City Garden EAEC | Among our grantees, City Garden achieved the 2nd largest improvement in 3rd grade reading proficiency in the St. Louis Region, jumping from 36% in 2022 to 52% in 2023.

Gateway Science Academy Middle School | From 2022 to 2023, GSA has been on a mission, and it’s paid off tremendously, the Middle School saw the highest improvement in 8th-grade math, increasing from 18% in 2021 to 30% in 2023. Not only is the middle school showing what’s possible in math, additionally, at the Smiley campus, math proficiency for Black students skyrocketed from 8% in 2022 to 26% in 2023—the highest improvement in St. Louis. 8th-grade math proficiency is a crucial milestone indicating future success in high school and beyond.

Pershing Elementary | School District of University City | As measured by 2023 state assessment, Pershing reported two years of consistent growth in both math and reading and their students grew in the 90th percentile for both subject areas.

Pershing Elementary | School District of University City | Pershing Elementary led by Ms. Deitra Colquitt has implemented key strategies over the past four years under their “Learning Reimagined” strategic plan, ultimately resulting in the team achieving a math growth score in the top 10% in the state, as measured by the 2023 state assessment.

KIPP Inspire | KIPP Inspire showed the most growth in establishing vital teacher-student relationships, with a 5 percentage point improvement on the Panorama measure. This strong culture also led to academic success, with KIPP Inspire achieving growth in the 90th percentile for both ELA and Math in 2023 and being among the top 10 in the region for improving math proficiency rates.

Jackson Park Elementary | School District of University City | Led by Principal Jim Triplett, Jackson Park surveyed over 100 students, with 72% responded favorably for teacher-student relationships, 82% for rigorous expectations (an 8% point increase this year) – even during a leadership transition year!

Kairos High School | TNTP surveys teachers about topics ranging from compensation, DEI, observation and feedback, family and community engagement, and other factors shown to correlate with greater student growth and higher teacher retention. Kairos High School improved roughly 4 percentage points on their survey responses in just one year!

St. Louis Voices Academy of Media Arts | Voices staff reported a strong staff culture in their first year which is further reflected in their tremendous growth with students in reading and math skills. We look forward to their continued progress toward proficiency through a strong staff culture!

North Side Community School | This year, North Side Community Center staff were able to help more than 63% of their students achieve Kindergarten readiness between the Fall and Spring! Their program is a model in our city of implementing a strong curriculum from Appletree – focusing on both social emotional learning and academics with our youngest learners.

Rachelle Gabriel | Rachelle Gabriel has been involved with Activate STL for the past year, participating in 2 cohort programs and emerging as a leader among parent advocates. She is fierce, direct, and knowledgeable when meeting with legislators, and her presence is always felt and remembered. She was a lead advocate for Senate Bill 727 – the largest education reform bill in recent history – and has recently accepted a role as the newest board member for Activate STL.

Brianna Roseman | Ms. Roseman has five children in St. Louis Public Schools and has been a parent advocate through the Bridge 2 Hope Parent Education Fellowship. Brianna consistently goes above and beyond what is asked of her, she does her research, and always looks to learn more and share her knowledge. She remains strong, even when “life gets to lifing” and never gives up. We are beyond excited to honor Ms. Roseman as an exemplar of parent leadership and a powerful transformational advocate for her children and our community!

Matthew Norton | Maplewood Richmond Heights High School | Matthew is a senior at Maplewood-Richmond Heights high school who has shown tremendous courage and tenacity. Matthew’s teacher, Mr. Travis Williams, reflected on Matthew’s journey adding, “Matthew has not just been a good student, he’s also been able to display a strong and caring character which I think goes far beyond. Matthew has grown immensely and continues to take on and face new challenges. Through all of them, he shows grit and a willingness to step outside of his comfort zone.”

Kyra Pendleton | Kairos High School | The Next Prep program helps students to begin their career exploration early in pursuit of certifications, college degrees, and ultimately, higher wages. Next Prep Director Riley Foster says Kyra, a rising Junior, “has taken advantage of every opportunity and is always prepared and enthusiastic. She is proactive in creating the future that she wants, and has worked hard to master the professional skills taught in Next Prep. Kyra exemplifies intentionality, determination, and excellence.”