Navigating STL Schools: A Podcast Navigate STL Schools

“In my class, we talk about standards. We talk about expectations on what you want for your life. And so being able to identify those things at 13 years old and knowing what you want for your future…is really eye opening.” 
-Nick McDowell
Today’s guest is Nick McDowell, the Director of Graduate Support at Loyola Academy. Nick sat down with Staci to discuss the support Loyola Academy offers their students, encouraging parents to be more engaged with their child’s education, and helping students choose the right school for them.

“We've seen through numerous studies the significant return on investment that can come from having a really high quality early childhood education experience and that has become a really important cause to PNC.” 
-Sarah Bowman 
Today’s guest is Sarah Bowman, Vice President & Director of Client and Community Relations at PNC. Sarah sat down with Staci to discuss PNC’s Grow Up Great Program, collaborating with Sesame Street Workshop, and helping build a stronger local economy through investment in early childhood education.

“A lot of children, because they struggle with the mechanics of reading itself… it discourages them from even reading a chapter book or going beyond what they feel their own limitations are. So seeing yourself in a book…it gets them interested.” 
-Ymani Wince
Today’s guest is Ymani Wince, Owner of The Noir Bookshop. Ymani sat down with Staci to discuss her love for books, the inspiration for opening her bookstore, book vending machines, and tips for encouraging children to get excited about literature.

“When I began to work with City Hope, it drove home that [unhoused people] are humans. That they had some challenges. That they are needing some support, some care, some love, and, most of all, to be treated with dignity” 
-Mike Willis
 
Today’s guests are City Hope St. Louis’s CEO Pastor Mike Robinson and Director of Operations Mike Willis. Pastor Mike and Mike sit down with Staci to discuss common misconceptions for unhoused individuals, the struggles of acquiring identification, and helping unhoused youth continue their education.
 

“[Catholic education has] shifted more to that way of self control and using your abilities as a young student to go out and make change and have the discipline to worry about not just yourself, but others in your community.” 
-Julie Soffner
Today’s guests are Julie Soffner, Executive Director of the Today and Tomorrow Educational Foundation and Emily Roth, Principal of St. Cecilia Catholic School. Julie and Emily sit down with Staci to discuss the benefits of a Catholic education, myths about faith based education, and helping families find a sense of belonging in their schooling.

“Lots of schools offer lots of things for all children, but you really just need to focus on, like, what can this school do for my child? How can this school best serve my child to be  better and fully independent?” 
-Samantha Montgomery
 
Today’s guests are Samantha Montgomery,  Director of Service Coordination for the St. Louis Office for Developmental Disability Resources. Samantha sits down with Staci to discuss how she advocates for children with Developmental Disabilities and important advice for parents navigating the school system.