• Letter to the Editor: St. Louis Schools Are Full of Success Stories

    May 11, 2013 12:00am

    While some people believe urban high schools are dangerous and incapable of preparing young men and women for college and beyond, the St. Louis Public School District is proof positive of just the opposite.

    In commencement ceremonies that began this weekend, SLPS will bestow diplomas to more than 1,700 high school graduates who will attend almost 250 different colleges and universities and earn millions in scholarship dollars.

    Success stories abound in SLPS.

    Vashon High School has 182 students on the honor roll and had the majority of graduating senior athletes earn college scholarships — all while improving academic scores and decreasing the number of discipline incidents by 50 percent over the past three years.

    Roosevelt High School students give back to the community by helping feed the homeless, preparing meals for Ronald McDonald House families and making quilts and blankets for babies. Roosevelt students were recently awarded $13,000 in scholarships from the Youth Business Institute.

    Sumner High School improved its attendance rate to 93 percent this year, decreased out-of-school suspensions by 79 percent and is sending 15 students to Linn State’s Scholars Academy this summer.

    For every negative story you hear about an urban high school, know that there are a hundred positive stories going untold. The future leaders of our city, state and country are walking the halls of these schools. SLPS is proud to continue the tradition of graduating these future leaders — a tradition dating back to 1858.

    Kelvin R. Adams • St. Louis
    Superintendent, St. Louis Public Schools