Kendrick’s call to arms A Plus tells how Lamar’s ‘Control’ verse puts hip-hop’s new class on blast.
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CAC Audited AUGUST 22 – 28, 2013
Vol. 84 No. 21 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Community supports Normandy students Administrators of unaccredited district have questions for legislators
Angela Morgan, a member of the Normandy High School Alumni Association, waved at students and teachers as they entered on the first day of school.
By Rebecca S. Rivas Of The St. Louis American On Monday morning, Makayla Smith, a senior at Normandy High School, shifted through a crowd of alumni and community members cheering on students for the first day of school. Last year, Makayla left the unaccredited Normandy School District to attend North Tech High School in Florissant. But she decided to come back.
See NORMANDY, A6
Photo by Wiley Price
Chat Leonard is director of college counseling at Metro Academic & Classical High School.
‘College geek’ is Counselor of the Year
Photo by Rebecca S. Rivas
Chat Leonard of Metro honored at 2013 Salute on September 13 By Bridjes O’Neil Of The St. Louis American Chat Leonard, director of college counseling at Metro Academic & Classical High School in the St. IN Louis Public Schools, is a self-proEDUCATION fessed “college geek.” 2013 On her office walls, she pays homage to some of the most renowned colleges and universities in the country. She has plastered her walls with pennants of schools she has visited, like Princeton, Harvard and New York universities. Her bookcase is lined with a collection of college mascots. On her
See LEONARD, A7
Photo by Wiley Price
Foosball friends Krisha Meriweather, 9, and Kayla Wright, 9, competed at foosball recently at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis’ Herbert Hoover location in North St. Louis.
Scholar calls for community input
Harris-Stowe president retires University exec VP Constance Gully named interim leader By Rebecca S. Rivas Of The St. Louis American
$100K grant for SLU researcher to probe health of black men By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American Keon Gilbert, assistant professor in the College for Public Health and Social Justice at Saint Louis University, has received a $100,000, two-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to deter-
mine which behaviors and policies are most likely to improve the health of AfricanAmerican men. The New Connections: Increasing Diversity of RWJF Programming career development grant engages young researchers and experts from historically under-represented groups, such as members
of a racial or ethnic minority or the first in their families to attend college. Gilbert will study the many factors that influence African-American men in their decisions about seeking preventive health care and engaging in healthy behaviors. His research
See SCHOLAR, A7
Constance Gully
After two years of leading Harris-Stowe State University, President Albert Walker has retired, the university’s Board of Regents announced on Friday. The board has named Constance Gully, a longtime executive vice president for business and financial affairs, as interim president. Her appointment is effective immediately.
See GULLY, A6