The 7th Annual Scholarship Dinner sponsored by ACCESS Academies and the Vatterott Foundation will be held Wednesday, June 3, from 6:00PM-9:00PM at the Four Seasons Hotel-St. Louis.

The Scholarship Dinner will raise high school tuition dollars for more than 300 NativityMiguel graduates from Most Holy Trinity Academy, St. Cecilia Academy, and St. Louis the King 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.

Click the images below for a copy of this year’s invitation and RSVP cards.

The “Celebrate the Gift of Brilliance” Holiday Party was a great success! Approximately 150 guests filled John D. McGurk’s back patio to help raise more than $18,000 in high school tuition dollars for ACCESS students.

Two activities were key in raising donations over the course of the evening, with the first being the “High School Scholarship Fund Challenge,” which encourages guests to make a donation on behalf of their alma mater and/or their child(ren)’s current school. Alums from Christian Brothers College High School raised the most donations on behalf of their alma mater, and will have bragging rights for the next year. The second activity was the “staycation” raffle, which was awarded to Mimi Baumstark. As the winner, she receives a one night stay at the Four Seasons- Saint Louis, a spa package, and breakfast for two at Cielo.

Below is the video that was played for guests at the event. Please click the triangle play icon on the video strip below to watch it again in its entirety.

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)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NativityMiguel Scholarship Dinner Raises More than $560,000 for Tuition Assistance

ST. LOUIS, MO. June 10, 2013 – Approximately 500 donors attended the NativityMiguel Scholarship Dinner on June 5^th to support more than 300 middle school graduates attending college-preparatory high schools in St. Louis. The dinner was a remarkable success, raising over $560,000 in tuition assistance, an increase of more than $103,000 from the previous year.

“The program speaks for itself,” said Blake Youde, Executive Director of ACCESS Academies. Across the US, 6% percent of African-American students and 4% of Hispanic students are enrolled in private/independent college-prep schools compared to 97% for our Nativity Miguel students.

The NativityMiguel Scholarship Dinner, sponsored by ACCESS Academies and the Vatterott Foundation will bridge the gap between the cost of private, college-prep high schools and the tuition available from each student’s family, the financial aid provided by the 27 participating high schools, and the high school scholarships provided to each student from one of the 8 NativityMiguel schools in St. Louis.

Brandon Ramsey, a NativityMiguel graduate, charmed dinner guests as he spoke about the bright future facing him as a high school graduate:
As I look toward the future, I know that the education I have received will prepare me for the challenges of college, and I am happy to announce that in February I received my college acceptance letter to the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where I plan to study Dentistry. I want to become a dentist because of three reasons:
The first reason is because of a personal finance course I took my sophomore year. In this class I learned that Dentists make a solid income and will be an in-demand profession over the next 5 to 10 years.
The second reason is because there are very few African-American dentists.
The third and final reason is because I have braces and love going to the dentist.

Eighty-three percent (83%) of St. Louis NativityMiguel students are admitted to college. An impressive figure compared to the educational attainment of People 25 years and over within the City of St. Louis/St. Louis County as of 2011 (U.S. Census):

• Less than 9^th grade: 5.6% / 2.7%
• 9^th to 12^th grade, no diploma: 12.6% / 5.8%
• High school diploma or equivalency: 26.4% / 23.2%
• Some college, no degree: 21.7% / 21.9%
• Associate’s degree: 6.0% / 7.1%
• Bachelor’s degree: 15.9% / 23.5%
• Graduate or professional degree: 11.9% / 15.8%

The St. Louis NativityMiguel model of education offers neighborhood enrollment and features a rigorous middle school academic program to prepare students for success in college-prep high schools. The model includes a 10-hour school day, a 10-1/2-month school year, fundamental parental involvement and a demanding curriculum.

To view the video featured at the 5^th Annual NativityMiguel Scholarship Dinner, highlighting two student success stories, please click here.  For more information about the St. Louis NativityMiguel model of education, please contact Julie Linder, Public Relations for ACCESS Academies, by calling (573) 268-0639.

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Fourth Annual St. Louis NativityMiguel Scholarship Fund Dinner Raises More Than $400,000 to Support More Than 300 Underprivileged Students

Fundraiser Honors Archbishop Robert J. Carlson and 100-plus 2012 Graduates

ST. LOUIS – More than 300 underprivileged St. Louis city students are receiving private high school tuition support thanks to the generosity of donors at the St. Louis NativityMiguel Scholarship Fund Dinner.  The June 6, 2012 event celebrated the more than 100 middle school students who graduated from NativityMiguel schools in 2012; raised more than $400,000 in high school tuition assistance to support graduates of all seven NativityMiguel schools; and honored Archbishop Robert J. Carlson for his efforts to improve Catholic education. More than 96 percent of NativityMiguel graduates attend college-prep high schools.

“NativityMiguel’s foundation of faith, disciplined study habits, parental engagement, and scholarship support have combined to allow its graduates to fully develop their God-given talents,” said Archbishop Carlson.  He also noted that the Nativity Miguel Scholarships provide an opportunity for students to experience a faith-based school that advances the Church’s mission of social justice through academic excellence.

Nearing the end of his third year as head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis, Archbishop Carlson has been a strong supporter of Catholic education, emphasizing the need to make quality education available for all students, regardless of religious affiliation. He has launched a new effort – the Mission Advancement Initiative – to improve Catholic schools, ensuring performance and stability. He was honored for his work on behalf of students from low-income families.

The event was a collaboration of ACCESS Academies, which supports three NativityMiguel schools – St. Louis the King School at the Cathedral, Most Holy Trinity Academy and St. Cecilia Academy – plus three independent NativityMiguel schools – De La Salle Middle School, Loyola Academy and Marian Middle School, along with 21 area college-prep high schools. The fundraiser also benefits graduates of the Academy at King of Glory Lutheran School, which closed in 2011 but still has graduates in high school.

“We are grateful to our donors,” said Tom Nolan, executive director of ACCESS Academies.  “With the cost of private, high school education increasing an estimated 4.5 percent this year, the need for tuition assistance is essential if students are to realize their full potential in one of our many fine college prep high schools.”

The NativityMiguel education model features a rigorous middle school academic program to prepare students for success in college-prep high schools. The model includes a 10-hour school day, a 10-1/2-month school year, mandatory parental involvement and a demanding

Funds raised at the event will bridge the gap between the cost of private, college-prep high schools and the tuition available from each student’s family, the financial aid provided by the 21 participating high schools, and the high school scholarships provided to each student by his or her NativityMiguel

St. Louis college-prep schools currently with NativityMiguel graduates are: