East St. Louis Center

A new account has been written about academic success following the pandemic, courtesy of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School’s (CHS) graduating class of 2023. 

Venessa A. Brown, PhD, associate athletics director for diversity, equity and inclusion, athletics chief diversity officer, professor of social work, former SIUE East St. Louis Center executive director and CHS commencement speaker, recast for graduates a lyrical and empowering...

The quality and amount of talent in East St. Louis is phenomenal, according to Homer Simmons, program director for the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center for the Performing Arts (PA). 

Simmons gave high praise to the student performers throughout the PA’s Spring 2023 Dance and Music Recital on Thursday, May 17 in the Multipurpose Room on the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus. 

The students, ages 6-17, lived up to the acclaim as they danced,...

The 10^th annual financial literacy commencement ceremony was held Wednesday, May 17 at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St. Louis. The f...

It was the first days of her freshman year, and Jakailah Hardiman remembers Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School’s (CHS) Colin Neumeyer saying he believed she was going to be a great student.

That was four years ago, and not only is Hardiman CHS’s valedictorian, but she is an SIUE Meridian Scholarship winner. The Meridian Scholarship is a four-year, tuition, fees, room and board paid award. Hardiman also won a full ride to Saint Louis Univer...

It was a glittering night for the Most Improved, Rising Stars, A-T.E.A.M, Outstanding Scholars and more as they paraded across the stage to cheers and applause on Thursday, May 11 during the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Upward Bound Scholars Academy (UBSA) Collinsville High School’s (CHS) Awards Ceremony. 

“I was just trying to do my best. I was surprised to learn I was the valedictorian,” said Keira Winterich, UBSA senior. Winterich’s grade point avera...

Paper Mache of animals fused together, neurographic self-portraits, portrayals of everyday people and celebrities, Zentangle letters, quilling and other art fashioned from the hearts and minds of high schoolers were on display Tuesday during the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School’s (CHS) first Annual Art Showcase and Sale in the Multipurpose Room at the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus. 

“Our students have shown great artistic...

The harsh reality is that all grocery stores are not created equal – even when they are part of the same chain. This is part of the broad, bleak and ugly scope of food inequities, according to Bobby Smith II, PhD, interdisciplinary sociologist and food justice advocate, who visited the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) on Thursday, April 13. 

Smith, an assistant professor in the Department of African American Studies at the University ...

From scholarship opportunities, to enrolling in early childhood education courses to getting a tuition-free degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, would-be teachers were treated to a collaborative preschool education career fair on Monday, April 17 in the Multipurpose Room at the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus. 

“We want potential teacher candidates to see what our SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start (HS/EHS), SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavi...

It started as a way to learn a little more about college and a year later Sam Hibbard, SIUE Upward Bound Scholars Academy (UBSA) Collinsville High School (CHS) student, is heavily involved and thankful he joined the program.  

“I was uncertain about college before the program,” explained Hibbard. “But now I am leaning more towards going.” Hibbard’s first choice is SIUE.  

His mother, Jessica Hibbard, and grandmother, Catherine Simpher-Benwell, ...

Imagine a food system that is created, designed, managed and sustained by Black people.  

Bobby Smith II, PhD, interdisciplinary sociologist and assistant professor in the Department of African American Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will discuss his vision, research and work regarding food justice during his visit to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and the Metro East from Wednesday-Thursday, April 12-13. 

Smith’s appearance marks the ...

U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL) talked with, listened to and shared information among community members and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center (ESLC) staff members during her visit Thursday, April 6 at the ESLC. 

“On Thursday, I was honored to team up with the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) to host a free workshop for residents of Illinois’ 13th District on how to lower their energy costs,” said Budzinski. “This workshop was a great oppor...

Amidst the more than 80 pieces of artwork selected for the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Department of Art and Design’s Annual Regional Juried High School Exhibition, was a sculpture made from the pages of a Webster Dictionary. 

Kiara Williams, SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) senior, is the creator of “Still Relevant.” The piece, a tree standing in the middle of an opened dictionary, was on display last month in the Art and Design West Gallery.&#...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Jerrica Ampadu, PhD, served up plenty of praise, supplied words of encouragement and offered motivation to persevere during the third annual Missouri Minority Business Development Agency's (MBDA) Tribute to Women Business Leaders brunch held Saturday, March 25 at the Marriott-St. Louis Grand Hotel in St. Louis. 

“I wanted the awardees being recognized to really feel empowered and applauded, because this was a celebration for women,&#8...

What began as a learning tool and documentation of youth experiencing and exploring waterways and the surrounding habitat, has resulted in praise for the cinematic account. “Kids on the River,” starring students from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center’s Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) program, was one of several films selected out of more than 130 that was shown Sunday, March 19 at the World Water Film Festival (WWFF) in New York. 

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Arts and crafts, face painting and games relating to and celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community was enjoyed by students at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) during its first annual Pride Fest held Wednesday, March 22. 

“Our social justice class completed a unit on student-led organizations,” said Bridget Nelson, CHS faculty associate, English. “The students created presentations and arguments based on research they con...

When it comes to promoting a healthy, holistic lifestyle and illustrating lessons in resolve, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Ora Lockett is her own best advertising. Lockett, interim director of the Building Futures program at the SIUE East St. Louis Center, and founder and CEO of THE GR8FULL COMPANY and BUILD GR8NESS NETWORK, will be the guest speaker during Women’s History Month programming at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 22 at the SIUE East St. Louis Learning Resource Cen...

You can almost see her brain cells in motion as she recites what has taken 15 minutes to set to memory … “7,5,1.” Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) junior Jada Parker stalls and stops at “1”. Still, she captured first place for reciting the most digits – 50 – during the CHS STEAM/Pi Day on Tuesday, March 14. 

“When it comes to math, I have a good memory. Math is my favorite subject,” beam...

Most students know and love the music. Some are familiar with the moves, but it takes an experienced dance coach to teach them the masterfully choreographed numbers. 

McKinley Smith, hip-hop dance instructor for the SIUE East St. Louis Center for the Performing Arts, enjoys harnessing spirited hearts and practicing eager feet to create rhythmic magic displayed on stage for appreciative audiences. 

“I love dance, and I love sharing it with my students,” said Smith, who has...

When George M. Johnson was entering this world, their aunt Sarah saw a headful of hair and ran out to tell everyone the baby was a girl. It was not. Much of Johnson’s life has been spent on a journey of finding themself, the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author, journalist, executive producer and activist told students at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS). 

Johnson, a non-binary, Black writer whose 2020 memoir-manife...

He’s fast on the track, a leader with character and good with his grades. Charles Shaw, a senior at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St Louis Charter High School (CHS), is a great example of an athlete scholar, according to Shawn Roundtree, CHS social worker, head track coach and athletic director. 

“I work hard on being a great example of a student-athlete role model, both on and off the field,” said Shaw. 

“Charles Shaw is one of the best track...

While the names of some toys on children’s holiday lists have changed over the years – like virtual reality headsets, baby Yoda toys, and Google play cards – the desire to bring them joy remains the same. 

The East St. Louis Fire Department (ESLFD) Local 23 delivered bags full of Christmas wishes on Monday, Dec. 19 for students in the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center’s Project Success program.  Also gifting students with toys was ...

Holiday favorites – such as “Joy to the World,” “Silent Night,” and “Little Drummer Boy”– were performed with the kind of sparkle and shine that only the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center for Performing Arts’ (ESLCPA) After School program can give. 

The program held its annual Holiday Dance and Music Recital on Thursday, Dec. 15 in the Multipurpose Room on the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus in E...

Following in the footsteps of a highly regarded mentor, who made sure he had helped clear her a path to Katherine Dunham certification, even after his death, Ta’Shayla Montgomery returned to the dance studio where it all began. 

Montgomery, an alumna and former dance instructor of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center for the Performing Arts (PA), held a Katherine Dunham workshop from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9 in the PA studios on the Wyvetter H. Younge Hi...

T’was the week before Christmas break and secluded away, Angel Tree elves joyfully prepared for the big day. Stockings were stuffed. Swag bags filled, then set in piles – all in anticipation of watching students break out into smiles. 

And when the end-of-the-day bell rang on Monday, Dec. 12, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) elves took their places and handed out holiday swag bags to a flurry of grateful faces. 

“We ...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) students have the opportunity to gain knowledge about academic majors and career pathways from SIUE faculty and staff during the virtual CHS Midday Speaker Series. 

SIUE’s CORE T.E.A.M. (College Readiness: Transition, Engage, Achieve and Mentor) Department began a new speaker series for CHS students on Monday, Nov. 1, according to Fannie Acoff,&#16...