ACCESS Academies Welcomes New Graduate Support Specialist at Most Holy Trinity School & Academy

ACCESS Academies would like to welcome Nicholas McDowell as the Graduate Support Specialist for Most Holy Trinity School and Academy. He will serve students in grades 6-12.

Through the NativityMiguel Model of Education program, McDowell will play a critical role in the extended school day program at the middle school level. He will also provide tutoring, mentoring, tuition assistance, counseling and other forms of assistance to graduates through their high school years.

“Advocating for students and their families has been a passion of mine throughout my professional career. I didn’t have someone looking out for me while I was in school, and it was challenging. I wanted to go to college, but didn’t know how to get there,” he said.

Professionally, McDowell has worked for non-profits for the past ten years. Most recently, he worked as an after school director for Provident Counseling to improve the mental and behavioral health of school-aged children in urban settings. A former semi-professional football player for Gateway Soul and the St. Louis Saints, he also coached youth-aged sports, which gave him the opportunity to build relationships with kids while setting boundaries and earning respect as a mentor.

“Nick has served as a substitute teacher and volunteer over the past year at Most Holy Trinity. In that time, he has built a great relationship with the students and their families. They respect him, but more importantly, they trust he will advocate for their children,” said Jessica Kilmade, principal.

McDowell began work officially June 2 with the kickoff of the extended school year program, but hit the ground running before that date by cheering 8^th graders at their graduation ceremony before taking them to Six Flags. He also has called, mailed letters, and made personal introductions to the high school students. He currently is assisting with building renovations at Most Holy Trinity while simultaneously working the extended school year program and the week-long Summer Scholars program at St. Louis University.

For more information regarding this release, please contact Julie Linder, Communications Director of ACCESS Academies, by calling (573) 2658-0639.

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St. Cecilia Educator Selected to Attend ACE Leadership Program at the University of Notre Dame

ST. LOUIS, MO. June 27, 2014- Today, Mary Carlson, an educator from St. Cecilia School and Academy will begin earning her Master of Arts in Educational Leadership through the Alliance for Catholic Education’s Remick Leadership Program at the University of Notre Dame.

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Approximately 550 supporters attended the 2014 NativityMiguel Scholarship Dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel-St. Louis, raising over $565,000 for high tuition dollars. As part of the evening’s festivities, a video highlighting the program and the students of NativityMiguel was played. To view it, please click here. (Video produced by Dan Duffy Productions)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Month-Long Dinner Special at Cielo to Support Scholarships

“Guests of Cielo who request the ACCESS dinner special will dine on Gnocchi with Leek, Gorgonzola, and Walnut Sauce,” said Executive Chef Gian Nicola Colucci. ALL proceeds will go toward high school tuition scholarships for college-prep high schools.

New Executive Chef of Four Seasons Hotel-St. Louis Creates Exclusive Dinner Special Supporting High School Tuition Scholarships

ST. LOUIS, MO. April 30, 2014– ACCESS Academies and the Vatterott Foundation have partnered with the Four Seasons Hotel-St. Louis to support high school tuition scholarships through the NativityMiguel Scholarship Fund. As a result, Executive Chef Gian Nicola Colucci will be offering an exclusive, Italian-themed dinner special at Cielo Restaurant & Bar now through June 3rd, with the proceeds benefiting the fund.

Chef Colucci, who was born in Turin, Italy, most recently worked as Executive Chef at Resort Danieli in Venice, Italy, before joining the Four Seasons Hotel-St. Louis in April. He will be overseeing all of the hotel’s culinary operations, including its modern Italian restaurant, Cielo Restaurant & Bar. This will be the first dinner special offered by Chef Colucci as the Executive Chef of the Four Seasons Hotel- St. Louis.

“Guests of Cielo who request the NativityMiguel dinner special will dine on Gnocchi with Leek, Gorgonzola, and Walnut Sauce,” he stated.

Cielo Restaurant & Bar features Modern Italian cuisine and soars to delicious heights, thanks to fresh, simple, local ingredients. Cielo brings a commitment to local farm-to-table meat and produce. Celebrate the best of spring and summer in St. Louis – with al fresco terrace views of the Gateway Arch and Mississippi River, enhanced by attentive Four Seasons service.

The St. Louis NativityMiguel Scholarship Fund Dinner, held June 4^th at the Four Season Hotel-St. Louis, raises high school tuition dollars for more than 300 NativityMiguel graduates from Most Holy Trinity School and Academy, St. Cecilia School and Academy, and St. Louis the King School at the Cathedral, as well as three independent NativityMiguel schools – De La Salle Middle School, Loyola Academy, Marian Middle School. The Scholarship Dinner also maintains its commitment to two schools that have closed – The Academy at King of Glory Lutheran School and Central Catholic Academy. To RSVP attendance for the dinner, please contact Blake Youde, Executive Director of ACCESS Academies, by calling (314) 898-0430.

For more information regarding this release, please contact:
Jennifer Intravia, Public Relations for Lumiere Place Casino & Hotels and Four Seasons Hotel-St. Louis, (314) 324-3809.
Julie Linder, Public Relations for ACCESS Academies, (573) 268-0639.

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ACCESS to Award $552,000 in High School Tuition Scholarships to 8th Grade Students

ST. LOUIS, MO. April 24, 2014– Forty-six middle school students who are completing ACCESS Academies’ rigorous middle school curriculum program will receive over $550,000 in tuition dollars the next four years to attend 13 private, college preparatory high schools in St. Louis. These scholarships are in addition to tuition scholarships already pledged to current high school students served by ACCESS.

“All of our 8^th grade students were accepted to their high school of choice, and we are proud of the hard work and dedication shown by our students to earn academic admittance to these schools,” said Blake Youde, executive director of ACCESS Academies.

Founded in 2005, ACCESS Academies transforms the challenging middle school years into a launching pad for high school success for socially/economically disadvantaged students in faith-based schools in St. Louis by using a proven educational model, which includes 10-hour school days, mandatory summer school, and parental involvement. Nearly 600 students are currently enrolled and/or have successfully completed the program.

After completing the middle school curriculum, ACCESS students then enter the Graduate Support Program, which provides additional support at the high school level through tutoring, mentoring, tuition scholarships, and counseling. As a result, 99% of students graduate high school on time. High school students will also participate in ACT test prep courses, make college campus visits and receive assistance in completing college admissions applications. As a result, 93% are admitted to colleges and/or universities, many of whom are first-generation college students in their families.

“ACCESS makes a seven-year commitment to each student served, beginning in sixth grade, through high school graduation and college acceptance. The results speak for themselves. Our students are now enrolled at colleges and universities throughout the country,” added Youde.

The ACCESS Academies’ middle school program is found at three partner schools, including:
*Most Holy Trinity School and Academy at 1435 Mallinckrodt St.
*St. Cecilia School and Academy at 906 Eichelberger
*St. Louis the King School at the Cathedral at 4430 Maryland Ave.

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 the release, please click here.

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