East St. Louis Center

Within the circle, feelings of hurt, anger and reflection were shared with open honesty, and were met with understanding and support. The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) hosted “Coffee, Conversation and Dessert” on Friday, Aug. 9. The event dealt with the Netflix miniseries, “When They See Us,” created, co-written and directed by Ava DuVernay, and was coordinated and hosted by CHS Director Gina Jeffries, EdD. 

&#822...

The torrential morning rains did nothing to dampen the excitement as students strolled down a red carpet Monday, Aug. 12, and into their first day at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS). 

“Our students are the stars at the SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School, and we wanted to treat them like it,” said Gina Jeffries, EdD, CHS director. “We, the Charter High School faculty and staff are the supporting actors.” &#...

The advantages of banks over check cashing services, how to manage banking accounts, how to improve your credit score and how to establish and stick to a budget were some of the financial guidance participants received on Tuesday, Aug. 6 at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Learning Resource Center’s (LRC) Lunch and Learn workshop. 

Banking and Budgeting 101 was the first of a three-part financial assistance workshop, which was held as part of LRC’s L...

There were applauds, shouts and cries of exaltations for jobs well done – and expectation of what is to come. Students in the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) Cahokia-Madison and Upward Bound Scholar’s Academy (UBSA) were awarded with medals, ribbons and trophies acknowledging their commitment to and participation in the programs during a ceremony held Thursday, July 25 in Bluff Hall. 

“We wanted to celeb...

It was a career activity of a slightly different kind. Students sat at tables as the interviewers, asking questions of doctors, nurses, lawyers, judges, engineers, educators, entrepreneurs and more. 

Thirty-one students and 35 professionals participated in a Career Day hosted by the SIUE East St. Louis Center Upward Bound’s Math and Science (UBMS) Cahokia-Madison and Scholar’s Academy programs from 1-3 p.m. Tuesday, July 23 in Bluff Hall. 

• “Who helped you go to co...

With movie scores from “Star Wars,” “Jurassic Park” and “Shrek,” to musical numbers like “Just My Imagination,” “Girl on Fire” and “Hedwig’s Theme (1992),” students from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Performing Arts Summer Enrichment Program displayed Hollywood-inspired entertainment on Friday, July 19.  

Family and friends packed the East St. Louis Senior High School auditoriu...

The last day of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center Upward Bound (UB) EC/BEM summer program was fun, enlightening, and packed with a video game demonstration, a successful blood drive, a step show and a luncheon awards ceremony. 

“We wanted to plan a day that would showcase our students’ talents, give them an opportunity for community service, acknowledge the hard work they’ve done, and have fun and fellowship with students and parents,&#82...

It was surprising to watch students rein in their excitement during the summer program, listen and follow instructions, work together, and focus to complete a work of art.

Students, ages 5-14, from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center’s (ESLC) Project Success program participated in The Children’s Quilting Project: Healing through Art, made possible through a grant from the SIUE Meridian Society. The creative activity was a collaboration between SIUE, Proj...

Courtney Parker, a Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Head Start/Early Head Start mother,

admits to being highly engaged with the learning and schooling of her four girls. However, the Belleville woman was not expecting to advocate for Head Start parents across the state. 

Parker was chosen to participate in the Illinois Head Start Association (ILHS) Parent Ambassador Program. Ambassadors will learn the basics of advocacy, speaking skills and how legislation is crafted. Ambassadors...

With a commitment to and background in youth education and mental health, Precious Grimes is working to continue and enhance the quality programming of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center’s longstanding Project Success program. 

Grimes, Project Success director since January, believes the mission and goals of the program are needed now more than ever before. 

Project Success is designed for children, ages 5-14, under the supervision of Divis...

Among the students, ages 6-17, are first-timers and veterans. However, all enjoy being a part of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center (ESLC) for the Performing Arts’ summer enrichment program.

Hollywood is the theme of this year’s annual summer camp, which began June 3 and will conclude on Friday, July 19 with a performance at 6:30 p.m. at the East St. Louis Senior High School Auditorium, 4901 State St., East St. Louis.

“I really like the environmen...

There was a time when an East St. Louis teenager got off the school bus, he was never seen entering a home. One day, the bus driver followed him, and discovered that the youth and his mother were living inside a car. 

This story and dozens of others prompted Keith Ware, EdD, Southern Illinois University Edwarsdville East St. Louis Center’s Upward Bound (UB) EC/BEM program director, to add two clinical therapists to his staff for the summer. 

The UB summer program, which began M...

Armed with 20 years of service to veterans with the goal of training them for academic and employment success, James Robbins is working to help advance Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center’s Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) program participants. 

 “Veterans Upward Bound prepares veterans of all eras for postsecondary education, by providing counseling, advisement, basic skills review/enhancement and referral to a variety of services and resources,&#82...

A Cahokia youth struggled with self-worth as a foster child. Today, the 20-year-old finds himself gainfully employed with a positive self-image and outlook. 

The transformation, in part, is due to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center’s (ESLC) Building Futures program, according to Director Danette Griffith. 

“Building Futures is a statewide program, designed to help young adults, ages 17-20, when they phase out of the foster care system to have ...

There will be singing, dancing, drumming and more at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center for the Performing Arts Enrichment Summer Camp being held Monday, June 3-Friday, July 19. Hollywood is the theme for the enrichment program. 

The summer camp is for students ages 7-17. It will run from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday at the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus, 601 James R. Thompson Blvd. in East St. Louis. 

“We are planning a production that w...