For media inquires or more information about the SIUE East St. Louis Center, contact Patricia Merritt, Public Relations Director, 601 James R. Thompson Blvd., Bldg. A., East St. Louis, IL-62201 Phone: (618) 482-6978 Fax: (618) 482-6935, pmerrit@siue.edu
ESLC Public Relations Dept.
Staff, students and clients are gearing up to begin a new programmatic year for 2009-2010.
Fall classes will resume on Aug. 17 for students in the East St. Louis Charter School, Educational Talent Search (East St. Louis, Brooklyn), Project Success and PALS/Latchkey.
SIUE Early Head Start students will report to their Centers on Aug. 19.
Students enrolled in Educational Talent Search (Cahokia, Madison) will begin their year Sept. 1.
The East St. Louis Center for the Performing Arts is set to begin classes on Sept. 8.
SIUE Head Start students will begin classes on Sept. 10.
Students enrolled in Upward Bound (Brooklyn, East St. Louis Charter School, Madison, Venice) and Upward Bound (East St. Louis, Cahokia) will begin their fall session on Sept. 14.
Amber Suggs, ESLC Public Relations Dept.
Jean Smith, SIUE East St. Louis Charter School art instructor, recently received high honors at the Gateway East Artists Guild at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Bellville, IL.
Smith, art instructor for the past five years, has provided artistic support to East St. Louis Center for the Performing Arts and East St. Louis Charter School by designing sets and background for productions. Smith’s artwork titled, “Colors of Crystal” won the Award of Merit, which included a cash prize of $50, a $50 coupon for paint supplies and a supply of water color paper.
Smith beat out 126 artists for the award. Smith’s award winning piece, in addition to two of her other works, are on display at Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows until August 15. The public can vote for their favorite from among a number of local artists’ works on display at the Shrine.
Photo: 1 -- -- Charter School Art Instructor Jean Smith's winning entry, "Colors of Crystal." -- Photo by ESLC Public Relations Dept. Photo: 2 -- Charter School Art Instructor Jean Smith
ESLC Public Relations Dept.
Jacques Anderson, 2007 student of the Center’s Upward Bound Math & Science Program, is in London, England as part of a prestigious British Parliamentary Internship Program.
Jacques was selected for the prestigious program because of her high scholastic achievements. Jacques has a 3.94 grade point average at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, where she is working on a double major in political science and communications. The college junior has garnered such awards and honors as the Chancellor’s Honor Scholar, the President’s Award and the Legislative Assembly Scholarship.
Jacques’ internship involves working and shadowing a member of the British Parliament. She is scheduled to return to her hometown of East St. Louis sometime in August.
The SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start Program has won a dozen awards -- on the state, regional and national level -- because of several Metro East parents and staff who know the importance of quality early childhood education.
For example, there is the tenacious mother who overcame medical struggles and championed equality regarding her child’s learning challenges; the single parent who almost seemed like a fixture at her children’s preschool; the father who works long hours to ensure quality instruction for his son and daughter and recruits other dads to do the same; and the school administrator who has spent the past 11 years developing strong parent and community involvement in order to foster excellence in Head Start programs
These people helped bring new honor to the comprehensive early childhood development program that has served St. Clair County for more than 30 years.
“Producing and maintaining quality early childhood education is the crux of our mission that we carry out every day,” said Hazel Mallory, program director of the SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start Program. “And I was proud and happy to learn of the array of awards our hard working Head Start parents and staff received.” Ms. Mallory was recently elected to the board of directors for the Illinois Head Start Association as a member at large.
On the state and regional levels, the winning tallies of awards for SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start from the Head Start Association are listed below:
• Bolayoko Adeniyi of Belleville, state winner of the Phyllis J. Jones Memorial Scholarship
• Tracie Anthony of Alorton, state and regional award winner of Support Staff of the Year
• Sandy Biver of Swansea, state award for Administrator of the Year
• Debrah Carnahan of Belleville, state and regional awards for "Beating the Odds”
• Marquett Ivy of Swansea, state and regional awards for Father of the Year
• Sabrina Sayles of East St. Louis, state winner for the Rutha Weatherl Memorial Parent of the Year Award
• Tangelina White, state and regional awards for the Ann Phipps Memorial Scholarship
Meanwhile, the National Head Start Association awarded Tangelina White the Ann Phipps Memorial Scholarship, which comes with a $1,500 prize to be applied to an institution of higher learning, and Debrah Carnahan, second place for “Beating the Odds,” which honors those who conquered difficulties and persisted throughout hard times to become self sufficient.
“Head Start supported me emotionally and professionally and had faith in me,” said Mrs. Carnahan, former Belleville Head Start parent who continues to work as a volunteer. “Now I’m able to offer support to families who have children with special needs.” Mrs. Carnahan and her husband, Carlton, have two special needs children of their own.
“Winning is great,” said Ms. Mallory, “but what matters most is the success of our children which requires the dedicated commitment of parents and staff.”
