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St. Louis, Missouri

 

 

This 21-member board has been in existence for 7 years. It is a separate corporation with limited jurisdiction, a policy-making board. This is the story of the last remaining high school in the north St. Louis area, the last high school serving an all African-American student body that was 75% non-Catholic. It formed strong links with businesses that were willing to finance the building of a modern new school in order to keep an outstanding Catholic school in the community. The financing required the school to be an independent nonprofit corporation, although certain powers are reserved for the archbishop. It sees its strengths as its decision-making authority, its strong working committees, its outstanding leadership and partnership with the civic and corporate communities, its dedication and loyalty to the mission, and its capacity to raise all the necessary funding required.

 

In only two years, this board raised over $20 million, built a state-of-the-art school, doubled the enrollment and now has a waiting list, added many new programs that enhanced instruction, and established a mentor program that links students with businesses and expects students to return to the community after graduation from college. More than half the students now participate in this leadership program.