City Academy 2018 Graduation Alumnus Speech | Kendall McLemore ’12 (Priory ’18)
Today I want to talk briefly about mottos or, as some people call them, mantras. A motto is a short sentence or phrase chosen to encapsulate the beliefs or ideals guiding an individual, family, or institution. At each point in my life I had a different motto that pushed me through. After watching Finding Nemo, my motto was “just keep swimming.” I stuck with it throughout my career at City Academy. I just kept moving and telling myself there is a pot of gold at the end of this journey…I know I’m moving towards something great. And I’ll tell you, City Academy sets you up for something great. Everyone who graduates from here moves on to impact their school and the world around them.
2018 Graduation Speech by Jeremiah Clay ’18 (MICDS ’24)
Good evening my name is Jeremiah Clay.
I stand here today ecstatic at the young man that I have grown into over the years. You see, I was the little boy that spent most days with a visit to the office. The only thing that would calm my soul was a Good Ole’ Book.
Volunteers from Whitfield School and John Burroughs School
This spring, two very special visitors have been around City Academy. You may find on the field playing kickball, in the classroom assisting our students, or in the library helping pack up our books for renovations to our current facility.
Josh (John Burroughs School ’18) and Jordan (Whitfield School ’18) are high school seniors atJohn Burroughs Schooland Whitfield School. As a capstone project to their high school experiences, they each followed their passion to connect with students by selecting City Academy as their internship site.
Second grade video project connects history, language arts, and STEAM!
Second grade recently completed a unit on St. Louis history. This unit was an extension of their ongoing study of figurative language. The class began the history unit by learning about St. Louis. Through this unit, students discovered meaning of the symbols of our city’s flag, the confluence, and the geography of the area.
Second graders also examined past and present photographs of the riverbank. They were surprised to see how it has changed over many years due to flooding!
For City Academy students, an overnight field trip to Shaw Nature Reserve is a right of passage.
The Missouri Botanical Garden Shaw Nature Reservehas been a longtime community partner with City Academy. For over ten years, they have hosted third-sixth grade students on overnight field trips. These trips, led by our science teacher and STEAM coordinator, Erik Taylor, have provided hands-on experience of Missouri’s native ecosystems to students.
April is School Library Month! We’re celebrating our library, librarian, and literacy programs all month (and year) long.
The City Academylibrary is home to nearly 14,000 titles. But our library is more than just books, thanks to Librarian and Tech Integration Coordinator, Marybeth Huff.
Marybeth Huff, City Academy School Librarian and Tech Integration Coordinator
Marybeth has been with City Academy for the past ten years. In that ten years, Marybeth has been at the center of encouraging our students to become life-long learners. She has ensured the success of not only our literacy program but as the Tech Integration Coordinator, has implemented programs such as Coding and Digital Citizenship. This modern library approach provides books in many ways for the students, from overflow books going to each classroom, to a new plan this May for open e-books (free online books) and tumble books (audio books).
Early childhood students codingStudents enjoying the sun in our library
Multiple programs have led to our students’ literary success. The Accelerated Reader Program provides readers a challenge based upon the difficulty of the book. After reading a book, students take a reading comprehension test, even as early as in kindergarten.
Additionally, City Academy partners with Bring Me a Book Foundationto provide students with current hardback picture books. Bring Me A Book also makes possible our take-home book program in junior kindergarten and kindergarten. Through this program, Early Childhood students take home four books each week to read at home with their family.
Marybeth empowers our students to be strong, independent readers. She provides space for students to investigate their own interests and discover reading material relative to their curiosities.
“We need to be good stewards of our land. There are little things we can do to make a huge difference.” – Ann Luciani, Early Childhood STEAM Teacher
In honor of Earth Day, City Academy students have spent the last few weeks in nature. They have been creating anti-litter posters and collecting trash around City Academy. Though today is a day we celebrate nationwide, for our students, “Earth Day is every day,” says Ann Luciani, Early Childhood STEAM Teacher. In an attempt to effect change and help keep St. Louis City clean, students wrote letters to Mayor Krewson.
Why City Academy is Important To Me by Megan Chaney Walker and Daphne (4th grade student)
We’re celebrating our volunteers during National Volunteer Week (April 15-21, 2018)! One long-time volunteer, Megan Chaney Walker, has been volunteering as a mentor for many years. She also serves on our Marketing Committee and is a regular attendee at Buddy Morning.
Each week, Megan mentors and tutors 4th grade student, Daphne. Megan has been tutoring Daphne since Daphne was in our Early Childhood program!
This school year, all City Academy students are participating in Writer’s Workshop. This is an industry standard that emphasizes the styles and ideas of writing. Writer’s Workshop was championed by teachers as a way to promote the importance of writing. Writer’s Workshop also helps students develop their reading skills.
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