St. LouiS AmericAn FoundAtion the
39th AnnuAL
Salute to
Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala SAturdAy, october 17th St. LouiS union StAtion hoteL
Dr. Paula Knight
Tamiko Armstead Lifetime Achievement Award
Richard ‘Rich’ McClure Champion In Education Award
Stellar Performer Award
Dr. Demetrius Adams
Dr. Samantha March
Carmen Meeks
Dr. Earleen Patterson
Dr. Cierra Wourman
Excellence In Education Award
Excellence In Education Award
Excellence In Education Award
Excellence In Education Award
Excellence In Education Award
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St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
October 15 – 21, 2026
39 years of opening doors For nearly four decades, The St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education has brought our community together to celebrate outstanding educators, leaders and partners who have made a difference in the lives of young people throughout our region. On Oct. 17, we will continue that tradition with our 39th annual celebration. In 1994, The St. Louis American Foundation was formed and received its 501(c)(3) status. We sharpened our focus on enhancing educational opportunities for deserving students while recognizing talented and dedicated educators. Over the years, our community has embraced this mission, and our partnerships with area colleges and universities have helped us provide millions of dollars in scholarships to high-achieving students with financial need. This year, I am particularly grateful to our university partners who have continued their relationships with the Foundation and, where necessary, made thoughtful pivots to maintain these important academic opportunities. As institutions across the country navigate a changing environment, their continued commitment to students and educational access is meaningful. Although some things may look different because of the current state of our country, the meaning and purpose behind
our mission stand Keith Williamson + firm. The need to St. Louis American invest in promising Foundation young people has not Scholarship, with supchanged. Neither has port committed for its our responsibility to first two years. His inrecognize the educavestment reflects not tors and community only his belief in the leaders who dedicate potential of deserving their lives to helping students but also his students reach their confidence in The full potential. We St. Louis American remain focused on Foundation and our creating opportunities, ability to connect celebrating excellence young people with and ensuring that demeaningful educationserving students have al opportunities. We access to the resources Michael R. Holmes are honored to have they need to succeed. his partnership as we We are thankful for the continued partbegin this new scholarship tradition. nership of Goldfarb School of Nursing, This event also gives us an opportuHarris-Stowe State University, Maryville nity to recognize individuals who have University, Saint Louis University, dedicated their careers to education and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the development of our youth. In the St. Louis Community College, University weeks leading up to the Salute, The St. of Missouri-St. Louis, Washington Louis American has highlighted their University and Webster University. Their stories and contributions. Their work willingness to continue working alongside reminds us that the impact of education the Foundation shows what can be accom- extends far beyond a classroom and can plished when institutions remain commitinfluence families and communities for ted to students and to our community. generations. We are also grateful to the Centene I am also grateful to this year’s Dinner Charitable Foundation and Keith Committee for lending their names, Williamson for partnering with us on the leadership and support to this important
celebration. Their involvement reflects the broad community support that has sustained the Salute over the years. As we gather for our 39th celebration, we certainly expect everyone to enjoy an outstanding evening. But we also recognize the importance of the work behind the celebration. Circumstances may change, programs may evolve and new challenges may arise, but our commitment remains the same. We will continue working with those who believe, as we do, that talented young people deserve the opportunity to receive an education and become the next generation of leaders in our community. I want to thank Raven Whitener, our foundation director, for her dedication and hard work in bringing this year’s event together. I also want to thank the entire staff of The St. Louis American for their continued support of the Foundation and the Salute to Excellence in Education. Finally, I want to thank you, our sponsors, partners, supporters and community. Without your continued investment, we would not be able to help so many young people as they work to improve the futures of themselves, their families and their communities. Michael R. Holmes Board Chairman St. Louis American Foundation
39th Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala Dinner Committee Adrian Bracy — Steward Family Trust Arnold Donald — Retired, Carnival Corporation Everett Johnson — Retired, Edward Jones Darryl Jones — Tri Tec Inc. Orvin Kimbrough — Midwest BankCentre
Michael McMillan — Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Emily Pitts — Retired, Edward Jones Larry Thomas — Retired, Edward Jones Cornell “Niddy” Thirdkill — Privileged Society Janet Williams — Estelle Foods Inc.
October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
Excellence In Education Awardees
Tamiko Armstead
Dr. Demetrius Adams
Dr. Paula Knight
JR Howell
Dr. Samantha March
Carmen Meeks
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Rich McClure
Earleen Patterson Ph.D
Dr. Cierra Wourman
Salute to Excellence begins exciting new chapter By Raven Whitener For 39 years, the St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education has celebrated outstanding educators while expanding educational opportunities for deserving students throughout the St. Louis region. Through longstanding partnerships
with area colleges and universities, the foundation has helped provide millions of dollars in scholarships to high-achieving students, including many who are the first in their families to pursue higher education. Those partnerships remain at the heart of the Salute and its commitment to investing in the next generation.
This year, the Salute begins an exciting new chapter as the celebration moves to the St. Louis Union Station Hotel for the first time in more than 30 years. The setting may be different, but the mission remains unchanged: recognizing excellence, creating educational opportunities and honoring those whose leadership and dedication make a lasting difference in
the lives of students. The 2026 honorees are Tamiko Armstead, Lifetime Achiever; Dr. Paula Knight, Stellar Performer; Richard McClure, Champion in Education; and Dr. Demetrius Adams, Dr. Samantha March, Carmen Meeks, Earleen Patterson Ph.D and Dr. Cierra Wourman, who are receiving Excellence in Education awards.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR’S DR. DONALD M. SUGGS SCHOLARS AND AWARDEES. Webster University is proud to support The St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala.
Laila Davis
Courtney Wright
October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
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Lifetime Achiever Award in Education
Cardinal Ritter helped shape her. Now she shapes it By Sylvester Brown Jr. Tamiko Armstead, who leads her alma mater, is being honored for education excellence with the Lifetime Achievement Award. When Tamiko Armstead first heard about Cardinal Ritter College Prep, she didn’t know such a place existed. Her parents were determined to send their children to Catholic schools, but Armstead’s experience in predominantly white Catholic elementary schools left her frustrated. “It was an environment that expected me to assimilate without letting me be my true female self,” Armstead recalled. That changed after two Cardinal Ritter representatives came to “High School Night” at her elementary school to tell students about their predominantly Black Catholic high school. When Armstead came home, she told her parents, “I absolutely have to go there!” She did. And it changed her life. “It was the first time in my educational experience I felt at home. I felt like it was a place made for me,” Armstead said. Decades later, Armstead returned to the school that had given her that sense of belonging — this time to lead it. Since becoming president and CEO of Cardinal Ritter in 2014, Armstead has doubled enrollment, overseen major improvements to the school’s 17-acre campus and expanded its science, technology, arts and health and wellness programming. The school reports that its graduates have an 82% college persistence rate, compared with 73% nationally. Armstead will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award during the St. Louis American Foundation’s 39th annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala on Oct. 17 at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel. Armstead was quick to credit Cardinal Ritter’s success to the people around her. “I haven’t made it this great institution all by myself. I’m not the teacher, I’m not the principal, I’m not the coach,” Armstead said. “Those are the people who
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
Cardinal Ritter College Prep President and CEO Tamiko Armstead returned to her alma mater in 2014 determined to strengthen its academic programs. make the magic happen.” Cardinal Ritter’s longtime board chairman, Joe Conran, describes her as a leader who cares about the school’s more than 400 students as if they were her own. “She leads by example,” Conran said, crediting Armstead and the people around her with creating a culture that produces well-rounded and successful young people. What makes Armstead’s accomplishments in education even more noteworthy is that she returned to Cardinal Ritter after spending 19 years in the business world
as an executive with the St. Louis-based financial services firm Edward Jones. But Armstead acknowledges there were what she calls “divine” indicators along the way that seemed to predict where her life was headed. At age 7, Armstead, who grew up with two older brothers, asked her parents not to buy her any girl dolls for Christmas. She insisted on a boy doll, telling them, “When I grow up, I’m only going to have sons.” Today, she and her husband, William, have five boys.
Another prediction came to fruition years later at Wilberforce University, where Armstead blossomed, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science, national and international business internships and other academic accolades. In June 1994, she was crowned Miss Wilberforce. During the competition, a panel of judges asked the candidates where they saw themselves in 20 years. “I see myself running a school,” she
See ARMSTEAD, page 7
Learn deeply. Serve boldly. Lead with heart. The world needs more Saints. maryville.edu/StrategicPlan
October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
Tamiko Armstead has helped double enrollment at Cardinal Ritter College Prep since becoming its president and CEO.
Armstead Continued from page 5 told the audience. Twenty years later, to the month, she accepted the invitation to lead Cardinal Ritter. By then, Armstead had spent nearly two decades at Edward Jones and earned an MBA from Washington University. Although she had never run a school, she said her business experience prepared her for the challenge. “I knew I had to get enrollment up; do some work on our strategic plan, build our brand and I knew I had to fundraise,” Armstead recalled. She had already led large departments and spent 17 of her 19 years at Edward Jones in leadership roles. She also carried over a guiding principle
from the time she spent at the company. “Edward Jones’ motto is to ‘put the client first.’ So, I said, ‘that’s the same for us at Ritter, put the kids first.’ We put the mission first in everything we do.” Dr. Pamela Hamilton, Cardinal Ritter’s assistant principal, said that focus is evident throughout the school. “Every planning session, every meeting, everything is predicated on uplifting and celebrating our children,” Hamilton said. “When everyone else talks negatively about our children, she’s always trying to find ways to empower them.” Bob Virgil, a former dean of Washington University’s Olin School of Business and general partner at Edward Jones, credits Armstead with breathing “life and vitality” into Cardinal Ritter. “Through her leadership, she’s shown that there can be excellence in secondary education … as long as there is
commitment to excellence and to stewarding wisely and carefully limited resources,” Virgil said. That commitment includes bringing more Black men into the school. In 2022, Armstead led a strategic campaign to recruit more Black male teachers. Today, about 40% of Cardinal Ritter’s faculty and staff are Black men, compared with about 2% of teachers nationally. “We now have a Black male in every subject — science, math, social studies, arts, music, you name it — and I’m just so proud of that,” Armstead said. Her belief in the importance of Black male involvement with young people goes back to her late father, who started Organized Men Against Juvenile Crime, a nonprofit that worked with police and public schools to reduce gun-related violence. “I have been so blessed to have been surrounded by strong Black men from
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Photo by Lawrence Bryant
high school to college to even Edward Jones,” Armstead said. “I know a Black boy can get something irreplaceable from an adult Black male.” Her father’s work came “full circle” in 2021, she said, when she partnered with the Urban League to start Movement Not Moment, a student-led nonviolence initiative born after the murder of Cardinal Ritter student Isis Mahr. Last year, Armstead received the President’s Award from the National Catholic Educational Association for contributions and leadership in Catholic education. Looking back, Armstead said she had no idea that the predictions, experiences and connections in her life would lead her back to Cardinal Ritter — the school where she first felt at home — and ultimately to its leadership. “I didn’t know but God knew.”
October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
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Stellar Performer Award
Knight takes Jennings beyond classrooms By Na’Porsha Williams Jennings Superintendent Dr. Paula Knight is honored for a career defined by resilience, service and an unwavering commitment to students. When floodwaters damaged a Jennings School District building and a cyberattack targeted the district’s network, Superintendent Dr. Paula Knight had one message for her team: “I got it. We’re OK.” That steady leadership through backto-back crises is one reason Knight will receive the Stellar Performance Award during the St. Louis American Foundation’s 39th annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala. The event will be held Oct. 17 at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel. Jennings Board of Education President Miranda Walker Jones said Knight rallied her staff through both emergencies, ensuring students lost no instructional time while the district rebuilt and recovered. “She’s had to continuously rise to the occasion and rally her team to make sure that our kids didn’t lose any time away from their academics — while rebuilding a building and managing a cyberattack at the same time,” Walker Jones said. Knight said moments of adversity reveal the true measure of a leader. “No good sailor was ever formed on calm seas,” Knight told The St. Louis American. “If the seas are always calm, how do you know you’re a good sailor until those waters get really, really rough and choppy?” Since taking over the district in 2021, Knight has expanded its pre-K program to include 3-year-olds and pushed opportunities for students to earn college credits and travel internationally. “In our great state of Missouri, the state has not quite embraced universal pre-K. But I have,” Knight said. “I am not gonna let these barriers be the reason why children who look like us can’t come to school.” The emphasis on early education follows Knight throughout a career that began in a second-grade classroom and included 27 years with St. Louis Public Schools. Knight grew up in St. Louis. Her father,
Dr. James Knight, was a cardiovascular surgeon, while her mother, Donna Knight, served as a finance manager for former Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan. But Knight credits her grandfather with first encouraging her interest in education. “He got me a chalkboard, and I would play school,” Knight recalled. “And I would line up the dolls, line up my stuffed animals, put them on the floor, you know, put them in the rows. And I would just play school.” Knight graduated from Parkway Central High School and Saint Louis University before earning advanced degrees from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She began her career as a second-grade teacher at Hamilton Elementary School in SLPS. Gloria Shelton, a former SLPS administrator who mentored Knight, recalled recognizing her potential early in her career. “I used to tell her she was the youngest, oldest person I knew — full of wisdom,” Shelton said. Knight eventually became chief academic officer and deputy superintendent and spent almost a decade working closely with former Superintendent Dr. Kelvin Adams. “Dr. Knight was someone who cared deeply about kids and wanted to see what was best for them,” Adams said. “She cut to the chase and wanted to know how we could best support kids. She had high standards and did not tolerate people around her who were not focused on excellence.” Knight was appointed to the Missouri Coordinating Board for Early Childhood in 2013. While overseeing early childhood education at SLPS, she doubled enrollment from 1,100 to 2,200 students. The work comes as Jennings continues to struggle academically. Missouri’s 2025 Annual Performance Report rated the district “Approaching” in English language arts achievement and “Emerging” in math. The district fared better in several measures of student growth and met the state’s target for its four-year graduation rate. Knight also has sought to broaden students’ opportunities beyond the classroom.
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
Dr. Paula Knight has expanded educational opportunities for Jennings students, from
See KNIGHT, page 13 early childhood programs to college-level courses
Thank you for your commitment to academic excellence. We are proud to honor the Salute to Excellence in Education award recipients. Education unlocks possibilities, inspires innovation, and prepares students to lead with confidence in a changing world.
October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
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Champion in Education Award
McClure makes learning a lifelong mission By Sylvester Brown Jr. Champion in Education awardee says quality education is a moral imperative Richard “Rich” McClure has spent a lifetime learning to appreciate the value of learning — not just for young people, but for himself as well. From his childhood in Springfield, Missouri, through 20 years in public service and a long corporate career to his later work with nonprofit and educational organizations, McClure, 73, has put what he has learned to use. On Saturday, Oct. 17, McClure will receive the Champion in Education award during the St. Louis American Foundation’s 39th annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel. The throughline of McClure’s life speaks to the value of learning and utilizing newfound knowledge for the greater good. That philosophy has followed him from government through banking and his leadership of UniGroup to his current position as managing director of Spero Advisors, a strategy and governance advisory firm. During a 2015 education summit, McClure stunned the audience by shifting the conversation away from increasing college graduation rates to a more somber topic. Noting that millions of children were living in poverty, McClure said strengthening education beginning at the preschool level was more than an “economic imperative.” It was a “moral imperative, the sleeping civil rights issue of our day.” Does he still hold those feelings? “Absolutely,” McClure promptly answered. “For there to be unequal opportunities and challenges to access quality education for people because of the ZIP code they were born in or because of economic or social circumstances, making things available for some people and not others ... that to me is a moral issue.” Former St. Louis Public Schools Superintendent Kelvin R. Adams described McClure as “a trusted and confidential confidant, a thought partner, and a genuine friend for many years.”
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
Rich McClure believes access to quality education is a moral imperative, bringing that conviction to decades of public service, business leadership and community advocacy. “He has an incredible ability to see possibilities and solutions when others may only see problems,” Adams said. “At the end of the day, perhaps the most important thing I can say about my friend Rich McClure is very simple: you can trust him.” McClure grew up in Springfield in an environment, he said, that taught him about “family and faith and the values it takes to serve others.” His father was a World War II veteran who owned a small appliance shop. His mother was a high school teacher who
posted moral or principled quotes on her classroom blackboard and discussed them with students. “It was her way of transmitting values from one generation to the next as a teacher who loved her students,” McClure said. After earning degrees from Missouri State University and Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, McClure went into public service. He spent 20 years holding public policy positions, including work in the administrations of Missouri Gov. John Ashcroft and Illinois Gov. Jim Thompson.
McClure ticked off valuable lessons learned from government, including the resources needed to educate children in urban school districts. “Those dynamics are important if you want to address the racial and social dynamics of education,” he said. His desire to enter the corporate world led him to banking and later UniGroup, where he eventually became president. McClure and Sharon, his wife of
See MCCLURE, page 13
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October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
Jennings Superintendent Dr. Paula Knight greets students at Northview Elementary School, reflecting her commitment to staying connected with the children she serves.
Knight Continued from page 9 Jennings junior Zion Hite transferred from a private school after learning he could graduate with an associate degree through the district’s dual-enrollment program. “I decided to move to Jennings because they had a dual-enrollment program, and I had the ability to graduate high school with an associate’s degree before I’m even 18,” Zion said. “That was an outstanding opportunity that I wasn’t offered at my private school.” The district has 28 students enrolled in the program. Students who complete it also have the opportunity to travel abroad. Previous trips have included London and Paris, with South Africa next on the itinerary. “Yes, we are in Jennings, and our tax base may be different, but it doesn’t preclude our kids from seeing the world,” Knight
Rich McClure has carried a lifelong commitment to learning and service into his work with nonprofit and educational organizations across the St. Louis region.
McClure said. “When you go into education, it can’t be a job. It has to be a calling over a contract.” Zion said Knight’s influence goes beyond the programs she has created. “She is extremely personal and very in touch with the community and with the kids,” Zion said. “A lot of superintendents, people don’t really see them. But she’s in the school. She’s making sure she’s connected with the students.” That commitment to service extends beyond the school district. In spring 2022, Knight pledged the Gamma Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., a decision she said came at exactly the right time in her life. For Knight, however, the thread running through her career remains the classroom where it began. “I’m always going to be a teacher at heart,” Knight said. “You don’t have to chase the work, the work will find you. The positions will find you. People will find you.”
Page 13
Continued from page 11 48 years, appeared on the CBS reality show “Undercover Boss” during his time at UniGroup. He walked away with a deeper understanding of the value of employees. McClure said he also learned invaluable lessons while serving as co-chair of the Ferguson Commission, formed after 18-year-old Michael Brown was killed by Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson in 2014. “Those hours of listening to our community across our region, but particularly those in impacted areas, taught me lessons that I never would have learned in any other way,” McClure said. “One that I needed to learn was whatever breaks God’s heart needs to break my heart, too. It’s about a deep understanding of heartbreaking experiences.” His community work has included service with World Wide Technology, United Way,
St. Louis Children’s Hospital, the St. Louis Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America and Teach For America. “If there were more Rich McClures in the world, the world would be a better place,” said Steven H. Lipstein, former president and CEO of BJC HealthCare. “When Rich serves on a commission or a board of directors, he is all-in,” Lipstein said. “You literally get all of him.” A deeply religious man, McClure said he has tried to follow a biblical principle: “To whom much is given ... much is required.” “There’s a standard there that says if you’ve been blessed with positions, platforms, relationships, resources, networks, you are required to use them for human flourishing.” McClure contributed an essay on “identity and authenticity” to “The Inspired Leader: 101 Biblical Reflections for Becoming a Person of Influence.” “My foundation and my identity come from the following of
Jesus, not any position I’ve ever had,” he said. “The authenticity part is the ability to realize these positions are temporal ... they are gifts.” After his years at UniGroup, McClure and Sharon decided “it was time for ‘life three’” and the “great experiences” of the nonprofit world. McClure said he was dedicated to following Sharon’s lead as she had done for him throughout their marriage. Their goals included transmitting their values to their children and the next generation and having “kingdom impact,” which meant living their lives the “way Jesus calls us to do,” McClure said. McClure still has an appetite for learning and helping others learn. He’s still that disrupter who, more than a decade ago, reminded a crowd that quality, equal education for all children — no matter their background — is a “moral imperative.” “None of us get a pass on advocacy,” McClure told the American. “We all should be champions of education on behalf of our children.”
Southern Illinois University
As a leading producer of bachelor’s degrees in the
Edwardsville (SIUE) is proud
St. Louis region, SIUE provides a high-quality education
to support the St. Louis
that transforms the lives of individuals who seek
American Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala.
something greater. We are proud to celebrate this year’s honorees and applaud their accomplishments.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville congratulates Dr. Earleen Patterson on her recognition at the 2026 Excellence in Education Awards.
For more than three decades, Dr. Patterson has dedicated her career to expanding opportunity, championing student success and helping generations of students realize their potential. Her leadership and commitment embody the transformative power of education.
Bright tomorrows start with doing good today.
Ameren Missouri is investing in our community to light the path for future generations. Learn more at AmerenMissouri.com/community AmerenMissouri.com
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October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
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Excellence in Education Awardee
From struggling student to school leader By Na’Porsha Williams Dr. Demetrius Adams brings the high expectations that changed his life to his students Long before Dr. Demetrius Adams became the principal of Hazelwood West High School, he was a student struggling to read and wondering whether he could keep up with his classmates. Adams had an individualized education plan and said St. Louis Public Schools educators described his academic challenges as a “severe learning disability.” But after entering the voluntary desegregation program at Lindbergh High School, teachers began pushing him beyond what he thought he could do. “I found out that I’m not a slow learner,” Adams said. “I’m a learner that needed to be challenged and I needed people to believe in me and have faith in me.” Adams will be recognized as an Excellence in Education honoree during the St. Louis American Foundation’s 39th annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala on Oct. 17 at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel. A St. Louis native, Adams grew up on St. Louis Avenue, where he and his siblings were raised by his great-grandmother and great-aunt after his great-grandmother fought to gain custody of them from the foster care system. At Lindbergh, Linda Farney met Adams in her reading strategies class and remembers him as hardworking and willing to learn. “He was exactly the kind of student a teacher loves to have in their class,” Farney said. As Adams’ reading improved, Farney pushed him further. By the end of his sophomore year, she encouraged him to take more advanced classes. “He kind of became what I think every teacher hopes for,” Farney said of watching Adams’ progress. “He was as good for me as I was for him. He’s a teacher’s dream.” Looking back, Adams credits the desegregation program and the educators who challenged and believed in him with changing his life. “The deseg program saved my life,” Adams said.
He graduated from Lindbergh High School in 1993, but college presented another challenge. The University of Missouri-St. Louis was his first choice, but the university rejected him because of his low ACT score. After enrolling at Harris-Stowe State University, UMSL offered him provisional admission with specific academic requirements. Adams transferred but struggled and ultimately stepped away from college the following semester. He later improved his ACT score, returned to UMSL and earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary and early childhood education in 1999. Adams taught in St. Louis Public Schools before joining the Hazelwood School District in 2004, where he met fellow Arrowpoint Elementary teacher Anya King. When Adams told King he wanted to pursue administration, she agreed to take his first administration course with him. “I’m here to encourage him,” King recalled telling their professor. Adams continued his own education while building his career, ultimately earning a Doctor of Education degree from Missouri Baptist University in 2014. He also spent years teaching at the college level, including at St. Louis Community College’s Meramec and Florissant Valley locations and, more recently, Harris-Stowe State University. His leadership career took him to Lindbergh and Ferguson-Florissant before he returned to Hazelwood in 2018 as principal of Hazelwood Central Middle School — where King was now one of his teachers. Three years later, Adams moved to Hazelwood West High School as an assistant principal. When the principal position opened, he was encouraged to apply. “If you get this position, you are going to make history,” King said. In 2022, Adams became the first Black male principal to lead Hazelwood West, according to Adams and King. Adams measures his success by whether students are succeeding. He points to the school’s Annual Performance Report,
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
Dr. Demetrius Adams, principal of Hazelwood West High School, brings the
See ADAMS, page 26 encouragement and high expectations that shaped his own education to his students.
Bringing brighter futures to more people Along with the St. Louis American Foundation, Edward Jones salutes tonight’s honorees who are shaping the future of St. Louis. Together we share a purpose of improving lives and bettering our communities. edwardjones.com/findingfulfillment
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October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
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Excellence in Education Awardee
March expands access to early education By Sylvester Brown Jr. Excellence in Education honoree works to give children the advantages she found in Clayton Dr. Samantha March, founding associate partner of early learning with Opportunity Trust, is on a “bring-back” mission. She grew up in North St. Louis but attended schools in the posh Clayton School District through the desegregation program. March, who still lives in North St. Louis, wants children in disadvantaged communities to have the educational opportunities she encountered in Clayton. She will be recognized as an Excellence in Education honoree during the St. Louis American Foundation’s 39th annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala on Oct. 17 at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel. Julius B. Anthony, president and CEO of the Believe Projects, has known March for more than 10 years, dating to her days as a classroom teacher. “After being in her classroom for five minutes, I knew exactly what kind of teacher Samantha was,” Anthony said. “She was very creative and very attentive to her children.” March’s path to that classroom was shaped by her family and the experience of growing up in two different worlds. She and her three siblings spent weekdays with their father and weekends with their mother. Her father encouraged her to push past her doubts and fears. Her mother kept her involved in church, while an aunt and uncle worked as educational administrators for St. Louis Public Schools. “The combination of them all kind of drove me into the world of early childhood education.” In her doctoral thesis, March described living in the city while attending school in Clayton as existing in “two different galaxies.” “It was a totally different atmosphere going from my neighborhood to a predominantly white institution in the county. So, I just navigated through learning how to be myself while adapting to a new culture and standard of living.” She “navigated” elementary and high school, then accepted a full-ride
Dr. Samantha March works to expand early childhood education opportunities through Opportunity Trust. scholarship to Dillard University, a historically Black university in New Orleans. Pregnancy interrupted her studies, and she returned home to have her son. Her father, as was his habit, pushed her to get on with life. “Dad said, ‘Well, you gotta work and you want your son around you,’” March recalled. “‘So, why not get a job in childcare?’” March found a job at the University of Missouri-St. Louis that allowed her to bring her son to work while pursuing a degree in education. “I went to work from 9-to-5 Monday through Thursday, then I went to school
from 5:30-to-8:30 and I had my little baby with me.” She has never forgotten the comfort of knowing her son was safe nearby. “Everything was unknown and uncertain when I came back (home), but the one thing that was always stable for me was childcare,” March recalled. “It was a place where I could take my child, and every day he felt safe and I did, too.” March graduated cum laude from UMSL with a bachelor’s degree and certification in early childhood education. She later earned a master’s degree and doctorate in educational leadership from Maryville University.
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
She worked her way from teacher’s assistant to director of early childhood education for St. Louis Public Schools, overseeing the state’s largest public prekindergarten program. Those years helped shape her belief in learning through play and making sure children feel welcome, supported and loved. One of March’s mentors, Sheila SmithAnderson, described her as an “innovative, exquisite educator who has her finger on the pulse of early childhood education
See MARCH, page 26
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PARTNERS FOR BETTER EDUCATION: WashU’s Institute for School Partnership provides over 5,000 local teachers with coaching, professional development and a kit-based science curriculum that brings innovative, hands-on STEM education to nearly 190,000 students, pre-K through 12th grade at 50+ school districts and 60+ independent schools in the region.
October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
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Excellence in Education Awardee
Meeks carries educators’ lessons forward By Na’Porsha Williams Special School District board president says teachers who saw her potential inspired her to teach Carmen Meeks had to repeat the fourth grade, but that same year, she decided she wanted to become a teacher. “She was like, ‘I knew you were amazing. I’m not shocked by who you are today,’” Meeks recalled her fourth-grade teacher, Gwendolyn Beckwith, saying when the two reconnected during Meeks’ first year of teaching. “‘But you needed to close some gaps, and I wasn’t going to let you slip through anybody’s crack.’” Meeks, who went on to become a teacher and education leader, will be recognized as an Excellence in Education honoree during the St. Louis American Foundation’s 39th annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala on Oct. 17 at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel. Meeks said she remembers being frustrated with Beckwith for keeping her desk close, staying on her and ultimately deciding she was not ready to move on. Throughout her schooling, Meeks said she struggled because she did not always feel seen or understood. By high school, she was frequently suspended for fighting and was eventually kicked off the track team. “I just didn’t feel seen and valued,” Meeks said. As she grew older, however, Meeks realized there were educators who had seen beyond her behavior. She pointed to Beckwith, her second fourth-grade teacher, Rosalie Gale, and Hazelwood Central social studies teacher Brian White as educators who invested in her and recognized her potential. Beckwith handpicked Gale to teach Meeks when she repeated the fourth grade. It was in Gale’s classroom that Meeks said she fell in love with teaching and began tutoring younger students. White told The American that Meeks was a student who came to class with a smile and was eager to learn and contribute. He said the two often talked about her desire to one day give back through education. White said he still keeps a letter Meeks
wrote him before graduating in a keepsake box. In the letter, she told him about the impact he had on her life and how she planned to carry what she learned into her future education. “I firmly believe that she impacted other kids as a result,” White said. “It gets passed down. And that’s what it’s all about for us as educators.” Meeks entered the University of Dubuque in Iowa as an education major, but during her freshman year, she said she was discouraged from pursuing teaching and switched her major to psychology. Still, she continued taking education courses. After earning a master’s degree in higher education from the University of Northern Iowa in 2009, Meeks joined Teach For America and was placed in Kansas City, where she taught preschool and kindergarten. “I was supposed to be two and done and go to law school,” Meeks said. “It did not work out that way. That was 2009, and we still here serving the children.” After three years in Kansas City, Meeks returned to St. Louis and worked at South City Prep and the Special School District before joining Washington University’s Institute for School Partnership in 2022. She is now director of the 314 and School Leadership programs. In her role, she works with school districts to strengthen math and science instruction. Meeks worked with 61 pre-K teachers in the Hazelwood School District through professional development, coaching and lesson planning. Two years into the partnership, 80% of students completing pre-K were assessed as kindergarten-ready, up 27 percentage points from 2023. That same year, Hazelwood was recognized by the Missouri School Boards’ Association as its Early Childhood Education Program of the Year. She joined the Special School District Board of Education in 2023 and became board president in March 2025. She is the first Black woman to serve in the position. Zion Guthrie, 17, was a third grader at Northview Elementary School when
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
Carmen Meeks, president of the Special School District Board of Education, draws
See MEEKS, page 27 inspiration from her teachers in advocating for students with disabilities.
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October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
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Excellence in Education Awardee
Patterson’s work goes beyond graduation By Na’Porsha Williams Dr. Earleen Patterson credits her commitment to education and service to her mother, who had little access to education herself but instilled the drive and focus that shaped her life. “She could go to school on the days that it rained, when she didn’t have to work in the cotton fields,” Patterson said. “And so those days that it rained might be an opportunity for her to go to school.” Her mother’s formal education ended around the eighth grade, but Patterson said she understood the opportunities education could provide and was determined that her children would attend college. Patterson will be recognized as an Excellence in Education honoree during the St. Louis American Foundation’s 39th annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala on Oct. 17 at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel. For 30 years, Patterson has helped students navigate higher education at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where she serves as associate vice chancellor for student opportunities, diversity, equity and inclusion. She began her career at SIUE as an academic adviser before becoming a program director and moving into her current position in 2020. “I am as excited about this work 30 years later as I was when I first began as an academic advisor,” Patterson said. “There have been a lot of shifts in the responsibilities. There have been shifts in the titles. However, the students, the people, they don’t change, the goal, that doesn’t change, and that’s what continues to excite me.” Patterson earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Illinois State University and a doctorate in higher education administration from Saint Louis University in 2004. She said her job never gets boring because every student enters college with a different story, and she does not view them simply as numbers or data points. “Every one of these students have a story,” Patterson said. “And to be able to connect and engage with them and their story creates relationships, and relationships — I mean, that’s the soul of the
work that we do.” Ariel Combs, a former SIUE student, developed a relationship with Patterson after Patterson became her adviser through FAME, or Females of African Descent Modeling Excellence, in 2018. Combs described Patterson, whom she calls “Dr. P,” as a nurturing, charismatic and fashionable force who made students and their families feel welcome. She remembers Patterson reassuring parents about their children’s safety as they prepared to leave them on campus. “She made sure that by the time they left, they felt confident that you was going to be OK,” Combs said. Patterson would pick Combs up from her dorm at least twice a month for church and helped her develop campus relationships that led to other opportunities, including working as a Black Studies assistant. “Even now as an adult, I’m no longer there. I’m no longer a student, but she makes sure I’m OK,” Combs said. “She’s encouraging me. She’s uplifting me, making sure that I’m reaching my full potential.” Patterson said those lasting relationships are among the most rewarding parts of her career. “I am seeing the children of the children of some of my students now,” Patterson said. “It happens all the time.” SIUE Chancellor James T. Minor said Patterson’s influence stands out when he encounters graduates. “I have met countless SIUE alumni who, with gratitude, simply say to me, ‘If it were not for Dr. P. …,’” Minor said. Howard Rambsy, a distinguished research professor of literature at SIUE, has worked with Patterson for 22 years through the Boundless Scholar Experience, a program for first-year Black students. Rambsy described Patterson as a knowledgeable leader with high standards and a skill for anticipating what students and programs will need. BSE once served about 50 Black students. When university leadership decided to expand the program, Rambsy said
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Dr. Earleen Patterson has spent three decades helping students succeed at Southern
See PATTERSON, page 27 Illinois University Edwardsville.
October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
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Excellence in Education Awardee
Wourman turns life lessons into leadership By Sylvester Brown Jr. Dr. Cierra Wourman recalled a painful experience in her junior English class in Alaska when she refused to read Mark Twain’s novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, aloud in front of her classmates because of its repeated use of the N-word. Her teacher insisted she read it aloud or fail the class. Fortunately, Wourman had joined the youth group of a local NAACP chapter. She shared her dilemma with a representative who discovered the book had been removed from the school’s required reading list years earlier. The representative confronted the principal, who claimed the school was unaware of the change. The teacher withdrew the threat to fail Wourman. “It was a huge deal,” Wourman recalled. “But it taught me that sometimes you have to advocate for yourself because adults aren’t always right.” Wourman, now a college and career counselor for Confluence Preparatory Academies in St. Louis, will be recognized as an Excellence in Education honoree during the St. Louis American Foundation’s 39th annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala on Oct. 17 at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel. The lesson she learned in Alaska has stayed with her. “We have to make sure that students can always advocate for themselves,” Wourman said. “I teach my students that if you feel strongly about something, you (must) be strong and stand your ground.” Wourman credits much of her determination to her father, Johnny Wourman Jr., a military man who raised her and her older sister while their mother was largely in and out of their lives. Growing up mostly in Detroit, the sisters also accompanied their father to military bases in New Mexico, Alaska and Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County, Illinois. “My dad was very innovative when it came to his parenting style,” Wourman recalled. “We had hearty dialogues growing up and he encouraged us to speak up. He gave us that space to be effective communicators.”
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
As network college and career counselor for Confluence Academies, Dr. Cierra Wourman works to ensure students have the guidance and opportunities they need to pursue their ambitions. Her father prepared his daughters for the challenges of being among the few Black children in predominantly White environments. “Dad would always say, ‘my job is to make sure you don’t shrink yourselves around people who don’t look like you, it’s to make sure you grow up to be functional adults.’” At a remote base in Alaska, the sisters sometimes had to order hair care products by mail or rely on their grandmother
back home to send clothes and other necessities. Because of her father, Wourman said she learned to recognize, cherish and champion diversity and equity at an early age. “It has to do with having a sense of integrity … doing the right thing no matter what and speaking up for those who couldn’t speak up for themselves. Our dad raised us that way.” After high school, Wourman enrolled at Wilberforce University, a historically
Black university in Ohio, to study mass communication. She later completed her degree at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville while her father was assigned to Scott Air Force Base. Her journey into education began unexpectedly while she was attending SIUE and working at a shoe store in St. Clair Square mall.
See WOURMAN, page 29
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St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
Adams Continued from page 17
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
Once a struggling student, Dr. Demetrius Adams now helps Hazelwood West students build confidence and prepare for life beyond high school.
March Continued from page 19 and has been a champion of early education for so many years.” In 2023, March left the district to join Opportunity Trust, a St. Louis-based education nonprofit, and lead its St. Louis Pre-K Cooperative. The network connects childcare providers and schools to expand educational opportunities for children ages 3 to 5 across the region. “I left my good job with SLPS as the director of the largest preschool program in the state of Missouri for my great job now with Opportunity Trust,” March said. “Now I can impact students all over the region. I work with home daycares, child development centers, public charter schools
… I’m able to impact thousands of children.” Cortagia Collins, owner of Good Shepherd Early Learning Center, said March’s current role has broadened her reach. “Oh, my goodness! Dr. March is the most amazing advocate for early childhood providers,” Collins said. “She is such an asset to the industry, the community and the whole ecosystem of childhood education.” March said the Excellence in Education award is a milestone, not a stopping point. She remains committed to bringing the advantages she saw in Clayton back to neighborhoods like her own. “Everything I do is about making sure our kids get the best of what we normally see in affluent areas. I’m able to bring that to our disadvantaged areas. “This award says to me, ‘keep going.’”
which factors in attendance, assessments and college and career readiness, as one measure of its progress during his tenure. The school earned 77.7% of its possible APR points in 2025, according to Hazelwood School District data. “I have such high expectations for my students here because of what somebody had for me,” Adams said. Cody Crawford, a junior at Hazelwood West, has experienced those high expectations firsthand. “He’s always … making sure I’m learning right at school and just making sure I’m on top of my work,” Crawford said. “He always checks on me throughout the hallways whenever he sees me.” Crawford began his high school career at West and said he has built a good relationship with Adams, although it started out rocky. “My freshman year was kind of rough because I stayed in and out of trouble, and he didn’t like that,” Crawford said. “But that’s just being like a good role model,
October 15 – 21, 2026 someone who cared for me.” For Adams, preparing students for life beyond Hazelwood West means exposing them to multiple pathways — universities, community colleges, technical training, trades, the military and the workforce — with the goal of every student leaving with a plan. Adams will soon be eligible for retirement, but he says his work isn’t done. “I still have a lot of passion and fire in me,” Adams said. “Retirement is just an age and it’s just a number. When I am fulfilled with my entire career, then I’m going to retire.” He said receiving the Excellence in Education honor has given him an opportunity to reflect on his career and recognize the impact others have already seen in his work. “Somebody noticed it,” Adams said. “Somebody believed in me. Somebody knew what I was doing.” That belief is what Adams hopes to pass on to his students. “Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t be anything,” Adams said. “It doesn’t matter about a test score. It doesn’t matter about what people think of you.”
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Through Opportunity Trust’s St. Louis Pre-K Cooperative, Dr. Samantha March connects childcare providers and schools to expand early learning opportunities across the region.
October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
Page 27
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
Carmen Meeks, an education leader and advocate, has built her career around helping students feel seen, supported and prepared to succeed. Courtesy photo
Dr. Earleen Patterson helped expand SIUE’s Boundless Scholar Experience, connecting first-year Black students with support and opportunities to thrive.
Patterson Continued from page 23 Patterson was instrumental in making it happen. This fall, he said, the program serves 685 students. “She was the person to make it actually happen,” Rambsy said. “She’s that person back there behind the curtain making all the magic happen.” Rambsy said Patterson also led a team of advisers in coordinating schedules after Black students complained about being the only Black student in some of their classes. “They don’t know that there was a person who made it possible,” Rambsy said. “That’s how it is sometimes when people, they enjoy a kind of benefit, but [are] not really clear how that came about.”
Patterson is also a Golden member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., serving the organization for more than 50 years. She recently was appointed to the Central Region leadership team as scholarship committee chair and also serves as membership and scholarship chair in her graduate chapter. “I enjoy membership development. I enjoy bringing new people into our organization. I enjoy making sure students have funds and providing scholarships for students to continue their education,” Patterson said. “It fits again so much with who I am, what my personal goals are [and] my professional goals.” It is a commitment that traces back to the example set by her mother. “They didn’t have the opportunity, but they had the vision,” Patterson said. “They had the vision for the future.”
Meeks Continued from page 21 Meeks became her teacher. Zion said Meeks was the first teacher to expose her to leadership opportunities, encouraging her to participate in WE Schools, a program that introduced students to leadership and community service. “She felt like I could have learned a lot, and she felt like I had a lot to offer,” Zion said. “She was very encouraging all the time.” Now a senior at Jennings Senior High School, Guthrie has held leadership positions in several organizations. Her mother, Duana Guthrie, said Meeks also helped her recognize her daughter’s potential at an early age. Guthrie said Meeks encouraged Zion to enter a writing competition in third grade. Zion wrote her own speech and won. “She helped me with tapping into Zion’s ability to be a great student,”
Guthrie said. “She encouraged and pushed me to challenge her because she saw something in her at an early age.” Years later, Meeks remains in contact with the family. “She doesn’t have to keep in touch with us, and we don’t have to keep in touch with her,” Guthrie said. “That just lets me know that it’s genuine and it always has been, and she cares.” Shannon Rochon, executive director of Black Count, where Meeks serves as a board member, described her as a natural coach who can identify where people or organizations are and help move them toward their goals. “She’s a coach in every way,” Rochon said. “She just knows how to get people where they need to go.” Meeks is currently pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership, which she expects to complete in May 2027. “If we don’t find all of our students and really catch them and get them everything they need, the Carmens of the world may not get here,” Meeks said.
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Wourman Continued from page 25 Gary Trailer, a counselor with TRIO Upward Bound, noticed Wourman doing her homework in the store. He asked whether she had ever considered working for TRIO, a program that helps students prepare for college. She hadn’t. Trailer arranged an internship for her in recruitment. He kept an eye on her progress and eventually encouraged her to consider counseling. Wourman followed his advice, earning a master’s degree in counseling at Lindenwood University. She later pursued doctoral studies in educational leadership at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Her first counseling job was at Langston Middle School in St. Louis. “It was a rough school,” Wourman recalled, but “the kids
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION were amazing ... their stories were amazing.” It was there, she said, that she “really learned to lead with love.” After the school closed, Wourman moved to Central VPI, where she took on new initiatives and learned more about students’ social and emotional needs. Her work caught the attention of Confluence administrators, who hired her as a counselor. “It was a lot about being surrounded by the right people in the right spaces,” Wourman said. “It created a sense of hope for me as far as college access and making sure our kids get on those campuses.” At Confluence, Wourman has helped make dual enrollment a flagship program, allowing high school students to earn credits toward both their diplomas and college degrees. Confluence partners with institutions including HarrisStowe State University, St. Louis Community College and Ranken Technical College.
Wourman is particularly proud of the school’s “To and Through” approach, which helps students not only gain admission to college but also develop the skills and support needed to graduate. She was named Confluence’s 2022-23 Professional of the Year and received St. Louis Community College’s 2023-24 Community Partner Award for her work in community engagement. In an interview with the Telegram newspaper last year, Wourman was asked about the most worthwhile aspect of being an equity coach. “The most rewarding aspect of being an equity coach is witnessing Black and Brown scholars take ownership of their futures, whether that means securing college acceptance, exploring career opportunities, or gaining confidence in their abilities,” Wourman said. “Helping students recognize their strengths and break through systemic barriers fuels my passion for this work.”
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Dr. Cierra Wourman is dedicated to helping Confluence Academies students recognize their potential and build pathways to success beyond graduation.
The St. Louis American Foundation believes in the power of potential We invest in promising students from under-resourced communities, opening doors to education and brighter futures. In partnership with The St. Louis American, we amplify voices, tell untold stories, and inspire hope through independent, impactful journalism. The Foundation and its university partners have awarded more than $1.87 million in scholarships this year, part of an ongoing commitment that has nurtured and supported more than $21.4 million in scholarships for exceptional students since the program began.
Institution Amount Goldfarb School of Nursing Harris-Stowe State University Maryville University Southern Illinois University Edwardsville St. Louis Community College (STLCC) St. Louis University (SLU) University of Missouri - St. Louis (UMSL) Washington University in St. Louis Webster University St. Louis American Foundation
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October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
Page 31
2026 Donald M. Suggs Scholars Goldfarb School of Nursing
Samrana Begum Samrana Begum, of St. Louis, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing at Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing, with an expected graduation date of Aug. 10, 2027. She chose nursing to help patients during critical moments and was drawn to Goldfarb’s clinical training and academic support. Begum hopes to provide compassionate, research-based care while expanding her knowledge of acute care. She considers persistence, adaptability and empathy essential to her work with patients. The Dr. Donald M. Suggs Nursing Scholarship has allowed her to concentrate on her education and prepare for a career in patient-centered care. Harris-Stowe State University
Leah Clark Leah Clark, a native of Prince George’s County, Maryland, is a junior at Harris-Stowe State University majoring in urban affairs with a concentration in public administration. A Presidential Scholar, Honors College student, Thelma V. Cook Scholar and 2026 Thurgood Marshall College Fund DevCon Scholar, she has received the Provost Honor Award three consecutive years. Clark has served as Student Government Association vice president, Honors College liaison and events coordinator for Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority’s Alpha Delta Chapter. She hopes to pursue a career in public administration, developing policies and community programs addressing homelessness, housing insecurity and access to essential services. Maryville University
Marrione Barnes
Marrione Barnes is a first-year student at Maryville University, majoring in biology on a pre-medical track. A member of the Class of 2030, Barnes participates in
track and field and is involved with the Association of Black Collegians Street Team. Combining a passion for athletics with a desire to help others, Barnes hopes to become an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine. Barnes also aspires to serve as an Army surgeon, helping athletes and others recover from injuries, improve their health and reach their full potential.
Kendrick Cunningham Kendrick Cunningham is a freshman at Maryville University pursuing a dual-degree program in mechanical engineering. His interests include designing weapons systems, developing futuristic technologies and exploring innovative engineering concepts. Outside his academic studies, Cunningham enjoys playing music, learning new skills and studying space and astronomy. His curiosity about how things work and his interest in technological innovation are helping shape his educational pursuits. St. Louis Community College
Katie Hernandez Katie Hernandez is pursuing a degree in dental hygiene at St. Louis Community College. Although the program has challenged her academically and personally, the experience has strengthened her determination to become a skilled and compassionate dental hygienist. Hernandez hopes to provide quality patient care while educating community members about oral health and helping people overcome barriers to dental services. She also wants to build trusting relationships with patients and help them feel more confident about their oral and overall health. Scholarship support has eased the financial burden of her education and brought her closer to achieving her professional goals.
Erica White Erica White is a surgical technology student who expects to graduate in May 2027. She maintains a 3.2 GPA and brings more than 10 years of hospital and medical experience to her training. A single mother navigating a recent separation, White balances her education with managing a household and raising her daughter. She is determined to complete her degree and build a stable future for her family. Her career goal is to specialize in cardiac and vascular surgery, using her clinical training and professional experience to develop advanced surgical skills and contribute to patient care in the operating room.
Olivia Whittaker Olivia Whittaker, 19, is a sophomore at St. Louis Community College pursuing an associate degree in general transfer studies. Her coursework spans science, technology, engineering, mathematics and the humanities, allowing her to explore interests in science and the social sciences. She is particularly interested in human anatomy, physiology and behavior, including how people interact in social settings. Whittaker plans to become a licensed physical therapist, with a particular interest in helping stroke survivors recover mobility and independence. She hopes to use her education to improve patients’ quality of life. Saint Louis University
Mackenzie Colgan Mackenzie Colgan, of St. Robert, Missouri, is a Waynesville High School graduate majoring in political science with a minor in music at Saint Louis University. She graduated in the top 10% of her high school class and received several honors, including the George Washington Carver Award and the President’s Award for Educational
Achievement. She also earned state-level recognition for her clarinet performances. At SLU, Colgan performs with the pep band and writes for Her Campus. Having worked since age 16, she has balanced employment with academics. She hopes to pursue public service and advocacy while maintaining her involvement in music and the arts.
Sandra Mayen Sandra Mayen, born in South Sudan, came to the United States as a refugee and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Colorado Denver. She later returned to South Sudan to support HIV/AIDS education and awareness programs. Back in the United States, she managed federally funded public health programs while raising her daughter as a single parent. A first-generation college student, Mayen is now pursuing a second bachelor’s degree in nuclear medicine technology at Saint Louis University. She hopes to combine her public health experience with advanced diagnostic skills to provide patient care while serving as a role model for her daughter and community. University of Missouri-St. Louis
Jackson Paiz Rodriguez Jackson Paiz Rodriguez, a St. Louis native and Gateway STEM High School graduate, is a freshman at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. A graduate of the UMSL Bridge Program, he served as a student board member at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and earned the Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish. He also won first place in a regional National History Day competition for research on the Bracero Program. A Donald J. Suggs Scholar receiving a full scholarship, Rodriguez plans to major in business administration with an emphasis in information technology, pursue an honors certificate and minor in Spanish.
See SCHOLARS, page 33
St. Louis Community College is committed to excellence in education. Creating access for our diverse communities has allowed us to serve over 1.3 million students. With over 80+ career-focused programs, workforce-customized training, and 1,200+ continuing education courses, we are opening doors to opportunity for learners at every stage of life. Because we believe education is a powerful investment in our region’s collective future, we are proud to sponsor the St. Louis American Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala.
stlcc.edu
October 15 – 21, 2026 Maryam Pettus Maryam Pettus, a St. Louis native, is a freshman honors student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, majoring in communication and maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Pettus plans to expand her studies into political science and international relations as she pursues a career in international journalism. Active in campus life, she attends student events, enjoys meeting new people and is seeking a position in student government. A Donald J. Suggs Scholar, Pettus hopes to become a journalist who brings overlooked stories to public attention and connects local experiences with international issues.
Taubah Pettus Taubah Pettus, a St. Louis native and Donald J. Suggs Scholar, is majoring in computer science at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Homeschooled during high school, she also participated in the Bridge Program, developing interests in technology, science and community service. Pettus volunteers and teaches basic programming skills to middle school students. Her interests also include woodworking, vintage shopping and exploring St. Louis with friends. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in bioinformatics. Her career goal is to become a bioinformatics research analyst, interpreting biological data and contributing to advances in medicine. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Shane Chronister Shane Chronister, a Belleville East graduate, is a fourthyear psychology student who returned to college after years in the workforce. He began working at 16 and built a career in information technology and contact center management without a degree. At 35, he decided to return to school to achieve a personal goal of earning a college degree. Balancing work, school and personal responsibilities has been challenging, but Chronister credits his
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION partner’s support with helping him continue his education. His experience has reinforced his belief that it is never too late to pursue academic goals and personal growth.
last semester. The Suggs Scholarship has eased financial pressures as she prepares for student teaching and pursues her goal of creating a supportive classroom environment.
Owen Cole Owen Cole, of Granite City, Illinois, is a fourthyear economics major at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. A transfer student from Southwestern Illinois College, he discovered an interest in economics through business courses that combined analytical problem-solving with working with people. Navigating transfer credits and degree requirements has been challenging, but careful planning has kept him on track for graduation. Cole also performs with the SIUE Wind Symphony under Rubén Gomez. The Suggs Scholarship will help cover summer courses, reduce financial pressures and support his goal of graduating next fall.
Kristin Dowling Kristin Dowling, of O’Fallon, Illinois, is a fourth-year applied communication studies major at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Interested in how people communicate and work together, she has focused on communication in workplaces, relationships and communities. As a parent, Dowling has balanced college assignments and deadlines with her children’s activities, developing stronger organizational and time-management skills. The Suggs Scholarship has eased the financial burden of returning to school and helped support her final two semesters. After graduation, she hopes to advance her career in public relations with her current employer.
Tiffany Gillison Tiffany Gillison, of Alhambra, Illinois, has dreamed of becoming a teacher since fourth grade, when a teacher inspired her by making every student feel included and supported. She put her education on hold after her mother died, later marrying and raising three children. A multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2023 motivated her to return to school to pursue a degree in elementary education. Despite fatigue and other challenges, Gillison earned her first 4.0 GPA
Katharine Mockler Katharine Mockler, of Knoxville, Illinois, is a third-year nursing student at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. After several years working in health care, her experiences with patients inspired her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Returning to school required adjusting to the demands of a rigorous academic program, strengthening her discipline and reinforcing her belief that success does not follow a single timeline. The Suggs Scholarship has provided financial support as she works toward her degree. Mockler is particularly interested in women’s health and perioperative nursing and hopes to continue her education by earning an advanced nursing degree.
Quantrelle Rudd Quantrelle Rudd, of Mount Vernon, Illinois, is a fourthyear history major at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. His studies have deepened his understanding of historical events and how they continue to shape society. An introvert, Rudd has challenged himself to step outside his comfort zone, meet new people and become more involved on campus. He considers his personal and academic growth among his greatest accomplishments. The Suggs Scholarship has eased financial pressures, allowing him to concentrate on completing his degree and preparing for graduate school.
Olivia Salvati Olivia Salvati, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, is a public relations major at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Drawn to storytelling, creativity and building relationships, she hopes to pursue a career in public relations or marketing, specializing in social media, digital communication and brand strategy. Balancing college coursework with long work hours
Page 33 to support herself has been among her greatest challenges. After moving into her first apartment, she worked multiple shifts each week while maintaining her studies. The Suggs Scholarship has eased financial pressures, allowing Salvati to concentrate on her education and career preparation.
Leroy Smith Leroy Smith, of East Alton, Illinois, is a fourth-year student majoring in English and literature at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. His lifelong love of reading and writing has inspired him to address literacy challenges and pursue a career as an author and storyteller. Choosing a major was among his greatest challenges because of his wide-ranging interests. Smith encourages other students to explore their options and remain open to new opportunities. The Suggs Scholarship has helped cover tuition and eased financial pressures, including commuting expenses. After graduation, he hopes to write stories that bring readers the same enjoyment he has found in books. Washington University
Noorul Ahad Maher Noorul Ahad Maher graduated as valedictorian of Theodore Roosevelt High School in St. Louis, where he served as senior class president and completed the Youth Leadership St. Louis program. While maintaining his academic and leadership responsibilities, he also helped support his family and worked 35 hours a week at Walmart. Maher is attending Washington University in St. Louis, where he plans to study electrical engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering. His long-term goal is to develop language tools and assistive communication technology that help people communicate more effectively.
See SCHOLARS, page 35
Congratulations to the 2026 recipients of the Excellence in Education Awards! Learn more about our partnerships with educators
Through civic education, the Judicial Learning Center promotes public understanding of the role of courts in upholding the rule of law.
October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
Berikti Yehdego Berikti Yehdego graduated from Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience in St. Louis, where she served as senior class vice president and defensive captain of the volleyball team. She was also a member of the National Honor Society. Yehdego participated in the St. Louis Internship Program as an intern in training and attended the BESt Healthcare Institute. She balanced those activities with a parttime job at Amighetti’s on the Hill. Now
attending Washington University in St. Louis, Yehdego plans to study cognitive neuroscience and pursue a career as a psychiatrist.
long viewed art as a way to express ideas, emotions and experiences. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in fine art, illustration or art therapy while continuing to develop
Webster University
Laila Davis Laila Davis, of Florissant, is a graduate of Marquette Catholic High School and a studio art major at Webster University. In high school, she participated in varsity basketball, student council, art club and diversity club, developing leadership and creative skills. She maintained a 4.68 GPA, earned high honor roll recognition all four years and received a Silver Medallion. Davis has
her artistic skills.
Courtney Wright Courtney Wright, of Florissant, graduated from Hazelwood Central High School and is studying biology with an emphasis in health science. Her academic interests include public health, health care and law.
Page 35 She has participated in leadership and community programs, including Wyman Leadership and the St. Louis Internship Program. Wright also completed a summer internship with Brown & Crouppen and served as secretary of the International Thespian Society. Her interests extend to theater, music and community involvement. She hopes to build on her academic and professional experiences while exploring career opportunities that allow her to make a meaningful contribution to her community.
St. Louis American Foundation Scholars Alexander Berryhill Jr. Alexander Berryhill Jr. is a freshman at Webster University majoring in business administration and competing in track and field. Inspired by the dedication and accomplishments of successful businesspeople around him, he hopes to build a career in real estate. Berryhill is committed to completing his college education and making himself and his family proud. Outside the classroom and athletics, he enjoys walking, listening to music, playing eight-ball and socializing with friends.
Zayna Fakhani Zayna Fakhani is a second-year student at Maryville University majoring in international studies. Driven by an interest in global systems and public policy, she plans to attend law school after graduation,
concentrating on international law. Her long-term goal is to use her legal career to advocate for marginalized communities and help bring about meaningful change around the world.
Akeem Paulette Akeem Paulette is a freshman at Texas Southern University majoring in civil engineering. A high school salutatorian, he was a member of the Student Council and National Honor Society. He hopes to return to his hometown and use his engineering skills to improve infrastructure in underserved communities, including roads and transportation systems. Paulette
believes success should be measured not only by personal accomplishments but also by the positive impact a person makes on others. An avid reader, he enjoys books about leadership, personal development and human behavior.
Susan Grace Pinex Susan Grace Pinex, a 2026 graduate of Ladue Horton Watkins High School, is studying criminology and criminal justice at Saint Louis University. An aspiring civil rights attorney, she hopes to advocate for wrongfully convicted people. Her academic interests include African American history and psychology. In high school, she completed more than 150 hours of community service. She also is a certified lifeguard and swim instructor and participates in competitive a cappella
singing in college. She draws inspiration from 1 Peter 3:8, which emphasizes compassion, humility and love for others.
Nyla Weathersby Nyla Weathersby is a student at the University of Chicago double majoring in environment, geography and urbanization and anthropology. Growing up in St. Louis and witnessing the effects of the Delmar Divide sparked her interest in how infrastructure, transportation and environmental conditions influence access to opportunity. Her academic interests include urban planning, environmental justice and sustainable development. Weathersby hopes to pursue a career in urban planning, helping create more equitable, sustainable cities where infrastructure improves residents’ quality of life rather than limiting their opportunities.
Keith Williamson Scholars Anthony Holmes Anthony Holmes, a graduate of Cardinal Ritter College Prep, is a second-year student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis majoring in health communication. He is passionate about improving health literacy and helping people better understand the information they need to
make informed decisions about their health. Holmes hopes to use his education to address health disparities and improve health outcomes in the Black community throughout the St. Louis region. His long-term goal is to build a career combining communication, health care and community service to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
Bobbylynne Anna Zinnah Bobbylynne Anna Zinnah, a Kansas City native, is a junior at Saint Louis University majoring in criminology and criminal justice with a minor in African American studies. She is on the pre-law track, with academic interests in public service, civic engagement
and addressing wrongful convictions within the criminal justice system. She participated in the inaugural William L. Clay Sr. Institute Pathways to Progress Cohort, meeting with lawmakers in Washington. Zinnah plans to pursue a legal career advocating for others, promoting fairness and accountability in the justice system and serving communities in Kansas City or St. Louis.
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United Way of Greater St. Louis supports more than 150 local nonprofits—helping families meet urgent needs while strengthening the services that support our entire region.
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October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
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Previous Salute major awardees 2025 Dr. Flint W. Fowler (Lifetime Achiever) Mary Elizabeth Grimes (Stellar Performer) Maxine Clark and Bob Fox (Champion in Education) 2024 Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Lifetime Achiever) Ellicia Lanier (Stellar Performer) Kimberly Merrill (SEMO Community Based Partner of the Year) 2023 Dr. James T. Minor (Stellar Performer) Dr. Joycelyn Pugh-Walker (Stellar Performer) Khadija Tejan (SEMO Community Based Partner of the Year) 2022 Holly Cousins (Lifetime Achiever) Dr. Latonia Collins Smith (Stellar Performer) Tashanna Stanciel (SEMO Community Based Partner of the Year) 2021 Arthur R. Culver (Lifetime Achiever) Gwendolyn Diggs (Stellar Performer)
2014 Dr. Katie Harper Wright (Lifetime Achiever) Dr. Terrence L. Freeman (Stellar Performer)
2001 John E. Jacob (Lifetime Achiever) Victoria Nelson (Stellar Performer)
2013 Dr. Lynn Beckwith Jr. (Lifetime Achiever) Dr. Art J. McCoy (Stellar Performer)
2000 Rev. William G. Gillespie (Lifetime Achiever) Carolyn D. Seward (Stellar Performer)
2012 Gerald Early (Lifetime Achiever) Judge Jimmie Edwards (Stellar Performer)
1999 Dr. James M. Whittico (Lifetime Achiever) Gloria L. Taylor (Stellar Performer)
2011 Joyce M. Roberts (Lifetime Achiever) Anthony “Tony” Thompson (Stellar Performer)
1998 Gloria Waters-White (Lifetime Achiever) Steven N. Cousins (Stellar Performer)
2010 Dr. Zelema Harris (Lifetime Achiever) Dr. Stanton Lawrence (Stellar Performer)
1997 Judge Theodore McMillan (Lifetime Achiever) Gwendolyn Packnett (Stellar Performer)
2009 Eugene B. Redmond (Lifetime Achiever) Diane Miller (Stellar Performer)
1996 Dr. Helen Nash (Lifetime Achiever) Fr. Maurice Nutt (Stellar Performer)
2008 Dr. James E. McLeod (Lifetime Achiever) Donna Patton (Stellar Performer)
2020 Dr. Doris A. Graham (Lifetime Achiever) Dr. Sharonica L. Hardin-Bartley (Stellar Performer)
2007 Dr. Henry Shannon (Lifetime Achiever) Don Danforth III (Stellar Performer)
2019 Charles and Shirley Brown (Lifetime Achievers) Valerie Bell (Stellar Performer)
2006 Dr. John Wright (Lifetime Achiever) Dr. Cheryle Dyle-Palmer (Stellar Performer)
2018 Johnetta R. Haley (Lifetime Achiever) Michael P. McMillan (Stellar Performer)
2005 Dr. Queen Fowler (Lifetime Achiever) Darlynn Bosley (Stellar Performer)
2017 Michael A. Middleton (Lifetime Achiever) Dr. Kelvin Adams (Stellar Performer)
2004 Dr. Henry Givens (Lifetime Achiever) Joyce Roberts (Stellar Performer)
2016 Dr. Charlene Lofton Jones (Lifetime Achiever) Deborah Patterson (Education Advocate)
2003 Martin Mathews (Lifetime Achiever) Audrey Ferguson (Stellar Performer)
2015 Dr. Alice Faye Roach (Lifetime Achiever) Tiffany Anderson (Stellar Performer)
2002 Dr. George H. Hyram (Lifetime Achiever) Vickie and Howard Denson (Stellar Performers)
1995 Kathryn E. Nelson (Lifetime Achiever) Khatib Waheed (Stellar Performer) 1994 Bob Shannon (Lifetime Achiever) Dr. Doris Wilson (Stellar Performer) 1993 Al Johnson (Lifetime Achiever) Carol E. Jackson (Stellar Performer) 1992 Frankie M. Freeman (Lifetime Achiever) Drs. Victor and Vincent Rodgers (Stellar Performers) 1991 Jesse Hill (Lifetime Achiever) Dr. John H. Gladney (Stellar Performer) 1990 Fred H. Black (Gold Medallion Awardee) 1989 Bertha Gilkey (Gold Medallion Awardee) 1988 Vincent E. Reed (Gold Medallion Awardee)
Empowering Youth to Win in Life www.JJKFoundation.org
October 15 – 21, 2026
St. Louis American • SALUTE TO EDUCATION
Page 39
Past Excellence in Education Awardees Looking back at all the awardees from the past 38 years Salute Class of 2025 Dr. Rhonda M. Key Tambra Pendleton Dr. Michael L. Peoples Dr. Michael D. Triplett Erica Williams Salute Class of 2024 Asquith S. “Sean” Armstrong Dr. Latricia Singleton-Clark Dr. Mary Hairston Lt. Col. Nina McLean Salute Class of 2023 John Carlos Armstead Sr. Dr. Shawn A. Baker Brian C. Griffin Dr. Brandon Haynes Christopher C. Miller Briana Morales Charles Murphy Kendra Vaughn Salute Class of 2022 Leah Crawford Ashley Ellis Starlett Frenchie Ashley Gerald Dr. Brittany Green Roosevelt Mitchell Dr. Regina Ware Linda Wells-Glover Salute Class of 2021 Dr. Howard E. Fields III Brian M. Gant Lynn R. Hinton Jonathan Strong Ronda Wallace
Salute Class of 2018 Dr. Chauncey Granger Kim I. Haywood Bernard Long Jr. Dr. Dorthea B. Nevils Raymond K. Robinson, M.Div. Dr. Leslie Thomas Washington Dr. Tamara D. Wells Rhea M. Wells Salute Class of 2017 Alan Byrd Jr. Anya Gray Franklin Dr. Crystal Gale Shanise N. Johnson Angela Keys Dr. Kevin M. Martin Dr. Raghib Muhammad Dr. LaTisha A. Smith Salute Class of 2016 Kimberly D. Berry Dr. Sarah Briscoe Cori Cloyd Kathleen Foster Dr. Stacy Hollins Dr. Kacy Seals Dr. Gladys Smith Dr. Cynthia D. Warren Salute Class of 2015 Russell Arms Dr. Erica L. Bumpers Dr. Ingrid Clark Jackson Alicia G. Davis Veronica Hildreth Dr. Ashley R. McGhaw Bessie Bennett Peabody Dr. Tiffany L. Taylor-Johnson
Salute Class of 2012 Jason Brown Earnestine Carr LaChrisa Crenshaw Duane M. Foster Andrea N. Hayes Jaqueline Storman Turnage Doretta A. Walker LaRhonda L. Wilson Salute Class of 2011 Carolyn Blair Nikki Doughty Latasha M. McClelland Michelle L. McClure Art J. McCoy II Marsha Yvonne Merry Natissia Small Darnell P. Young Salute Class of 2010 Dr. Celeste A. Adams Michael Blackshear Sheandra P. Brown Florida M. Cowley Bruce Green Carole Johnson Matthew McCallum Sybil Selfe Salute Class of 2009 Kelly Ballard Eric Clark Niyi Coker Jr. Natasha Mosley Rona Roginson-Hill Michelle A. Pendleton Dr. Alice F. Roach Margaret Williams
Salute Class of 2020 LaShanda R. Boone Shantana Goodwin-Payne Dr. Karen I. Hall Romona Miller Sheryl Denise Rogers Rhonda Stovall John E. Thomas Dr. Craig A. Waddell
Salute Class of 2014 Wesley J.C. Bell Nicole Binion Dr. Nina D. Caldwell Dr. Edward M. Johnson Dr. James Paine II Germaine Stewart Jim Triplett Martha Warren
Salute Class of 2008 Julia Robinson Burke Mama Lisa Gage Terry J. Houston Sr. Eric D. Johnson Sr. RaShawn Johnson Marilyn Mims Darlene Morgan Simone Williams
Salute Class of 2019 Petra Baker Dr. Monica D. Diggs Victoria A. Harris Kimberly Patrice Long Duane McGowan Tina Clark-Scott Lawerence Shields Tanesia L. Simmons
Salute Class of 2013 Clara Collins Coleman Dr. Tiffany C.E. Fane Dr. Vanessa Howard Dr. Wanda P. LeFlore Dr. Nathalie Means Henderson Wilma L. Slaughter, MS Dr. Jody J. Squires Deitre J. Terrell
Salute Class of 2007 Luella Atkins Haliday Douglas Sonja P. Little Romona Miller Tyrone Jeffrey Darlene Norfleet Victor Poindexter Brian Rogers
Salute Class of 2006 Jowanda Bozeman Dr. Harvey Fields Jr. Kathryn Garrett Clarice Hall Crystal Herron Howard Rambsy Kathy Walker Steele Zella Williams Salute Class of 2005 Charles Ransom Betty Robinson Gwendolyn Shannon Makeda Reid-Vales Shirley Washington-Cobb Chelsea Watson Brian Weaver Dr. Brenda Youngblood Salute Class of 2004 Travis Brown Sr. Patrick Jackson Pat Johnson Vernon Mitchell Terri Moore Joan Barnes-Parham Monette Gooch-Smith Dr. Ann Chism-Williams Salute Class of 2003 Vera Atkinson Dr. Stephanie Carter Rose Coleman Dr. Vern Moore Juanester Russell Frank Smith Dr. Linda Lou Smith Dr. Gwen Turner Salute Class of 2002 Cynthia Boone Thomas Edwards Terrance Freeman Flossie Henderson Billie Mayo Edna Pipes Salute Class of 2001 Dr. Edwin F. Bailey Jr. Terrence Curry Juliette Hite Dr. Larona Morris Annie House Russell Hattie K. Weaver Salute Class of 2000 Prof. Bennie A. Adams Ian P. Buchanan Mabel Thomas Edmonds Dr. Michael T. Railey Linda Riekes Cynthia J. Sutton
Salute Class of 1999 Dr. Michael R. DeBaun Roland Nichols Eugene B. Redmond Althea Taylor Dr. Kerry M. Woodberry, Salute Class of 1998 Dr. Alexander Harris Louis M. Marion Dr. Patricia Nichols Dr. Savannah Miller-Young Louis Zitzmann Salute Class of 1997 Alice M. Aldridge Marion Bosley-Evans Cynthia L. Cosby Ivory Johnson Andrea Walker Salute Class of 1996 Carol Barnes Nino Fennoy Dr. Charlene Jones Bettye Reed Chanuncey Trawick Salute Class of 1995 Victoria Cothran Dr. Charles Harris Dr. Ernest Jones Michelle Lowery Viola Murphy Salute Class of 1994 Dean James McCleod Dr. Arvarh Stickland Rudolph Wilson Barbara Woods Dr. Edith Mae Young. Note: The specific category of “Excellence in Education” Awards commenced in 1994.
Salute Class of 1991 Dr. Nettie S. Armmer Leon Burke Jr. Dr. Queen Fowler Yvonne Howze Louise Mitchell Bessie L. Reid Beatrice Strong Betty Porter Walls Louise T. Wilkerson Salute Class of 1990 Lt. Col. Leroy Adkins Stephen Banks Marguerite Ross-Barnett Lynn Beckwith Jr. Evail Boyd Jerry L. Bryant Lois Harris Edward Hightower Kermit Hill Floyd Irons Rev. Dr. Buck Jones Jerome B. Jones Betty Jean Kerr Shirley LeFlore Kathryn Nelson Hershel J. Walker Rochelle Walker Wilma Wells Edna J. Whitfield Gaye S. Wilson Dorrie K. Wise Salute Class of 1989 Sarah Short-Austin Ron Carter Rose Davis Mathew Foggy Rev. C. Garnett Henning Sr. Hulas King Andre Jackson Oval Miller Eugene Redmond Ollie Steward Eric Vickers
Past Merit Awardees: Salute Class of 1993 Dr. Edna Allen Dr. Frances J. Gooden Elizabeth Hutcherson Addie Bryan Jackson Fontroy Todd Salute Class of 1992 Dr. Harvest Collier Dr. Lincoln I. Diuguid Alicia Ivory-House Sandra Murdock Dr. Wilfred Sorrell
Salute Class of 1988 George Elliott Jonathan Ford Dr. George Hyram Carolyn Kingcade Richard Martin Judge Theodore McMillan Jamie Rivers Irene F. Schell Norman Seay Willie Mae Ford-Smith Dr. Phillip Venable Dannette Connor-Ward Bill Wilkerson
WE ARE PROUD TO HONOR THE
Salute to Excellence in Education award recipients. Thank you for your commitment to academic excellence. Education unlocks possibilities, inspires innovation, and prepares students to lead with confidence in a changing world.