, my high school counselor kept encouraging me to apply- even going as far as to give me applications for nearby colleges and universities. I was accepted to all, but chose St. Louis University.

At St. Louis University I met Marie Kenyon, who I refer to my personal cheerleader. She has always been a source of encouragement and support, and helped the flame inside of me grow brighter than I thought possible. I worked for Marie in the Catholic Legal Assistance Ministry as a translator. During my senior year, I travelled to Panama for a cultural immersion program, thus completing the final academic requirement for my Bachelor’s Degree in International Business. As the daughter of immigrants, I was the first in my family to go to college.

After graduating I went to work for St. Francis Community Services on the south side providing financial interventions and education before going on to earn my Master’s in Business Administration from Fontbonne University. I remember my sisters asking me “How many more graduations are you going to have, Jenny?!” (Photo pops up on big screen) That made me feel very proud, and I am excited to say that I am not done yet.

Currently, I work for New York Life doing what I love, which is to help others, but also to learn. Every day, every new person, teaches me something new, gives me more tools. As I look to the future, I am excited because I know my future is limitless because I have my education and a community of supporters backing me up. Thank you.”

Below is a brief excerpt from Aaron Tucker’s speech from the 9th annual ACCESS Academies Scholarship Dinner.

“My name is Aaron Tucker. I recently graduated from Bishop DuBourg High School, Class of 2017!

In high school, I was very involved with not only my academics but my extracurricular activities as well. Over the course of high school, I was involved in the Academy of Advanced Studies, National Honors Society, Student Ambassadors, Student Council, Robotics, Pro-Life Club, Theater, Liturgical Music, Choir, Math Club, Scholar Bowl, Video Gamers, and Anime Club.

I knew that even before I got to high school, I wanted to really be involved because I truly wanted to make my high school years memorable, and I believe that I achieved my goal. Well, I think that is enough for introductions because tonight is about raising money for this wonderful organization known as Access Academies. However, before we do that, I was asked to share a little bit about my experience with Access Academies. It has been a long and amazing journey, so bear with me.

I have been a part of Access Academies since my 8th-grade year at Saint Louis the King, formerly known as Cathedral Basilica. My 8th-grade year, they decided to implement this new program called NativityMiguel, and it was then that Access Academies would eventually become an integral part of who I am today. I remember it so vividly because when I cannot tell you how mad I was that my mother made me do this program. As soon as I was told that I had to stay at school until 5:00 P.M. every single school day except Friday, I became exhausted just thinking of such a reality. But alas, soon, it was my reality. However, I hate to be cliché, but this truly became a case of the saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover”, because the program surpassed my expectations by far. The program consisted of two main parts. The first was an hour long study period. I am not one that usually struggles academically unless it is Calculus- which did not kick in for another four years thank God, but it became really helpful when I just wanted to finish up homework so I can go home and work on programming or something. The second component of the program consisted of various activities and challenges that would ultimately help us in the long run. Some of these activities included resumé writing, making a portfolio, creating and presenting presentations, searching things like high schools and colleges that we took an interest in, and many other things as well. When it came time to conclude my 8th-grade year, I realized just how much Access Academies had done for me.

It did not stop there. Even in high school, Access Academies was still a huge part of my life. My family struggles financially, but through generous donors like yourselves and others like alumni from DB and from Mike McMillan and the Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis, they made sure that I was able to make it towards my senior year and graduate, which I don’t take for granted because I know that not everyone can say that, so I truly recognize this as a blessing. With that being said, I would just again like to say thank you for all of your continuous support to programs like Access Academies, because it truly does make a difference, and I hope that my being here is a symbol for that.

Another great thing about Access Academies is the different opportunities that the organization offered me through different ways to connect with people and really get some networking done, which everyone knows can take you a long way just by simply having connections. Through Access Academies and my school, I heard about this other program that I am also a part of now. I don’t know if you have ever heard of it, but it is called the Saint Louis Internship Program. As the name suggests, this program offers internships over the summer to underprivileged students in the Saint Louis area. I have been a part of this program since my sophomore year of high school. Since then, I had been a Corporate IT Intern with Emerson Electric, but now I will be going over to Saint Luke’s hospital and will be interning with their Computer System’s team. Many of the skills that Access Academies taught me such as presentation skills, resumé writing, leadership, adaptability, computer literacy, etc., I could apply those to not only my academic life, but in the workplace as well, so Access Academies has had integral part in my life and continues to be, even beyond its own borders.

Now, there is one specific person that I believe has had the biggest and most monumental influence on the young man that I am today, that would be my Graduate Support, Ms. Joslyn Sandford, perhaps the greatest thing that Access Academies could have ever given me. This woman has stuck by not only my side, but all of my fellow peers from Saint Louis the King, ever since my 8th-grade year. Everyone has someone in their life that keeps them together, no matter how hard they have to knock some sense into you along the way. I have always looked forward to seeing Ms. Joslyn when she would come to visit and check on my progress at DuBourg. Most of the time, I had no problems so we would inevitably just end up sitting and talking until I had to return to class. From the bottom of my heart, I love you Ms. Joslyn, and I have no idea what I will do next year in college when I have no one to knock some sense into me, but I know that as long as I know you have faith in me, I will be just fine.

In conclusion, I simply want to leave you with a quote from author H Jackson Brown Jr that says, “Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity”. I like this quote because I feel that everyone can relate to it.
Because of the education I have received through Access and Bishop DuBourg High School, I have applied and been accepted to 49 colleges, 39 of which gave me extensive and prestigious scholarships, and as a result, I have around $2.9 million dollars in college scholarships. I had offers and scholarships from schools like Truman State, SLU, Loyola University (New Orleans and Chicago), Rockhurst, Tulane, University of Dayton, Xavier University (both Cincinnati and New Orleans), and countless more.

Finally, I eventually made a decision, as I will be attending Missouri University of Science and Technology, or Rolla, or S&T for short. Imagine making that decision and having to tell 48 colleges that you won’t be attending their school. Not fun whatsoever. At Missouri S&T, I plan to double major in Computer Science and Computer Engineering with a minor in business.

As a first-generation college student, I have set high, but achievable, goals for myself, and to be a role model for my two younger brothers as well. I want them to know that if they truly put their best effort towards something, then not only will they succeed, but they will thrive. With that education and eagerness, I hope to become a computer applications developer, and ultimately, become a pioneer and entrepreneur in the technological field.

Life is full of choices and opportunities, and everyone struggles with worrying about whether or not they make the right decisions. However, I can tell you all tonight that the decision that you made to invest in Access Academies and these young students was the right decision. These are students who have taken advantage of the opportunity that you have and will create for them. I know that when the time comes, they will be exactly where you are right now, carving the way for the future generations of leaders, politicians, scientists, mathematicians, writers, programmers, entrepreneurs, who will inevitably create a better tomorrow. Thank you.”

Below is a brief excerpt from Gaby Amezcua speech from the 9th annual ACCESS Academies Scholarship Dinner.

“I am Mexican / American, a proud daughter of two immigrant parents. Who came to the United States to provide a better future for themselves and their family. I know firsthand how hard my parents worked to get where they are now and the sacrifices they made like working two to three jobs in order for me to go to a private high school. 

I attended Saint Cecilia School and Parish. Not only did Saint Cecilia accept my family with open arms, the community became part of our family. They have amazing programs that help students with studying, extracurricular like robotics and mosaics, folkloric dancing. As well as having resources like helping to fill out FAFSA, educating families about the importance of college saving, and helping the students with study halls throughout high school and providing work study.

A majority of these students that are part of Access Academy are first-generation students whether that be high school or college. I remember being in these kids shoes. I was in this very same room 6 years ago, hoping that I would be able to attend the high school of my dreams. I’ve worked this event for the last five years and now I am here given the honor to speak tonight.

Being a first-generation student myself, I know the struggles that many of these kids face. Having to learn as you go and then having to explain it your family, even when you don’t think you fully understand it yet. Feeling like you don’t fit in, worried about the financial aspect when it comes to applying to the high school of your choice. Wondering if you’re even good enough to attend the school, and realizing that you’re going to need help. You can’t do this by yourself. Access Academies has academy directors that help students know that they have a storing support system backing them up. That they are not alone. People like Mrs. Klosterman, who helps, works during school and out of school. Worrying about us as if we were her own children. Wanting nothing but the best for us.

There will be obstacles and challenges. I remember my eighth-grade year a family member telling me that I would most likely become nothing. I would just be wasting my time and money going to private school. I would be another number on the list. That I would most likely drop out of school and start a family as a young mom. Even in high school having a teacher telling me I was not smart enough to attend the college of my dreams.

I was accepted to Notre Dame High school and graduated with a 3.5 G.P.A. I was accepted to all 8 colleges I applied to, getting the best financial aid packets in my entire eighth-grade class. I’m now attending Webster University studying Pre-Dentistry and Spanish on a full scholarship. Although I just finished my first year of college I am considered a junior with all of the extra credits I’ve taken. I’ll be applying to Dentistry School with a specialization of Orthodontist, next summer at UMKC. I’ve proved these people wrong and I will continue to prove people wrong by breaking these stereotypes and barriers that these kids can walk the same path as I and many others have.”

 

 

 

THANK YOU for supporting the 9th Annual ACCESS Academies Scholarship Dinner! Because of you, over 170 ACCESS students are attending private, college-preparatory high schools across the St. Louis region and receiving services through our Graduate Support Program, and over 230 NativityMiguel students from De La Salle Middle School, Marian Middle School, Loyola Academy, and our three Academies are receiving significant high school tuition scholarships.

For those who were unable to attend, you can still DONATE NOW.  For additional questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

2017 Recap

“Goal: Success – ACCESS Academies” by Alexa Beattie, Town & Style Magazine!

Click for Party Pics: 9th Annual ACCESS Academies Scholarship Dinner by Greg Holden

Town & Style Snapped! Party Coverage for the 9th Annual ACCESS Academies Scholarship Dinner

Ladue News Society Gatherings Coverage for the 9th Annual ACCESS Academies Scholarship Dinner

The 2017 ACCESS Academies Highlight Video (Produced by Dan Duffy Productions)