March 2019 SLM

The Hyper-Connected Qui Tran St. Louis’ Very Own Google p.86

The Ultimate Guide to Spring and Summer Arts 50+ Concerts, Shows & Exhibits You Won’t Want to Miss p.79

March 2019

SCHOOLS How education is evolving in a world that moves at breakneck speed

PLUS:

K E Y S TAT S ON 200+ SCHOOLS, K– C O L L E G E

p.58

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When it comes to your

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FEATURES

mar19

VOLUME 25 / ISSUE 3

58 Lesson Plans A look at how education is evolving in St. Louis

By Jeannette Cooperman, Jarrett Medlin, Samantha Stevenson, Alexandra Vollman, and Sandra Zak

P.

79

The Fine Arts

A guide to the best of the city’s culture scene, March through August

By Amanda Woytus

P.

86

Quintessentially Qui

It’s not just the pho at Mai Lee and Nudo House that’s therapeutic. Eating at a Qui Tran restaurant is like coming home. How, in a profession famous for tantrums and scathing insults, does he stay so sweet?

By Jeannette Cooperman

March 2019 stlmag.com

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D E PA R TM E N T S

VOLUME 25 / ISSUE 3

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From the Editor

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47 Rockin’ Fried Chicken

A favorite at Rockwell Beer

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48 Sooo-weet!

The Chocolate Pig brings bountiful portions and

approachable pricing to the Cortex district.

29 E

ELEMENTS

13

March On

Meet the young activists still taking on guns.

14 By the Numbers

Guns in Missouri 16 Space Invaders

Missouri’s newest residents are loners, but don’t

worry—they won’t bite.

18 Bar Star

The shots have changed, but this McGurk’s

bartender remains.

Living Coral Look for the Pantone Color of the Year under the sea and on the runway.

32 Thoughtful Adornment

Shayba Diaz Muhammad is the designer behind

Mahnal, a line of minimalist brass jewelry.

50

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34 Party Pics

Stray Rescue’s Hope for the Holidays Gala,

Chamber Music Society of St. Louis’

10th Anniversary Gala

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50 Drink of Thrones

The hit HBO series inspires a Diageo whisky collection.

ANGLES

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Döner and Blitz ’Em Balkan Treat Box’s savory street food wins over Webster Groves.

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52 El Segundo

The modern Mexican restaurant gets a reboot

at the MX downtown.

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54 Hot Spots

Kemoll’s, 808 Maison, Copia, and more 55 Ins, Outs & Almosts

Kimchi Guys, Il Palato, Café Coeur, and more 56 Blue Notes

Niche alum Nick Blue rewrites the menu at

Boundary at The Cheshire.

21

Cast Away

Rachel Whiteread’s sculptures are artwork turned inside out.

24 Top 10

Mardi Gras, Mariah Carey, John Mellencamp,

and more

37

Luke Babich

Crossing the divide

26 Show and Tell

Mike Gabrawy’s latest film isn’t just about

commercial success.

40 Seeing More

A B&B in Waterloo is staffed by people with

cognitive disabilities, and the model could

set precedent.

27 Listmaker

The Altruists by Andrew Ridker

44 Cave City

A look back at Cherokee Cave’s heyday

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St. Louis Sage

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mar19

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

VOLUME 25 / ISSUE 3

EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Jarrett Medlin Deputy Editor Amanda Woytus Staff Writer Jeannette Cooperman Dining Editor George Mahe Associate Editor Samantha Stevenson Digital Media Manager Steph Zimmerman Contributing Writers Holly Fann, Dave Lowry, Megan Mertz, William C. Meyers, Stefene Russell, Sarah C. Truckey, Alexandra Vollman, Sandra Zak Intern Elizabeth Rund ART & PRODUCTION Design Director Tom White Art Director Emily Cramsey Designer Elizabeth Gladney Sales & Marketing Designer Monica Lazalier Production Manager Dave Brickey Staff Photographer Kevin A. Roberts Contributing Photographers & Illustrators Diane Anderson, DOOOM, Wesley Law, Britt Spencer, Peter Sucheski Stylist Ana Dattilo ADVERTISING Account Executives Chad Beck, Jill Gubin, Brian Haupt, Carrie Mayer, Kim Moore, Liz Schaefer, Dani Toney Sales & Marketing Coordinator Elaine Hoffmann Digital Advertising Coordinator Blake Hunt MARKETING Director of Special Events Jawana Reid CIRCULATION Circulation Manager Dede Dierkes Circulation Coordinator Teresa Foss BUSINESS Business Manager Carol Struebig

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscription rate is $19.95 for 12 issues of St. Louis Magazine, six issues of Design STL, and two issues of St. Louis Family. Call 314-918-3000 to place an order or to inform us of a change of address. For corporate and group subscription rates, contact Teresa Foss at 314-918-3030.

ONLINE CALENDAR Call 314-918-3000, or email Amanda Woytus at awoytus@stlmag.com. (Please include “Online Calendar” in the subject line.) Or submit events at stlmag.com/events/submit.html.

MINGLE To inquire about event photos, email Emily Cramsey at ecramsey@stlmag.com.

(Please include “Mingle” in the subject line.)

What was your favorite class in school?

“A philosophy course at SLU that was usually taken by young Jesuits. It took months to figure out how to get the professor to call on me; I felt duty bound to ace it.” —Jeannette Cooperman, staff writer “High school chemistry, specifically the labs, where the temptation was always to add more of everything, hoping for a little more smoke or a little more fire.” —George Mahe, dining editor

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send letters to jmedlin@stlmag.com.

MARKETING AND EVENTS For information about special events, contact Jawana Reid at 314-918-3026 or jreid@stlmag.com.

ADVERTISING To place an ad, contact Elaine Hoffmann at 314-918-3002 or ehoffmann@stlmag.com.

DISTRIBUTION Call Dede Dierkes at 314-918-3006.

Subscription Rates: $19.95 for one year. Call for foreign subscription rates.

Frequency: Monthly. Single Copies in Office: $5.46. Back Issues: $7.50 by mail (prepaid). Copyright 2019 by St. Louis Magazine LLC. All rights are reserved. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts may be submitted but must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. ©2019 by St. Louis Magazine. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1600 S. Brentwood, Suite 550 St. Louis, MO 63144 314-918-3000 | Fax 314-918-3099 stlmag.com

“‘The Age of Dinosaurs’ at Mizzou— a geology credit that, while fun, was far more challenging than one would think.” —Kevin A. Roberts, staff photographer

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mar19

FROM THE EDITOR

VOLUME 25 / ISSUE 3

Certain Dooom Don’t be fooled by the name. U.K.-based DOOOM creates whimiscal illustractions for brands (Landyachtz, Hype), bands (Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco), and mags (SHK, SLM— specifically, this month’s schools feature).

HERE’S A LESSON for college students that might seem coun-

terintuitive: In the Age of Automation, it turns out, soft skills matter more than ever.

In fact, the Harvard Business Review recently listed such traits as emotional competence, connections, and an ethical compass as “skills that can not only make you unable to be automated, but will make you employable no matter what the future holds.” As one educator put it in this month’s education feature (p. 58), “Programmers can do amazing things with robotics and AI, but unless they understand ethics, we’re all in trouble.” Yes, the same students making all that automation possible must be able to read emotions, to understand context, to build connections.

So what, exactly, does that look like? Well, it looks a lot like restaurateur Qui Tran, whom writer Jeannette Cooperman profiles in this issue (p. 86).

Tran, whose family came here as refugees from Vietnam in 1979, faced uncertainty from the start. At age 8, he was already helping his mother take dinner orders at her Vietnamese restaurant, Mai Lee, where he quickly learned to bridge cultural differences. Today, his friends and staff— and even the ingredients on his menus—represent a blend of backgrounds and influences.

Tran’s tight with both the city’s top chefs (Gerard Craft, Kevin Nashan) and famous expats (restaurateur Danny Meyer, UFC champ Tyron Woodley), but he’s also just as likely to strike up a conversation with a new face at Mai Lee’s bar. “He’s our Sam Malone,” says his friend Mike Emerson, co-founder of Pappy’s Smokehouse. “Knows everybody by name.”

A onetime international business major, Tran’s never

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Whisky While You Work An avid collector of dark spirits, SLM contributor William C. Meyers is catching up on Game of Thrones before the final season airs next month.

This month, his interests intersect (p. 50).

stopped learning. In preparing to open Nudo House, he sought out one of the world’s foremost ramen experts to learn the science behind the broth and noodles. “He soaks up knowledge, ideas, and techniques from every chef he meets,” Cooperman notes, “and when he cooks, he’s a whirl of concentrated energy.”

That energy fuels a work ethic that’s practically unrivaled. “I sent him a quote once that said 5 a.m. is the magical hour because great people are either going to bed or getting up,” says Emerson. “Qui is the only guy I know who falls into both categories.”

Somehow, despite the lack of sleep, his EQ’s off the charts. Tran practices martial arts—and once disarmed an angry kitchen worker with a knife—but he prefers to listen, to emphasize dignity and respect, to look for common ground.

And when it comes to finding common ground, the best place to start is often over a cold drink and a hot meal. As Tran knows, good food can break down barriers, transcend cultures, land you on the cover of Food & Wine. With time and thought, even ramen can be elevated to an art form.

One more lesson that college students can appreciate.

Who Tops Your A-List?

Visit stlmag.com/alist to vote for your faves in SLM’s A-List Readers’ Choice Awards.

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GUNS BY THE NUMBERS p.14 S P A C E I N VA D E R S p.16 B A R S TA R p.18

GATEWAY

From left, Ceasefire’s Hannah Brown, Mae McConnell Curry, and Morgan Lowe

MARCH ON TOPIC

A

Meet the young activists still taking on guns.

BY AMANDA WOYTUS

Photography by Sunny Lu

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IT’S HARD TO fight a monster you

can’t see. That’s the motto adopted by 21-year-old Mae McConnell Curry, an advocate who worked with the March for Our Lives movement last year and co-founded Ceasefire STL. The monster is guns, largely untracked in Missouri, where there’s no requirement to register firearms.

March 2019 stlmag.com

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TOPIC A

when one person was wounded, two decades after the next most recent school shooting.)

Last year, there were 287 shooting homicides in the city, county, and Metro East, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

As of late January, the St. Louis police had tallied 11 firearmrelated homicides.

Along with teaching city children violence de-escalation tactics, Ceasefire is writing legislation that would require anyone who brings a firearm into the state to catalog it. If passed, the bill would provide information about how many firearms are in the state, what types, who has them, and where they’re coming from. The bill is a stepping stone, says Brown. If passed, it will allow Ceasefire to implement “different solutions to gun vioA year after more than 10,000 St. lence and open it up for other Louisans marched downtown and people to do research.” demanded change in the wake of Ceasefire’s partner on the proListen the school shooting in Parkland, posed legislation is state RepreUp Florida, young activists want sentative Bruce Franks (D-78th), Ceasefire STL activists more accountability from owners who’s fine-tuning the bill’s lanwere featured as part of of firearms, and they’ve decided guage before filing it. He’s introTime magazine’s “Guns in America” feature. it’s not enough to only address duced similar legislation; one Listen to their stories on mass-casualty events. Their new bill, which he’s refiling this sesTwitter @CeasefireSTL. target: everyday shootings. sion, would require a gun owner Before Ceasefire’s launch last to report the loss of a firearm to July, McConnell Curry and colaw enforcement within 72 hours. founders 22-year-old Morgan Lowe and 18-year“One thing about young people, they’re going old Hannah Brown worked with March for Our to call you out, they’re going to push forward, and Lives leaders like David Hogg. But “it just kind they got a lot of energy,” says Franks, a social of felt like the goals were different, because gun justice demonstrator who lost a brother to gun violence looks different in the kinds of neighbor- violence as a child. When the Ceasefire activists hoods they’re talking about versus the kinds of approached him, he recalls, they said, “We’re not gun violence that happens in St. Louis,” says just going to concentrate on mass shootings or McConnell Curry. “There’s a difference between shootings that happen in a public area. We’re also the kind of person who has experienced a mass going to concentrate on communities of color shooting versus the kind of person who experithat go through this every day.” ences everyday gun violence in St. Louis, parSays Brown: “More than anything, one of our ticularly at the hands of police and particularly major goals is to use our platform from March for in impoverished neighborhoods.”

Our Lives to elevate the voices of people who are “With this movement, it put the spotlight on being affected all the time and people who have school shootings,” Lowe adds, “and the thing is, been fighting this issue for such a long time.” that’s not the majority of shootings.” (In St. Louis, the most recent school shooting was in 2013, March for Our Lives rally in St. Louis on March 24, 2018

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BY THE NUMBERS

GUNS IN MISSOURI

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1,307

Number of firearmrelated deaths in Missouri in 2017, up from 1,144 in 2016

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650

Number of firearmrelated suicides in Missouri in 2016. There were 1,133 total suicides that same year.

48

Missouri’s gun law strength ranking out of 50, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. The policy organization gave the state an F for its weak gun laws, placing it in the top three worst states for gun laws.

25

Percent increase in firearm-related deaths and injuries since repealing a permit-topurchase law in 2007

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Minimum age to buy a long gun in Missouri

SOURCES: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence

Photography by Austin Steele/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP

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WARNING: GRAPHIC

15–23 IN.

The nine-banded armadillos spotted in Missouri are the size of house cats, have a life span of five years in the wild, and have shells a little softer than that of a turtle. They’re non-monogamous and travel alone, so you won’t find a family of armadillos camping out in your backyard (and babies leave their mothers around six months anyway).

If you see a dead armadillo on the side of a highway, it was most likely not crushed but instead hit: These critters instinctively jump in the face of danger— aligning them perfectly with the grill of a midsize vehicle.

“People ask, ‘Can I just shoot them?’ and the answer is no,” says Meister. “You cannot kill them just because they’re there.”

Space Invaders

Missouri’s newest residents are loners, but don’t worry— they won’t bite.

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You should definitely not eat armadillo. Their low body temperature is ideal for cultivating the bacterium that causes leprosy, which can only be passed on to humans if the meat is ingested.

Armadillos can walk on the bottom of a river or creek for up to six minutes with one breath, and they can inflate their intestines, allowing them to swim.

Although armadillos are mammals and therefore warm-blooded, they have a low body temperature, hence their intolerance of cold weather.

This feature also helps slow their metabolism, meaning that they need less to eat.

The animals have strong snouts and claws to dig for their food or to seek cover. They eat mostly grubs and insects, says Meister, but “they may not pass up a lizard or a worm.”

Their burrowing tendencies can be a nuisance for property owners, but Meister says the animals help oxygenate the soil.

Armadillos till your land for free!

Armadillos have terrible eyesight and hearing and rely on their noses and fine whiskers on their bellies to guide them through terrain and toward food.

They have no canines, so they can’t bite anything. Their teeth are merely little posts used for grinding.

TWENTY YEARS AGO, the sight of an armadillo in Missouri was nearly unheard of.

But thanks to increasingly mild winters, the cold-intolerant invasive species continues to creep north from Texas, with tracked sightings primarily in the southern half of Missouri, but a few individuals have been reported as far north as the Missouri-Iowa state line. The sightings have increased so much, news reports say that Missouri is “on the cusp of the armadillo invasion.” Don’t panic just yet.

Although Tom Meister, wildlife damage biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, says his direct contact with armadillos has been minimal, his job is to educate landowners on how to deal with the burrowing mammal and, of course, provide fun facts to curious readers. Here’s what to know should you encounter one of our new funny-looking friends from the Lone Star State. —SARAH C. TRUCKEY Illustration by Peter Sucheski

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G AT E WAY

Bar Star

The shots have changed, but this McGurk’s bartender remains.

How is St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland different from here? Back home, we’d go to Mass, break Lent [the Lenten fast] and have a treat, then walk around the Holy Well in Glenvar. You might go to the bar at night.

We don’t wear green.

Other than on St. Patrick’s Day, are you sure to find a few Irish people at the bar? There’s always a few Irish people here, whether it’s me or musicians. It’s a good place for Irish to go and meet their own. Sometimes you just want to talk about Ireland and not be the storyteller. You have to put a different spin on it when you’re talking to a local.

Has the crowd changed much over your 26 years here? Yes and no. We get politicians, hockey players, regulars from the neighborhood, and a lot of Irish people, even if they’re only passing through. McGurk’s is good for young people, and the bands are a little more rocking.

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INSIDE INFO

WHEN JOHNNY “LUCKY” McAteer moved to St. Louis from

Kerrykeel, County Donegal, Ireland, 26 years ago, he wanted to get into construction—but a friend put him in touch with McGurk’s in Soulard. He started out as a bar-back but made his way up the ladder pretty quickly. “I guess I got lucky,” the 51-year-old says. Is that how he got his nickname? He laughs.

“I’m not even sure how I got the name.” In any case, if your plans for St. Patrick’s Day include a trip to McGurk’s, you’re in for a good time. “St. Patrick’s Day is kind of our holiday at McGurk’s,” he says. “The vibe here is good. It’s the one day where people can say they’re Irish and get away with it. It can make me a little homesick.”

Do customers’ drink orders change? Every year, new kids come in, and so do new shots.

But they’re the exact same ones from 10 years ago—they just have new names.

If you had your own pub, what would it be like? I’d show Gaelic football and hurling, have Irish newspapers, and serve Irish breakfast and shepherd’s pie. I’d have music and bar snacks—Tayto crisps, chocolate, and Club Orange.

Do you get on better with the older customers, or the younger ones? It’s different for different people.

One night, I served a young man a $4 Budweiser, and he gave me a $20 and told me to keep the change. I said I couldn’t take it, and he replied, “I was always told to respect my elders.” Later that evening, a large group came in and a guy at the bar said to me, “You’ll lose some weight tonight waiting on all those people.”

So I was called fat and old in the same night.

What’s the best part about your job? There’s something different every day—you never know who’s going to walk in. And when someone thanks me.

—AS TOLD TO SARAH C. TRUCKEY

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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March 1–3 A weekend of unique floral arrangements inspired by the Museum’s collection, as well as floral-inspired events, dining, shopping, family fun, and much more.

Free Museum admission. Tickets required for featured events.

Presented by

slam.org/Bloom

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Sponsored by

#ArtInBloom

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AG E N DA p.24 SHOW AND TELL p.26 READ THIS NOW p.27

RHYTHM

PRELUDE

CAST AWAY

Rachel Whiteread’s sculptures are artwork turned inside out.

BY SAMANTHA STEVENSON

Rachel Whiteread, English, born 1963; “Untitled (Violet),” 2012; Galleria Lorcan O'Neill. Image courtesy the artist/ Gagosian, London/ Luhring Augustine, New York/ Galleria Lorcan O’Neill

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RHYTHM PRELUDE

ON DISPLAY Don’t-miss works at ‘Rachel Whiteread’

HE TRAIL OF art, starting on the southwest lawn in the Saint Louis Art Museum’s Grace Taylor Broughton Sculpture Garden, seemingly ends with a large electrical box and a parking lot. If it weren’t for a nameplate placed a few steps away, Detached III—a large concrete casting of a garden shed’s interior by British artist Rachel Whiteread, obtained

by SLAM in 2017—might blend in. But soon, more works by Whiteread will populate the museum.

“Rachel Whiteread,” on view starting March 17, features more than 90 pieces by the sculptor, the first woman to win the prestigious Turner Prize.

The upcoming visiting exhibit is the first retrospective of Whiteread’s 30-year career. Unlike the other shows, the St. Louis leg is organized chronologically, following Whiteread’s career through ever-so-subtle changes, up to her 2017 papier-mâché project Wall (Apex).

Whiteread has made a name in the art world for “mummifying” the air, as she once put it. Her sculptures are castings of domestic objects—toilet paper rolls, bathtubs, bookshelves—or of the negative space we can’t see, in such materials as rubber, concrete, resin, and dental plaster.

“She’s creating these ghostly, uncanny objects from things we encounter every day in our lives,” says assistant curator of modern and contemporary art Hannah Klemm.

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FYI See 'Rachel Whiteread' March 17–June 9 at the Saint Louis Art Museum.

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This is most visible in her Untitled (TwentyFive Spaces), large resin blocks in a range of oranges, greens, and reds, presented in a fiveby-five square. Whiteread’s artwork is often not what it seems. The blocks are actually castings of the spaces beneath chairs, with the ridges of the seats visible and indentations left by the legs in the corners.

“There’s a moment where you have to think about what something is. Is it a sculpture of, you know, XYZ? Then you start to think about it,” Klemm says. “Oftentimes it’s that she’s cast the air surrounding an object or the interior of something as simple as a toilet paper roll or a cardboard box you’d find in your medicine cabinet.”

Curator of modern and contemporary art at the museum Simon Kelly says works by Whiteread are “very reductive in terms of its forms. It’s very geometrical, but it adds a lot of personal political meaning.” Meaning here is often added through repetition, as in Twenty-Five Spaces, which the museum will house in its own room, intensifying its haunting quality, or with the use of domestic items as metaphors for Whiteread’s life. In Closet, she cast a closet like one she hid in as a child.

“The objects are sort of anthropomorphic,” Klemm says, “but your experience with them is like you’re completing that memory as well as you relate to these bathtubs, tables, and chairs.”

Detached III, 2012 Part of a series of concrete sculptures, this casting of a garden shed was obtained by the museum in 2017, resides in the Sculpture Garden on the southwest lawn, and didn’t travel to any of the other museum’s exhibitions.

Line Up, 2007–2008 Inspired by her children’s toys and small-scale objects, Whiteread created these colorful castings of the interiors of toilet paper rolls. “The colored objects are a beautiful moment where technology had changed enough that these really brightly colored resins were so readily available to her,” Klemm says.

Untitled (Violet), 2012 As the name suggests, a sliver of violet pops against this work's metallic background.

Comprising silver leaf, cardboard, celluloid, and graphite on paper, this is one of Whiteread’s flat masterpieces and is similar to two other 2012 works—one with a touch of blue, the other green.

Photography courtesy of Saint Louis Art Museum

1/30/19 5:03 PM

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March 2019 stlmag.com

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RHYTHM AGENDA

Mar 10 THINGS TO DO

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

1

“We Belong Together” songstress Mariah Carey struts into town, touring in support of Caution, her 15th studio album.

Rolling Stone calls the new offering “pure hip-hop-leaning pop bliss” and “thrillingly current.” March 16.

Stifel Theatre, stifel theatre.com.

2

He’s fronted such bands as Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin and has two albums under his belt with solo endeavor Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. We’re not sure what he is in civilization, but in

the wilderness McMahon is melancholy, whimsical, and poetic.

March 7. The Pageant, thepageant.com.

3

“Angry comic” and longtime Daily Show contributor Lewis Black’s The Joke’s on US Tour showcases the comedian’s love of rants and political gibes. March 22. Stifel Theatre, stifeltheatre.com.

5

The vibe will be global for two nights at The Grandel as choreographers with international roots—from Chile to Slovakia, Ecuador to Japan—create short

4

Meet Jenna, Broadway’s Waitress and skilled pie maker. Looking for a way out of town and her marriage, she enters a baking contest, and what ensues is something Entertainment Weekly calls “a little slice of heaven.” March 26–April 7.

Fox Theatre, fabulousfox.com.

stlmag.com March 2019

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John Mellencamp’s latest album, Other People’s Stuff, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums in December.

The heartland rocker’s supporting tour has been tagged The John Mellencamp Show, and with a career like his, that’s enough to pull any crowd. March 12. Stifel Theatre, stifeltheatre.com.

10

Often compared to Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra, Michael Bublé makes a case (with four Grammys and 60 million albums sold) for being considered one of the greatest crooners around.

His latest album, Love, and tour highlight Bublé’s best talent: the romantic serenade.

March 22. Enterprise Center, enterprise center.com.

contemporary works for Saint Louis Ballet dancers at Ballet Beyond Borders.

March 1 & 2. The Grandel, stlouis ballet.org.

6

Laissez les bon temps rouler as we celebrate our French roots at Soulard’s famed Mardi Gras (March 2, stlmardi gras.org). Then, take in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade (March 16, irishparade.org) or Ancient Order of Hibernians Parade (March 17, stl hibernians.com).

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9

7

English writer E.M. Forster carried on a 40-year love triangle with younger policeman Bob Buckingham and his wife, who eventually became Forster’s friend and nurse. The unlikely arrangement serves as inspiration for The Rep’s Nonsense and Beauty. March 6–24.

Repertory Theatre St. Louis, repstl.org.

8

Grammynominated clarinetist/saxophonist Anat Cohen, says a New York Times reviewer, can “conjure a deep, soulful melancholy.” She and her quartet blend a multitude of styles, including modern jazz, Brazilian choro, and Argentine tango.

February 27–March 3. Ferring Jazz Bistro, jazzstl.org.

Photography by Philicia Endelman, Jon Gitchoff

2/4/19 12:06 PM

March 2019 stlmag.com

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S T UQD&I O RHYTHM A

PICK THREE More Gabrawy films to check out

Stealing Time, 2001 The drama centers on three recent college grads who move to Los Angeles and come up with a plan to rob a bank. One of the producer’s first projects, it stars fellow St. Louisan Scott Foley, “sporting an Imo’s T-shirt in one scene,” Gabrawy notes.

SHOW AND TELL

Mike Gabrawy’s latest film isn’t just about commercial success.

BY AMANDA WOYTUS

T

HIS IS VERY much like serendipity

and divine intervention.” St. Louis native and producer Mike Gabrawy is describing the moment when the pieces fell into place for his latest film, Hotel Mumbai. November 26–29, 2008, 10 Pakistani terrorists from the group Lashkar-e-Taiba laid siege to the Indian city of Mumbai. At the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel alone (the setting of the movie), 31 were killed, The head of Gabrawy’s company, Arclight Films, had been due to check into the hotel before the attacks began. After he was held up in Thailand, he got the idea that what had happened in Mumbai could be a movie. But it would take some inspiration from a documentary (Surviving Mumbai) and the right director (Anthony Maras) before Hotel Mumbai would come to be—and when it did, it would be about more than the hard facts of those four days.

Hotel Mumbai is one of the films Gabrawy— whose first gig was working a screen test for Michael Bay’s Bad Boys—is most proud of, not just because he thinks it will be a commercial success FYI Hotel Mumbai opens nationwide on March 29.

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but also because it reveals something about the human condition. Starring Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) and Armie Hammer (Call Me by Your Name), it tells the story of the hotel staffers who risked their lives to protect their guests when the terrorists stormed the property.

“It’s this unbelievable situation where you had hotel staff who were able to leave; some of them did leave and then came back to the hotel because they said they couldn’t leave their guests,” he says.

Gabrawy sees this film as special because it shows both sides of the terror attack. “Victims are being terrorized, as well as the kids who are perpetrating these atrocities,” he says. “They’re victims in a different way, and they’re being manipulated. These kids are put in these horrible situations and forced to do horrible things.”

It feels a long way from Bad Boys, but the producer says: “The films that move me—when I see a film like 22 July, docudramas seem to touch me.

I feel like that’s where my heart lies, finding a way to glimpse humanity through a difficult event.”

Jungle, 2017 In this film based on a true story, Daniel Radcliffe plays Yossi Ghinsberg, a backpacker who gets lost in the Bolivian rainforest. “It’s as much a survival thriller as this spiritual journey of him finding himself and his purpose in life,” Gabrawy says, “and that movie touched me in that I could make something that’s both commercial and creatively satisfying and inspiring.”

Triple Threat, 2019 Set for release in March, this action flick stars Tony Jaa, Tiger Chen, and Iko Uwais, three of Asia’s best martial artists. A group of amateur mercenaries must stop a cadre of sophisticated assassins before they carry out a hit on a billionaire’s daughter.

“Pure popcorn indulgence,” Gabrawy says.

Photography by Kerry Monteen, courtesy of Bleecker Street

1/30/19 5:04 PM

Read This Now T H E A LT R U I S T S

When Andrew Ridker graduated from Wa s h i n g t o n Un i versity and moved to New York City to work in publishing, he noticed that he had complicated feelings about his peers who were making bank working in finance jobs and about his less well-off friends doing good at places like Teach for America. He was doing neither. “I had to look at myself and say, ‘Why are these things troubling me so much?’” he says. “I think part of it was working in a sort of inbetween place.”

It was from that in-between place that Ridker wrote his “super brilliant, super funny” (in Gary Shteyngart’s words) debut novel, The Altruists, set largely in St. Louis and out March 5.

Maggie, a graduate of the fictitious Danforth University (read: Wash. U.), moves to NYC and works low-lowpaying nonprofit internships before becoming a part-time nanny. She has an inheritance from her mother, Francine, but refuses to spend it. Her older brother, Ethan, does the opposite— and now he’s broke. But the beauty of Ridker’s book lies in their widower boomer father, Arthur, an academic at Danforth who never achieved tenure and whose finances are possibly in even worse shape than either Maggie’s or Ethan’s. He needs their help.

It’s a kind of inheritance plot, Ridker says, like the ones from Victorian literature with a dying patriarch, his children and grandchildren rushing to his deathbed to try and curry favor and fortune. But turn the plot on its head, and there you have Arthur, Maggie, and Ethan. —A.W. Ridker discusses The Altruists at 7 p.m. March 19 at Mad Art Gallery (2727 S. 12th).

MUSIC BY SARA BAREILLES “LOVE SONG”, “BRAVE”

Fabulous Fox Theatre • March 26 - April 7

314-534-1111 • MetroTix.com

Now Open!

Free Admission Presented by

Forest Park • mohistory.org March 2019 stlmag.com

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by Anne Taussig

27 1/30/19 5:04 PM

READERS’ CHOICE POLL

2019 24-HOUR RESTAURANT | ACTIVEWEAR | ACTOR | ACTRESS | ALFRESCO DINING | ART FESTIVAL | ART GALLERY | ART MUSEUM | AUTHOR | BBQ | BAKERY/PASTRY SHOP | BAND–COVER | BAND–ORIGINAL | BAR | BARBER SHOP | BED & BREAKFAST | BEER BAR | BIKE SHOP | BIKING SPOT | BLUES PLAYER | BOOKSTORE | BOWLING ALLEY | BOXING CLUB | BREAKFAST | BREWERY | BRUNCH | BURGER | BUSINESS LUNCH | CARDINALS PLAYER | CASINO | CATERER | CHINESE RESTAURANT | CHOCOLATIER | CIGAR BAR | COCKTAIL SELECTION | COFFEEHOUSE COLLEGE SPORTS TEAM | COMEDIAN | COMEDY CLUB | CONCERT VENUE | CRAFTS FESTIVAL | CUPCAKES | DJ | DANCE CLUB | DAY SPA | DELI | DESSERTS | DINER | DISTILLERY | DOG-FRIENDLY DESTINATION | DONUT SHOP | DRIVING RANGE | EVENT VENUE | EYEGLASS STORE | FARMTO-TABLE RESTAURANT | FARMERS’ MARKET | FASHION ACCESSORIES STORE | FEMALE VOCALIST | FESTIVAL | FINE-DINING RESTAURANT | FIRST-DATE RESTAURANT | FLORIST | FOOD EVENT | FOOD TRUCK | FRENCH FRIES | FRENCH RESTAURANT | FRIED CHICKEN | FROZEN CUSTARD | FURNITURE STORE | GIFT SHOP | GLUTEN-FREE MENU | GOLF COURSE | GOOEY BUTTER CAKE | GYM | HAIR SALON | HAPPY HOUR HEALTH & FITNESS CLUB | HEALTH FOOD | HIKING SPOT HISTORICAL SITE | HOT DOG ICE CREAM | INDIAN RESTURANT INSTAGRAMMER | ITALIAN RESTAURANT | JEWELER | KARAOKE BAR | LATE-NIGHT FOOD (NON-DINER) | MALE VOCALIST | MANICURE/PEDICURE | MARGARITA | MARTINI | MASCOT | MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT | MEN’S BOUTIQUE | MEXICAN RESTAURANT | MOVIE THEATER | MUSIC SERIES | NEW BAR | NEW BOUTIQUE | NEW RESTAURANT | NIGHTCLUB | NON-ARTS MUSEUM | NON-PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE | OUTDOOR FITTER/CAMPING STORE | PARADE | PARK | PET BOUTIQUE | PIZZA | PODCAST | RADIO MORNING SHOW | RADIO SPORTS SHOW | RADIO SPORTSCASTER | RADIO TALK SHOW HOST | REALITY SHOW STAR | RECORD STORE | RESALE STORE | RESTAURANT | RESTAURANT TO TAKE OUT-OF-TOWNERS | ROMANTIC RESTAURANT | ROOFTOP BAR | SANDWICH JOINT | SEAFOOD RESTAURANT | SHOE STORE | SPECIALTY FITNESS | SPIN STUDIO | SPORTS BAR | STEAKHOUSE | SUSHI RESTAURANT | TV METEOROLOGIST | TV MORNING SHOW | TV NEWS ANCHORMAN | TV NEWS ANCHORWOMAN | TV SPORTSCASTER | TACOS | TAKE-OUT RESTAURANT | THAI RESTAURANT | THEATER | THEATER GROUP | TRIVIA NIGHT | TWITTER FEED | VEGAN/VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT | VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT | VINTAGE/CONSIGNMENT STORE | VISUAL ARTIST | WEEKEND GETAWAY | WINE BAR | WINERY | WINGS | WOMEN’S BOUTIQUE | YOGA STUDIO |

CAST YOUR VOTES

Let your voice be heard!

Every year, St. Louis Magazine reveals the A-List, our tribute to the top of the town. You weighed in by nominating your favorites.

Now we want to know who will take the crown. The winners will be recognized in the July issue and at a special awards presentation this summer. Voting begins in early March.

Visit stlmag.com/alist to cast your vote.

ELEMENTS_0319.indd 28

Join the conversation. #ALISTSTL

2/4/19 12:12 PM

THOUGHTFUL ADORNMENT p.32 MINGLE p.34

ELEMENTS

UNCH

RANT STARD EARRINGS

G SPOT RESTURANT ER | MALE

Beaded floral statement earrings, $28.

Blush Boutique.

NECKLACE

Natural wooden statement necklace, $38.

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RNING TORE

URANT TRENDING

Living Coral

Look for the Pantone Color of the Year under the sea and on the runway.

BY ANA DATTILO

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

ELEMENTS_0319.indd 29

March 2019 stlmag.com

29 2/4/19 12:12 PM

ELEMENTS TRENDING

1 Machete Lou cuff in Calico, $78.

Machete Architect cuff in Magnolia, $98. Blush Boutique.

Woven straw hat, $165. Fauxgerty.

2

Sage the Label Fiona blouse, $70. Blush Boutique.

Etro Spring 2019 Ready-to-Wear

Inge Christopher wood clutch, $165. Fauxgerty.

Machete Clare earrings in Fortune, $78. Blush Boutique.

The Swinton dress, $180. Fauxgerty.

Free People textured Mont Blanc sandal in Natural, $168.

Blush Boutique.

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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

2/4/19 12:13 PM

SUBSCRIBE TODAY AND SAVE!

Boys & Girls Clubs Upcoming Events TABLE FOR FOUR March 8, 2019

CASINO NIGHT April 27, 2019

JIM BUTLER GOLF TOURNAMENT June 17, 2019

GREAT FUTURES GALA November 2019

Make a donation, volunteer, mentor, register your child or get more information at www.bgcstl.org or call 314.335.8000.

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March 2019 stlmag.com

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ELEMENTS

STYLE PROFILE

Thoughtful Adornment

W

Shayba Diaz Muhammad is the designer behind Mahnal, a line of minimalist brass jewelry.

ITH THE BRASS rings, neck-

laces, earrings, and bracelets of her Mahnal jewelry line, Shayba Diaz Muhammad is encouraging people to lead more intentional lives. After crafting jewelry at home for nearly two years, she moved into a studio near Cherokee Street last year. With each piece, the St. Louis native aims to create a timeless minimalist design that preserves the idea behind it, such as unity or energy. In collaboration with the Arts and Education Council, Muhammad also founded the Makers Program to support local African-American and Latino artists. —MEGAN MERTZ Why Mahnal? I knew I wanted the name to be Arabic because of my own background. Mahnal means “attainment,” “achievement,” and “success.” This is exactly what I want people to feel when they wear my jewelry.

Find Mahnal Jewelry at Union Studio, Future Ancestor, and mahnal.com.

What inspires your work? I get excited looking at ancient jewelry from places like Italy, Egypt, Greece, and different tribal areas. I feel like referencing the past when I pull inspiration is important, because I always want it to have a feeling or a texture. I always want it to tell a story. Sometimes I’ll start with an idea, like wahada [“unity” in Arabic], and I’ll say, “How can I reinterpret that idea into something wearable?”

Tell me more about wahada. My Wahada Collection features simple parallel lines that stack one on top of the other. The idea is two separate entities being joined together as one. I’ve had multiple people come to me and ask for a wedding ring inspired by this, because of the meaning, but it doesn’t necessarily have to represent a couple. It can also represent the duality of our own nature. It’s these sorts of ideas that I infuse into the jewelry; I want people to be contemplative about it and just take a moment to slow down and reflect a little bit, even if it’s just through this small thing on your hand.

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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

2/4/19 12:13 PM

LOOKING FOR HOME INSPIRATION? Visit stlmag.com/design for Design STL’s latest.

INTERIORS & ARCHITECTURE

14th Annual

Authors Brunch A Magical Mystery Tea

April 13, 2019 The Atrium at Edward Jones Featuring international author of the Charles Lenox mysteries,

Charles Finch Presented by

REAL ESTATE

Assistance League of St. Louis for more information: www.alstl.org

SHOPPING

ART & DESIGN

STLMAG.COM/DESIGN March 2019 stlmag.com

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ELEMENTS MINGLE

Tara Hillriegel, Erin Roesler Marianne Osman, Sheri Ryan, Megan Brinker John Moore, Alexa James

David Clayton, Jessica Moore, Chris and Nichole Murphy Krissy Becker, Joann Dunn, Shari Baney

Alphonso Hogan, Kate Pitcher Kim and Dan Noonan Gino Velazquez, Amy Schultz, Dr. Lee Schaufler, Randy Grim, Nicole Bettis, Sue Schultz

SPOTLIGHT Cassady Caldwell executive director, Stray Rescue

Stray Rescue’s Hope for the Holidays Gala

Sable Sinclair, Davante Falls Kyle Kijowski, Leah Schaefer

ON DECEMBER 7, Stray Rescue hosted its 21st annual

Hope for the Holidays Gala at The Chase Park Plaza.

Proceeds went toward the no-kill shelter’s efforts to make St. Louis “a compassionate city where every companion animal knows health, comfort, and affection.”

“This has been an amazing year with so many lives saved and miraculous recoveries, but one thing I have learned is that our hearts are bigger than our budget. This year, the gala is focused around ensuring [we have] medical funding so that we may continue doing what we do best— saving lives.”

Ron and Cheri Fromm

Chamber Music Society of St. Louis’ 10th Anniversary Gala

HONORING SUCH GREATS as Leon-

ard Slatkin and featuring music from award-winning film composers, the Chamber Music Society performed Notes from Hollywood: The Sequel at The Sheldon on December 10. The evening featured an appearance by sports icon Ozzie Smith.

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Miran Halen, Dave and Maria Anderson

Photography by Diane Anderson

1/30/19 3:12 PM

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1/30/19 3:13 PM

HONORING

PRESENTED BY

the heart of

HEALTH CARE

AWARDS REC EP TION THURSDAY, APRIL 18 / 6:00–9:30 P.M. WINDOWS ON WASHINGTON Join St. Louis Magazine for an inspirational evening as we ST. LOUIS MAGAZINE’S 2019

introduce the 2019 Excellence in Nursing finalists and announce the winners. The celebration features hors d’oeuvres, a three-course dinner, cocktails, and music.

INDIVIDUAL TICKET: $100 - or - TABLE OF 10: $1,000

For more information, visit STLMAG.COM/NURSES or call 314.918.3026.

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2/4/19 12:23 PM

WA T E R L O O ’ S SEEMORE INN P. 4 0 B E E R C AV E P. 4 4

ANGLES

Q&A

LUKE BABICH

Crossing the Divide

BY JEANNETTE COOPERMAN

Photography by Wesley Law

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March 2019 stlmag.com

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ANGLES Q&A

O-FOUNDER OF THE real estate startup Clever, which aims to level the playing field by charging lower commission, Luke Babich has all sorts of cultural influences swirling through his considerable brain. His father was born in what was then Yugoslavia, moved with his family to Ethiopia and then New York, studied medicine in California, then came here. Babich grew up in University City, and from middle school on, his closest friends were African-American. He’s come of age with a strong sense of place, a borderline-geeky fascination with the nuts and bolts of local politics, and a rare ability to bridge St. Louis’ divides.

C

What changed in middle school? I made a conscious decision that I was not going to be an introvert anymore. The repeated small difficult things, talking to the person next to you even though you’re awkward and uncomfortable—doing that over a whole year, you can change a lot.

Flynn Park Elementary sat in the white upper-class part of U. City. In middle school, you awaken to the fact that you are part of a larger interdependent society you’d been living in the whole time.

What’s a memory that surfaces from those years? Me, Demetrius, and Willie walking to rehearsal and getting caught in a downpour. We were crossing a muddy field and Willie had these new shoes, some kind of blue suede something, so we figured out a way to get him on our shoulders. Everything else about us was a muddy disaster, and he’s just got these crisp shoes floating above it all.

Beyond race, were your backgrounds different? Our friendship kind of masked those massive differences. When we were together, we didn’t think about it. But I came back every day to two parents who cooked dinner and sat me down and taught me flashcards instead of an empty house waiting for one parent to come back from a second job.

Did you guys talk about those differences?

What I remember was more about the house itself, the Babich house and how nice it is. How slightly walled-off it is, given that Chris had been sent packing multiple times by the police. When I was with them, I would get picked up constantly and asked if I was buying weed. We’d just kind of shake our heads.

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“WE ARE TREATING DIVERSITY AS AN ACCIDENT, NOT AS AN ASSET.”

What values did you guys share? Being able to choose who you spend your life with; making sure the people in your life are the ones you want in your life. Also, Demetrius and I were both oddballs for not wanting to drink in high school. When everybody’s pushing you, and you see somebody who’s comfortable standing there, not banging in the wind, that goes much deeper.

Was it hard leaving home for college? Yeah.

That summer, I’d watched my high school friendships come under great strain for the first time in our lives. I had a really clear set of opportunities, and the friends I’d been seeing day in, day out, for the majority of our waking hours, didn’t.

It was just stark, how unfair it was. [A muscle in his cheek jumps.] I didn’t realize leaving meant I couldn’t come back.

Things would never be the same, you mean?

There wasn’t even a path back. We ended up in walks of life where there were no natural spaces for us to coexist... On December 16, I got home for winter break and messaged [Demetrius]. He messaged me back. And two hours later, I found out he was dead. He’d been shot.

You also ran for U. City’s City Council. I came away from those early experiences thinking that disinterest and dysfunction were crippling University City—that there should have been this local structure that cared when a kid died.

What do you see in St. Louis that you’d like to fix? We are treating diversity as an accident, not as an asset. We talk a lot about political fragmentation, but one of the dangers is, there’s no one with a mandate to talk to the whole city.

Meaning St. Louis city and county? [He nods.] The only way young people mean that word.

Online: At stlmag.com, read about Babich’s dreams for Clever, politics, and real friendship.

Photography by Wesley Law

2/4/19 12:23 PM

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March 2019 stlmag.com

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ANGLES NOTEBOOK

BY JEANNETTE COOPERMAN

I

A B&B in Waterloo is staffed by people with cognitive disabilities, and it has become a model for the nation.

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house with green shutters, built in 1875; the wishing well and picnic table; the patio with a stone cherub fountain; the wheat fields just beyond…

“It was an old house that needed to be fixed,” staffer Sequin Ellis says bluntly. Definitely not a romantic—and yet she’s in love with the place. “They let me go around and see what needed to be done. I thought about the lights, the colors. For me, it needed painting.” She pauses. “See, I didn’t have nobody. I was by myself. I don’t like to keep leaving; I’m a person that don’t like to leave home.”

Now completely renovated, this place couldn’t be homier. Christened The SeeMore Inn, it’s owned by Human Support Services, a behavioral healthcare agency in Waterloo that provides comprehensive services to people living with developmental disabilities, mental illness, or addiction. The eventual plan is for three clients to live and work (for pay) on the property. The home will be the first of its kind in Illinois.

Guests are already booking, and Ellis greets them by saying, “Welcome to my house. I know all the details of this whole house.” Co-worker Rachel Draves sends people off on their weekend explorations with a cheerful “Enjoy your nice day.”

Innkeeper Glenda Bauza takes reservations; oversees the cooking, serving, cleaning, and laundry—and does a lot of listening: “When clients start work, some are nervous and scared. Then all of a sudden they can remember everybody’s name, which I can’t even do, and they’re so happy to be working here. I love seeing that progression.”

The B&B’s name came from a remark

by Robert Hensel. Weary of being seen as a guy with spina bifida, he executed the longest wheelie in known history—6.178 miles—in his wheelchair.

“There is no greater disability in society,” he announced, “than the inability to see a person as more.”

The inn came about, says HSS executive director Anne King, when they started hunting for a new threePhotography by Kevin A. Roberts

2/4/19 12:23 PM

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ANGLES NOTEBOOK

BY JEANNETTE COOPERMAN

bedroom home. “We’d received an anonymous donation. Then we drove by and saw that the old Waterloo Inn was for sale.”

Why not combine living in the community with working in the community?

Until very recently, adults with developmental disabilities had a pretty set life. They’d live in a group home and work in very sheltered settings, doing piecework or janitorial work. HSS still has a workshop—it’s a great training ground, and the workcan be soothing and satisfying.

Linda Lee Darnell works there on occasion—but she also works at McDonald’s and the SeeMore Inn. “My parents found out in the hospital that I had polio and that I was handicapped,” she says, “so they knew they had to take good care of me.” Did she like school?

“Oh, yeah! I met all the kids there.

After we grew up, my dad and my mom got divorced. Fallin’-out deal. And my dad married again, but something happened there—my stepmom didn’t want me in the picture.” Darnell rubs her arm. “I told my dad, ‘I’m moving out.’ I gave her her wish. So I moved to Human Support Services. Then my mom and dad both died, so they’re out of the picture.”

Darnell likes cooking, “anything they can teach me,” and she likes “working for money, because I can buy what I want. I can’t steal. I don’t want to do that!”

King says many HSS clients now make minimum wage or more “at McDonald’s, for the city of Waterloo, at Walmart, at the country club.

Employers are calling, saying, ‘I’ll take two or three more workers.’ Job coaches go with them for as long as necessary, then fade out. Now, instead of just making friends with HSS staff, clients are developing real friendships with co-workers and customers.”

“Paid work is important,” says Jessica Liefer, director of person-centered services, “but many of the people I work with want more than money. They want a role. They want to be valued, and they want to contribute—they have a strong work ethic—and there’s often a job that can be customtailored to them.”

On the Sunday morning of my stay, Draves serves breakfast: eggs on English muffins with bacon, tomato, chive cream cheese, and hollandaise sauce. Fruit. A pretty circle of pound cake slices. She returns to offer seconds—“You guys done? Want a bacon?”—and stays to chat. She also works at Cafe on the Abbey in Columbia, Illinois, washing dishes, and sometimes at the HSS workshop. “We have gaskets: We punch out these little suckers and stick the little black thing on paper. And I worked at Chittyville—spell it the best you can. It’s a haunted school. I was the Grim Reaper.” But what

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RACHEL DRAVES SENDS PEOPLE OFF ON THEIR WEEKEND EXPLORATIONS WITH A CHEERFUL “ENJOY YOUR NICE DAY.” she likes most is the Inn, and “people giving me compliments about how good the food is. I went to chef-ing school.”

I ask what she does for fun. “We go to movies, go bowling.” She sticks out her hand to show off her engagement ring.

“We both like art. We like to color. We like Paw Patrol—it’s a cartoon about these dogs. We met at the workshop, and I asked him to be my date for the Glass Slipper Ball.”

“What did you wear?” asks a guest, smiling at the romance of it.

“A dress. We’re gonna get married and have our honeymoon here. Then Ms. Glenda will have to wait on us!”

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

2/4/19 12:24 PM

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201 ANGLES SNAPSHOT

Cave City It’s weird that we don’t call ourselves Cave City. We have more than anyone—almost 50—and many of them were used to make something that’s synonymous with St. Louis: beer. Lemp famously fermented its lagers in caves; bootleggers used them to hide alcohol. In March 1950, Cherokee Cave opened to the public. A blocky white museum housing “interesting and unusual exhibits” served as the entrance. Visitors paid $1 to walk “65 to 85 feet below the city streets,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote, “a mile-long journey through a strange land of beauty and mystery through old brewery lagering rooms, past underground streams and waterfalls…past uranium deposits, the Burial Ground of prehistoric animals, fantastic cave formations such as the Thousand Columns, the Black Dahlia, the Schmoo, the Spaghetti Room, past the Dragon’s Den, the Observatory…” In 1960, it all got buried beneath the footings of Interstate 55. But just as our caves close, they open again—and, somehow, it always comes back to brewing. Today, you can visit Cherokee Street and toast at Earthbound Beer, whose selections are brewed in a basement carved from the limestone. —STEFENE RUSSELL 44

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Photography by Russell Froelich, courtesy of the Missouri History Museum

2/4/19 12:24 PM

2019

S P ECI A L A DV ER TI S I N G S EC T IO N

MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS From new technology to scientific breakthroughs, these developments are changing health care locally.

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T H E C H O C O L AT E P I G p.48 B A L K A N T R E AT B O X p.50 GRINGO p.52

TASTE

THE DISH

Rockin’ Fried Chicken Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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When Gerard Craft’s BrassWELL opened inside Rockwell Beer Co. last December, menu decisions came easy: a few burgers, a brat, fries, and beignets…all the progeny of another Craft restaurant, Brasserie by Niche. Chef Joe Landis, Brasserie’s former sous-chef, recently introduced two new items: a grilled chicken breast from Double Star Farms (think Brasserie’s legendary chicken dish in sandwich form) and a beer-friendly Cajun-spiced, double-battered version topped with arugula and spicy aioli. But the secret sauce, as it were, is an outré 12-hour marinade of buttermilk, pickle juice, honey, and Crystal Hot Sauce.

A bottom dress of Brasserie’s famous “dill but not dill-forward” pickles and a soft brioche Companion bun put a wrap on an item that Landis says has, at least temporarily, “taken the pressure off the burger flipper—me.” 1320 S. Vandeventer. —GEORGE MAHE March 2019 stlmag.com

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MAIN COURSE

Sooo-weet

The Chocolate Pig is a welcome addition to the Cortex district.

BY DAVE LOWRY

ables. Of these last dishes, chickenfried Brussels sprouts are mandatory (and if you want to know why, let’s review: chicken-fried). The tender, earthy sprouts, with crusty mahogany “Wow!” will be real. shells, are accented with a creamy buttermilk dressing and slivers of confit The Chocolate Pig has by far the most lemon. Other standouts: Deviled eggs generous portions are topped with fried chicken skin; those of any fine restaurant beer-braised mussels are doctored with in town. crispy garlic and charred cucumber.

The Chocolate Pig, The gentlest pull of the fork tugs which joins Vicia in moist flakes of succulent lamb from the the Cortex district, is shank to tumble into a gleaming pool spacious: Four sepaof golden polenta. Fingerling potatoes rate entrances add to surround a half chicken, roasted to an the wide-open roomiexquisite doneness, the skin a toasty ness. Low-key lightgolden shellac on tender meat, with ing lends a nice inti- juices perfuming every bite. What was macy. Even full, it was listed on the menu as a bone-in chop by far the quietest was actually neither. It was boneless restaurant of recent and resembled less a chop and more a memory. Hang at the slab of tenderloin, but it was spectacubar for cocktails or a lar, grilled to a rosy glow and delicately rotating selection of browned crust.

OMPLAINING ABOUT PORTIONS local brews, and peek around the corner The saucing here is imaginative and charitably described as to see the most secluded table in town. enjoyable, never overwhelming or used “fun size” in high-end eatWhen it’s time to get serious, you’re to conceal an inferior product, adding eries is, we know, déclassé. searching a small menu: half a dozen substantially to taste. The pork is slathA domino of salmon dressed with three main courses, a few sides, and shareered with a salty, pungent miso mustard. microgreens is a “stunner” main course A syrupy jus lié is spooned over The Chocolate Pig and if that single bite costs what you’d the bird. The plump shank’s 4220 Duncan expect to pay for a steak dinner, you been rendered in its own fat, an 314-272-3230 thechocolatepig.com keep your objections to yourself. unusual take on a confit, addLunch and dinner So when your appetizer order of musing glossy richness to the lamb.

Mon–Sat sels arrives with more than a dozen Vegetables—let’s face it— are often overhyped or they’re crowding the bowl, or you get a lamb mere decoration. Here, their shank the size of a loaf of bread, your presence imparts luxury, but THE BOTTOM LINE Upscale combination of unapologetically great American fare and laughably extravagant desserts they’re allowed to be honest. A Chicken-fried Brussels sprouts: deep-fried with lemon confit, pickled onions, with buttermilk dressing

C

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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

2/4/19 12:27 PM

dark pillow of collard greens braised with the pork offer a smoky note. It’s broccolini alongside the chicken, lush with a satisfying crunch. Crispy fried leeks lend balance to that meaty shank.

Braised kale lends a sharp, vinegary bite to a cassoulet that was perhaps the most stellar dish of the evening. A confit duck thigh is buried in a stand-yourspoon-up stew of white bean puree and cannellini beans along with the kale and pickled peppers. If you miss the cassoulet at the late Franco, this one will please you.

Then there’s the bacon. A “bacon flight.” Yes. Bacon, housemade, of cured beef belly. And lamb. And regular old pig. Bedecked with accompaniments: a mild, almost sweet kimchi. Candied lemon. Tomato tapenade. An odd but tasty coffee and sherry gastrique. The presentation alone is worth ordering the flight: a dark slate slab smeared with herb-infused white chocolate.

That brings us to the matter of the “chocolate” in Chocolate Pig. As in a chocolate ice cream shake spun with Four Roses bourbon and chocolate whipped cream and topped with crumbles of dark chocolate–coated bacon and bacon smoked salt. Desserts here are beyond baroque. We sampled— OK, we more than sampled—a maplebacon ice cream “candy bar” encased in chocolate and caramel made from the exotic tonka bean. A globular softball bombe of dark chocolate and peanut butter with berries has a shell that dissolves when a warm berry compote is poured over it tableside—this might just be the most extravagant dessert in St. Louis.

And although cocktails and beer are featured, an obliging wine selection matches many courses beautifully: an Emmolo merlot with the lamb, the cassoulet with a Red Schooner malbec, both wines from California. Or take your pick from a modest by-the-glass menu.

Given the heartiness of the food here and those Costco-size portions, however, you’ll want a full bottle to do it all justice—even though it would be a faux pas to mention it.

March 2019 stlmag.com

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FIRST BITE

Döner and Blitz ’Em

Balkan Treat Box’s savory street food wins over Webster.

DRINK OF THRONES

THE HIT HBO SERIES INSPIRES A DIAGEO WHISKY COLLECTION.

Winter has arrived and so have single-malt Scotch whiskies from Diageo—just in time for the final season of HBO’s Game of Thrones.

Each bottle bears the sigil of its house, except for the Night’s Watch Oban. One can imagine Tyrion Lannister contemplating the complexities of a 9-year-old Lagavulin (an expression typically bottled and sold as a 16-year-old) in a wine goblet (no Glencairn glasses in the Seven Kingdoms).

Lagavulin is the smokiest, followed by Talisker. Clynelish is the only cask-strength expression. Dalwhinnie and Lagavulin seem to be the most plentiful in St. Louis.

The rest will require a bit of a quest. Having difficulty selecting a malt? Base your dram selection on the house of the first person to be killed in the forthcoming episode.

—WILLIAM C. MEYERS House Tully Singleton of Glendullan (40% ABV) $29.99 House Stark Dalwhinnie Winter’s Frost (43% ABV) $39.99

WHEN THE SKY-BLUE Balkan Treat Box food truck

first rolled into Webster Groves, onlookers were obsessed with the odd oven appendage hanging astern. Soon, they became obsessed with the light, crunchewy bread baked within.

It wasn’t long before patrons’ smiles grew as wide as the oft-Instagrammed signature item, pide, a boat-shaped sourdough flatbread.

Husband-and-wife co-owners Loryn and Edo Nalic knew then that Webster (where they also happened to live) was the place to sink deeper roots—especially after the likes of Food & Wine, Food Network, and Travel + Leisure took notice. The former Stratton’s Café space allowed for a larger copper-gilded wood oven, a wood-assist grill (critical for cooking cevapi), and multiple spit-roasters for shaving house-

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Döner with rotisserie chicken, on somun bread, with "BTB döner sauce"

made “leaf ” döner, a superthin-sliced Turkish version of shawarma. Also on the menu is the unpronounceable pljeskavica (two thin Balkan burgers stuffed with cheese), grilled sarma (stuffed cabbage rolls), and a fresh fish sandwich, balik ekmek. Canned beer and cocktails are offered, as is rakia, a seasonal fruit brandy.

One wall features an array of brightly colored acoustical wood blocks; on another is a coppergilded map of the Balkans. “In Turkey, copper is everywhere, so we wanted that connection,” says Loryn, “plus, I’m a plumber’s daughter.”

8103 Big Bend. —G.M.

House Targaryen Cardhu Gold Reserve (40% ABV) $39.99 House Greyjoy Talisker Select Reserve (45.8% ABV) $44.99 House Tyrell Clynelish Reserve (51.2% ABV) $59.99 The Night’s Watch Oban Bay Reserve (43% ABV) $62.99 House Lannister Lagavulin 9-year-old (46% ABV) $64.99 House Baratheon Royal Lochnagar 12-year-old (40% ABV) $64.99

Photography by Spencer Pernikoff

2/4/19 12:27 PM

duke’s IN SOULARD

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VOTED ST. LOUIS’ FAVORITE BAR & BEST SPORTS BAR 2018 & 2017 RIVERFRONT TIMES BEST OF ST. LOUIS READERS POLL

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A PREVIEW OF THE DAY ’S TOP STORIE S

St. Louis Magazine recently launched a daily newsletter, The Current, providing a quick look at the top stories from stlmag.com. Find out what’s happening this weekend, discover the region’s newest restaurants, and dig into the latest in-depth stories.

Sign up for The Current STLMAG.COM/NEWSLETTERS

March 2019 stlmag.com

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SECOND HELPING

El Segundo

The modern Mexican restaurant gets a reboot downtown.

BY HOLLY FANN

G

RINGO IS BACK. After a stint

in the Central West End years ago, the modern Mexican restaurant has been reimagined for a wider audience, this time downtown at The MX. Pi Pizzeria’s Chris Sommers and Frank Uible are catering to the masses—conventioneers and tourists, residents and workers—with an accessible menu and top-notch margaritas.

The chic white dining room is filled with hanging planters, succulents, and trailing vines. Floor-to-ceiling windows bring in plenty of sun, and a long, sleek white bar beckons.

Acclaimed executive chef Cary McDowell puts a unique turn, technique, or ingredient on a host of familiar dishes: burritos, tacos, tortas and burgers, and machetes (picture oversized quesadillas).

Most of the offerings feature one of four Among the four machetes the-mill elsewhere, such as rice A selection of Gringo's meat preparations, as well as a spiced and street corn, are fragrant, on the menu, the Divine Swine jackfruit vegetarian offering. The best features slow-cooked carnitas tacos, served well seasoned, and attentively à la carte way to experience the variety? Order the and crema, complemented by a prepared here. tacos. The tender carnitas is filled with vibrant salsa verde and pickled The bar program deserves as citrus-marinated pork, salsa verde, pick- red onions. The three available burmuch attention as the food. Nine shaken led onions, cabbage, and cotija cheese in ritos—the Porky Pig (carnitas), Pollo margaritas are available, three on tap a soft corn tortilla (sourced from a Chi- Loco (chicken tinga), and Eddie Guer- and two frozen. Each has a distinctive cago producer that met Gringo’s exactrero (steak al carbon)—may be ordered character, with hibiscus in the Rosa ing specifications). The al cargrilled or fried, with an option Mexicana, grapefruit in the Paloma, and bon—tender chunks of carne to “make it loco” by adding a fresh chilis in the Jalapeño. There are asada steak with pasilla salsa— chipotle tomato sauce and also more than 20 tequila selections, a is topped with arugula, adding cotija cheese. variety of cervezas and craft beers, wine, a peppery bite. The tinga (with The burgers were justly and more. The best time to go? During pulled chicken) and al pastor popular at Gringo’s previous one of the two happy hours, 3–6 p.m. incarnation. Don’t pass up and 9 p.m.–close, Monday through Fri(with pineapple) are savory Tacos + and tender. And the spicy veg- Gringo the Green Chili Cheeseburger. day. If you return the next day, consider Burgers gie taco is filled with jackfruit, 635 Washington Roasted poblano pepper and the michelada—a concoction of Mexipickled corn and onions, cotija, 314-449-6777 chow-chow relish add vivid, can beer, tomato juice, citrus, and hot gringo-mx.com and the addictive Tajín lime- Lunch and dinner bold flavors to the juicy burger. sauce—which Gringo prescribes as the and-chili seasoning powder.

And sides that are often run-ofperfect hangover cure. daily THE BOTTOM LINE Gringo’s likely to become a favorite downtown drink spot and welcome dining option for locals and visitors alike.

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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

2/4/19 12:27 PM

Light-hearted.

Family friendly.

Fluffy and fun!

TICKETS: 314-516-4949 | TOUHILL.ORG March 2019 stlmag.com

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MAKING MAKING GREAT GREAT SERVES MAKING SERVES GREAT SERVES

Hot Spots W H AT ’ S N E W A N D N O TA B L E THIS MONTH

1. Kemoll’s Chop House  In February, the 92-year-old Italian family restaurant changed both its concept and location, moving from downtown to Westport. The new menu includes steaks and chops, plus longtime favorites. 323 Westport Plaza.

2. 808 Maison  Former Franco chef Jon Dreja reappears in a charming 50-seater in Soulard with a well-executed roster of classic French dishes. One don’t-miss: poussin, chicken stuffed with sweetbreads, spinach, and a black truffle mousse. 808 Geyer.

910 westport PLAZA drive 9 1 0s awi ne st tlpoouri ts ,PmL Ai sZ sA odurri iv e 2 8i s7 6s o u r i s a i n t3l1 o4 .5 u i4s8, . m W E S T P O3 1R4T.5S O4 8C .I2A8L7- 6S T L . C O M WESTPORTSOCIAL-STL.COM

549 1 0stlmag.com w e s t p oMarch r t P2019 LAZA drive

saint louis, missouri 3 1 4 .5 4 8 . 2 8 7 6 TASTE_0319.indd 54 WESTPORTSOCIAL-STL.COM

3. Copia  Amer Hawatmeh shuttered the downtown location and moved Copia west, first to Clayton and now to Des Peres, where chef Kyle Parks lends his expertise to such stalwarts as fresh-made farfalle with roasted shrimp and lobster.

1085 West County Center.

4. Layla  The “fast, fresh, healthy” reputation of the Grove flagship works equally well in Webster Groves.

Menu highlights include hummus, crispy kale, falafel fries, several types of shawarma, and 20 whimsically named burgers. 20 Allen.

5. Kimchi Guys Drunken Fish’s Munsok So has introduced St. Louis to double-fried sweet-and-spicy Korean-style fried chicken. Korean bowls (such as bibimbap) and kimchi riffs on Mexican items (“korritos,” “kuesadillas”) are offered as well.

612 N. Second.

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts, Lawrence Bryant, courtesy of 808 Maison

2/4/19 12:27 PM

INS, OUTS & ALMOSTS AS OF A LATE-JAN. PRESS DATE

CLOSINGS

Beale on Broadway 701 S. Broadway, Jan. 3 West End Grill & Pub 5354 N. Boyle, Jan. 12 Mandarin Lounge 44 Maryland Plaza, Jan. 18 L'Acadiane 1915 Park, Jan. 31

OPENINGS

808 Maison (808 Lounge at Molly’s) 808 Geyer, Jan. 3 Firenza Pizza (SanSai Japanese Grill) 20 Allen, Jan. 8 Kingside Diner 8025 Bonhomme, Jan. 8 Chicken Salad Chick (Pie Five Pizza) 17215 Chesterfield Airport, Jan. 15 Elmwood 2704 Sutton, Jan. 22 Copia (Elephant Bar) 1085 West County Center, Jan. 25 Fitz’s South County 5244 S. Lindbergh, Jan. 25

COMING SOON

Balkan Treat Box (Stratton’s Cafe) 8103 Big Bend, mid-Feb. Il Palato (Remy’s Kitchen & Wine Bar) 222 S. Bemiston, mid-Feb. Café Coeur 10477 Old Olive, late Feb. Fried (Red Oak Biscuits) 1330 Washington, late Feb. Prime 55 Restaurant & Lounge (Vietnam Style) 6100 Delmar, Feb.

Our boutique ice cream shops make flavors for the family & boozy creations for adults.

Come find your favorite flavor.

Lafayette Square • Clayton • SoHa (coming soon)

Dine in | Take Out | Delivery

The Midwestern Meat & Drink (Flying Saucer) 900 Spruce, early March Cobalt Smoke & Sea (Gas House Grill) 12643 Olive, mid-March Hi-Pointe Drive-In (Porano Pasta) 634 Washington, late March Bulrush 3307 Washington, March

EVENTS · CONTE STS · DEAL S

Want to be the first to know?

Receive updates from our partners in your inbox every week

• Open Everyday • Lunch • Dinner • Happy Hour • Complete Take-Out Menu • Parties To Go Menu • Gluten Free Menu Available

BEAST Butcher & Block 4156 Manchester, late Apr.

Kimchi Guys (Drunken Fish) 612 N. Second, early Feb.

Diego’s (Momos) 630 North & South, late spring

Layla (Milagro Modern Mexican) 20 Allen, early Feb.

Nudo House 6105-A Delmar, late spring

POP, Sparkling Bar and Restaurant (L'Acadiane) 1915 Park, early Feb.

MOVING

Kemoll’s From 211 N. Broadway to 323 Westport Plaza (Dierdorf & Hart’s), mid-Feb.

www.pastahouse.com

Sign up for The Scoop STLMAG.COM/NEWSLETTERS

March 2019 stlmag.com

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TASTE

HOT SEAT

Corporate restaurants tend to be well-oiled machines. What did you learn from them?

Unfortunately, I didn’t pay much attention to the systems, but working the front of the house—waiting tables and running food—was invaluable, because it taught me how to interact with people, which a lot of chefs have trouble doing.

Blue Notes

Niche alumnus Nick Blue rewrites the menu at Boundary.

N

ICK BLUE LEARNED how to chat

up customers while waiting tables in corporate restaurants, learned the art of dish simplicity at Blackbird in Chicago and then returned to St. Louis, rising through the ranks to become executive chef at Brasserie and then Sardella. A self-described meat-and-potatoes guy from Hannibal, Blue recently clocked in at Boundary, where diners are likely to see his true colors. —G.M.

Where did you begin your culinary journey? I moved here 18 years ago, after high school in Hannibal. I started bussing tables at Helen Fitzgerald’s, then waited tables at Chili’s and Olive Garden.

It wasn’t until I saw closely how a kitchen worked, while expediting food at Copia downtown, that I said, I really want to do that. I got a job as a sous-chef at Fifteen Steak House, Jim Edmonds’ place, so that’s where the cooking part started.

ONLINE Visit stlmag.com to learn about Blue’s mentors and how a chef gets a job at a high-end place like Blackbird.

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What was the takeaway from each place?

Taste: It was so small, I got to know all the customers. I made a lot of friends there I wouldn’t have made otherwise.

Niche in Benton Park: I got to work with some of the best, all who went on to do bigger and better things: Matt Daughaday, Nate Hereford, Gerard [Craft], and Sarah [Osborn], who eventually became my wife.

Blackbird: I wanted to go to New York but got sidetracked when I got blown away by Blackbird’s tasting menu. That place has stayed relevant and top of mind for more than 20 years. Not many places can say that.

Niche in Clayton: They needed a souschef and pastry chef, which was perfect for Sarah and me. We were engaged at the time, and we moved back to St. Louis.

Brasserie: I remember the meat station— working a lot of pans simultaneously on the French top range thinking, “What did I get myself into?” It was a bear, but it became the favorite station I ever worked.

Sardella: It’s a beautiful restaurant and was a learning experience for all of us.

The menu evolved over time and continues to do so under Brian Moxey.

Sugarfire Smoke House: I’d never done barbecue before and wasn’t sure exactly where I’d fit in. I worked at the Olivette location, where we had to come up with crazy specials every day. In the past, I could take a week to think up a special.

What was the menu like at Boundary, and how did you change it? To me, it was oldschool and dated. There’s nothing wrong with steaks and chops—hey, I’m from a small Midwestern town, so I’m a meatand-potatoes guy—but there are ways to update and modernize them.

How so? Instead of straight mashed potatoes, serve them puréed like Jöel Robuchon did. Instead of a side of Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

2/4/19 12:27 PM

risotto, I make it with farro and a soubise [an onion-and-butter sauce] to give it that creamy risotto texture. With the fillet, we serve confited fingerling potatoes and soy-glazed cipollini onions. Oldschool flavors, new-school execution.

PRIME STEAKS SINCE 1978

Describe the cuisine. I’d say mid-level American, by which I mean not supercasual but not fine dining either. The format has always been composed plates, appetizers, salads, entrées, and desserts. I’m not changing the format; I’m just changing the menu items.

What are the likely bestsellers? A 12-ounce strip with those puréed potatoes. Ricotta agnolotti with pear, cauliflower, and a sage brown butter. The fried oyster dish—cornmeal breaded with spicy remoulade and preserved lemon. People will order the Little Gem salad when they hear how good the French dressing is, which you don’t see much on restaurant menus anymore.

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Do you have a favorite spice or flavoring?

It varies according to where I am and my mood. At Brasserie, it was Espelette. At Blackbird, it was mishmish, a yellow, citrusy, Mediterranean spice blend that we used a lot. I love Sugarfire’s spice rub, which I put on everything from meat to fries and especially in breading.

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March 2019 stlmag.com

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Photography by Jan Von Holleben / Trunk Archive

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IN ED

NG

W HO A LOOK AT

ST. LOUIS

LESSON PLANS

VI L UC ATION IS E VO

BY JEANNETTE COOPERMAN, JARRETT MEDLIN, SAMANTHA STEVENSON,ALEXANDRA VOLLMAN, AND SANDRA ZAK ILLUSTRATION BY DOOOM

MARCH 2019

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time? Cooke chuckles, remembering a vigorous second-grade debate on the merits and miseries of mopping. The fourth grade, meanwhile, was deciding whether Columbus Day should be celebrated. And in the fifth grade, kids were throwing slips Are kids being forced to grow up too fast? And what can schools of paper into the Questioning and Wondo about it? dering box. Their teacher curated, weeding out topics the other kids might not

BY J E A N N E TTE C O O P E RMA N be ready for. Every individual’s different. Overall, you wind up teaching kids as though they’re two ages at once—still Today’s 10-year-olds come across as far more mature wide-eyed and joyful and silly yet with serious questions churning inside. than kids used to be when they hit college. Why? Bob At Maplewood–Richmond Heights Elementary School, princiCooke, head of school at Community School, sums it up pal Jason Adams sees “younger children simply: “They’re far more connected to what’s going dealing with anxiety and issues related to on in the world”—even to the issues—climate change, societal trauma.” They bring questions global terror, overt sexuality—that overwhelm grownabout natural disasters to science class, ups. Kids are also more poised when it comes to precurrent events to social studies, relationsenting themselves on social media; they learn early ships to literature. In the morning, every to construct a self. But that doesn’t mean it’s sturdy classroom has a meeting “where kids can enough to handle everything that’s thrown at them. get things off their mind and teachers can know where the kids are coming from that The acceleration starts around fifth grade, Cooke’s noticed. “There’s not a huge change in the little guys.” particular day. They might hear half of a story, not all the facts. They Community School is already preparing them, though: don’t have the context or the backstory.” Because kids’ ability to “We gently and very deliberately introduce them, startGoogle anything has shifted curriculum from a recitation of facts to a ing in first and second grade, to conversation and the probing of sources, much of today’s content is about digging deeper, art of disagreeing without being disagreeable.” finding other perspectives, verifying. But Adams also worries about How do you preserve childhood innocence at the same the anxiety and perfectionism that are growing with Google: “When kids can’t find an answer immediately, we have more meltdowns.”

Peter Schroeder is head of The Lower School at Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School, part of the Sacred Heart network that’s been educating since the 1800s, and he sees their approach “getting more relevant by the day.” Rather than isolate children from the adult world, the staff provides a foundation of love, support, and self-respect that makes them larger than its influences. “We don’t have to chase whims to find our values, and society doesn’t have to define us,” he says.

Access is inescapable—“we’re all free to choose and see and experience—but how can we be wise about it?” Teachers network tightly with parents: “The societal fabric that would have bound us together is disappearing,” Schroeder says, “but let’s make our own fabric and hold our kids up. They’ll explore and probably uncover things they shouldn’t, but they don’t have to stay there. It doesn’t have to affect them so deeply.”

The big mistake, says Cooke, is going to either extreme: throwing every adult issue at them because they’ll see it anyway or encasing them in bubble wrap that’s bound to pop someday.

OLDER THAN THEIR YEARS

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for her and left. The organization was in a very precarious position, so they asked me to come back and be the executive director at 24 years old. I, of course, knew nothing and was just determined and hardworking, but I was so fortunate to run into a great set of community mentors. We ended up having tremendous success, and St. Louis became one of the first fully funded sites for TFA and the blueprint for its growth nationwide.

What made you decide to leave TFA and return to St. Louis to launch The Opportunity Trust? I’ve had the great fortune over the past 15 years to see cities across the country go from making no progress to making extraordinary progress—to then come home to St. Louis and see us stagnate and struggle on so many levels. At the root of so many of our regional challenges was our lack of educational progress and opportunity. We can learn from those places that have made tremendous progress. The Opportunity Trust is the outcome of nine months studying what’s worked in places like Indianapolis, Denver, and D.C.—how those places transformed their education systems.

In each of those cities, there was some sort of intermediary nonprofit that did long-term planning based on leveraging national research and deep local engagement. I thought that was essential, and it was even more important in St. Louis, given that we’re an incredibly fragmented community. You have to have someone who can reach across the city-county divide, work across school districts and the public-charter sector.

BUILDING OPPORTUNITY Eric Scroggins envisions a St. Louis where everyone is equipped to thrive.

BY A L E X A N D RA VO L L MA N

As the first in his family to go to college—earning a full ride to Washington University—Eric Scroggins represents what is possible when one has access to excellent educational opportunities. After working with Teach for America for years, he’s on a mission to ensure that all young people have access to the same opportunities he did through his nonprofit, The Opportunity Trust.

Scroggins recently talked with us about his new venture, his experience with Teach for America, and his vision for St. Louis.

What did you gain from your experience teaching in New York City public schools for TFA? Those two years were transformative for me and heartbreaking at the same time. On one hand, you see that children have enormous capacity to learn and potential to contribute their strengths to the world, and yet they don’t have access to schools and supports that enable them to give all that they have to give.

What was it like to help launch TFA’s St. Louis site? Our launch got off to a very rocky start for many reasons.

The original executive director decided that this wasn’t

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

Education_0319.indd 61

What’s the overall mission? To ensure that everyone who is born in St. Louis is prepared to thrive in the 21st century. We were never going to be able to set people up for success if we didn’t transform our public schools, so in 10 years we hope to grow the percentage of children who have access to a world-class school from where it is today, which is 10 percent in the city of St. Louis, to more than 40 percent. To do this, you need to grow the number of great schools and create new pipelines for teachers and leaders, a resource to help families find the right school and a policy environment that allows all of this to happen.

What are the biggest challenges and opportunities? One of the challenges we face is the silo-ing of our system, in that we have the city and the county. Every entity largely operates independent from one another. Not only does this create an enormously complex system, but no one’s learning from one another. The advantage of being the Show-Me State, however, is that we’re open to learning from successes in other places. The people closest to children in our education system know it’s not working, and they’re eager to be part of something transformative.

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LINDBERGH’S SPERRENG MIDDLE SCHOOL Students learn entrepreneurial skills by overseeing the Para-Cord-Pets business, which makes Collar Me Perfect pet collars, and donating a portion of the proceeds to the local chapter of the Animal Protective Association.

LOYOLA ACADEMY Middle-schoolers build “cooties” from marshmallows, pretzel sticks, and candy to learn about genetics.

LUTHERAN SOUTH Juniors and seniors produce LuSo in the Morning, a fun, informative take on morning announcements.

LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY For a week, the AP lit class simulates a dystopian society to learn about the theme of power in George Orwell’s 1984, Macbeth, and Lord of the Flies.

MAPLEWOOD–RICHMOND HEIGHTS Middle-schoolers learn about physics while ropeclimbing on a giant oak tree named Oscar.

MICDS The school recently launched an underwater robotics program, with students testing their robots in the pool to learn about buoyancy and teamwork.

MIRIAM SCHOOL Rather than simply memorize facts, students create videos to learn—and to teach other students—about historic events.

LESSON PLANS Creative teaching methods at area middle and high schools C OM P I L E D BY S LM STA F F

CHESTERFIELD MONTESSORI SCHOOL Seventh and eighth graders visit the school’s 7-acre “Land Lab” near Dr. Edmund A. Babler State Park to learn about habitat enhancement and the environment.

THE COLLEGE SCHOOL After reading a Choose Your Own Adventure story, eighth graders write their own engaging tales.

EUREKA HIGH SCHOOL Breakout Boxes create quasi-escape rooms, in which students must solve clues to open the locks and solve the problem.

FATHER MCGIVNEY HIGH SCHOOL Art students use optical illusions and 3-D effects to create eye-catching “holes” in the floors.

THE FULTON SCHOOL English students learn iambic pentameter, or patterned rhythm, by breaking verse into syllables and using stairs to reflect a musical scale.

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GIBAULT CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL World history students simulate the fall of Rome through role-playing.

GREENWAYS ACADEMY One teacher uses Magic: The Gathering to connect with students while teaching English, math, and history, as well as soft skills.

JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL To learn about energy conservation, eighth-graders design Rube Goldberg machines and analyze them on video.

LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL To learn about government and politics, students get engaged in the community by interviewing an elected official, attending a court session, voting in an election…

PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL Students learning about cybersecurity compete in the Air Force–sponsored CyberPatriot national cybersecurity competition, acting as IT pros at a small company. Pattonville’s team is currently in the top 5 percent nationwide.

THE PRINCIPIA Middle-schoolers learn about animal adaptations by using technology to build zoo enclosures and then presenting the results to a Saint Louis Zoo expert, who provides feedback.

PROVIDENCE CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY Eighth-graders studying logic and 11th-graders learning about rhetoric and history visit the Eagleton Courthouse to conduct mock trials.

SAINT LOUIS PRIORY SCHOOL Seventh-graders travel to August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area, where they take soil, water, and invertebrate samples to learn about science.

ROCKWOOD’S LASALLE SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL An ability awareness book club uses a variety of books in which the main characters face physical, mental, or emotional challenges, encouraging empathy and understanding.

Illustration by DOOOM

1/31/19 12:08 PM

FILLING VACANCIES St. Louis schools rethink their approach to finding and retaining great teachers.

BY ALEXAN D RA VOLLM AN

ROCKWOOD SOUTH MIDDLE SCHOOL Eighth-graders in the digital IT class develop a marketing plan for the Garden Club’s spring plant sales.

SAINT AUSTIN SCHOOL Students learn Latin by reading stories while replacing English words with Latin, teaching context and the language.

SOUTH SIDE COMMUNITY SCHOOL Middle-schoolers visit Marcoot Jersey Creamery in Greenville, Illinois, where they learn about microbes while sampling ice cream.

ST. JOHN VIANNEY HIGH SCHOOL After learning about forensic science and deductive reasoning, students must solve a murder mystery for their final exam.

ST. JOSEPH’S ACADEMY Computerscience students learn about coding and engineering by using Sphero balls to simulate chariot racing.

ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL Environmental STEM class students develop and launch a weather balloon to detect weather patterns across changes in amplitude.

UNIVERSITY CITY HIGH SCHOOL As part of the ongoing Alternative Voices spokenword project, students record poems to music on digital downloads and videos.

VILLA DUCHESNE AND OAK HILL SCHOOL Middle-schoolers use computer coding to create digital sprites, develop storytelling skills, and create music videos.

WENTZVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT Students host an annual film festival, showcasing student-produced videos and short films.

WHITFIELD SCHOOL Seniors serve as consultants, identifying areas where the Whitfield community has room for innovation and pitching their ideas to school officials.

WINDSOR HIGH SCHOOL Much as many students learn English at a young age, students learn French through music, dance, play, and storytime.

Great teachers are often hard to come by. Finding individuals with the right combination of knowledge, abilities, and passion is a task further complicated by under-resourced schools and uninspiring salaries.

Yet for the Saint Louis Public Schools, finding good people isn’t always the greatest challenge. “The educators who work on Team SLPS are some of the most amazing people I have ever encountered,” says Anna Westlund, director of recruitment for SLPS. Where the district struggles is in retaining the people it has and finding a few more like them to fill vacancies. SLPS faces many of the same challenges as other districts in large cities, notes Westlund: fewer young people pursuing education as a career, teacher demographics that don’t reflect the student population, and salaries that don’t reward people for staying in the profession.

To address recruitment and retention issues, SLPS created a staff recruitment office earlier this year, which Westlund leads. The division’s first project was developing and implementing a recruitment and selection process. The district also looked internally, “empowering our non-certified employees to become teachers in our classrooms,” says Westlund. “We believe that when you invest in developing teachers, they are more likely to stay longer. We also know that investing internally will produce teachers who know our students and their community.” This approach can also yield an educator workforce that’s reflective of students’ backgrounds, she adds.

Facing similar issues, the Illinois State Board of Education is working to make acquiring a teaching license easier. Working with state lawmakers, the Board has enacted reciprocity for educators licensed out of state, says ISBE spokeswoman Jackie Matthews.

Under Illinois’ new plan, wouldbe teachers holding a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution will no longer be required to demonstrate their academic proficiency, beginning June 30. Matthews says ISBE also hopes to develop new pathways to the profession, including alternative teacher preparation programs, yearlong mentorships, and handson classroom instruction for those making the jump to teaching from another profession.

“Even one unfilled position,” Matthews notes, “has significant impacts on students’ opportunities to learn.”

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CZECH REP.

Saint Louis University

Students have their choice of 45 programs abroad, including those in Rome, Belgium, Madrid (attended by scholars from 65 countries each semester), and Vietnam.

ST. LUCIA

CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Washington University

The university has international education opportunities everywhere from Argentina to Zambia. Fieldbased learning puts nanotechnology education in South Korea, venture consulting in Israel, francophone studies in Senegal, and a multitude of other long- and short-term programs abroad, as well as programs for international students here in the U.S.

■

Global Studies St. Louis–based universities—including Wash. U., SLU, UMSL, and Webster, to name a few—offer study abroad programs that span the globe.

At one time, studying abroad was considered a luxury. “It was seen

GLOBAL CITIZENS How St. Louis universities are creating new boundaries.

BY SA M A N T HA STEV E NS O N

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as an elite perk to be able to study abroad,” says Webster University president Elizabeth Stroble, “rather than a fundamental part of a student’s curriculum.”

That view is changing, though, as local universities look for new ways to educate students to be global citizens. Universities are expanding international opportunities both here (recruiting more international students and infusing global content into programs) and abroad (offering financial aid and expanding study abroad programs).

Six years ago, after long-term diplomacy, Webster University unveiled a campus in Accra, Ghana. “We knew that to open up the world to Webster students, we needed to be present in Africa,” says Stroble.

Looking back at both the campus’ inception and a recent visit, she thinks of the significance of firsts: Ghana was the first country on the

MARCH 2019

1/31/19 12:08 PM

Webster University

CZECH REP.

K Y R G Y Z S TA N

A F G H A N I S TA N

TAIWAN

In addition to its location in Accra, Ghana, the university has six other campuses worldwide, including in Athens, Greece, and Bangkok, Thailand. For spring break, students can head to Quito, Ecuador, for faculty-led programs. And come summer, adventures abound in China, France, and beyond.

INDONESIA

University of Missouri–St. Louis

Beyond exchange and faculty-led programs abroad, the university nurtures international education at home through the UMSL Mosaic Ambassadors, affiliated with the St. Louis Mosaic Project, pairing international students with current students and recent graduates.

African continent to gain independence. Webster was the first U.S. university to establish a fully accredited campus offering complete degrees in the country. The alumni she met on her visit were the first to graduate from Webster Ghana, and many were the first in their families to obtain degrees.

Today, the campus is home to more than 100 students, including those studying abroad and students from nine African countries, who can take courses in such areas as international relations, finance, and psychology.

“If you’re a student in public health or international relations, you will be much more prepared if you have had some experience with West Africa,” Stroble says, “because the challenges there are so important to solve.”

Such experiences help students better understand both the world and themselves. To be fully educated in the global economy, Stroble

says, students must see how nations are connected socially and politically. At the same time, experiencing different cultures spurs students to reexamine their own ways of thinking, encouraging creative, critical thinking.

Beyond Ghana, Webster offers programs in myriad other international locations—in Europe, Asia, and the U.S.—and partners with about 50 U.S. universities to provide more students with such opportunities. (The university’s first international campus was created 40 years ago in Geneva, Switzerland.)

These programs help build connections around the globe. “Studying abroad is a quick way to learn more about a part of the world that isn’t part of your world here,” says Stroble, “but has historical ties to this country that are important to understand.”

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their culture. They want to make sure that’s never overshadowed.” De Smet has expanded its electives, though, and it’s the STEAM courses (with art added to the mix) that are the draw. As a result, principal Kevin Poelker sees “a bit of a decrease in some of the arts and upperlevel humanities classes. We have an increased number of students going on trips, though, and that’s cultural immersion…” Will it provide the same rigor the old humanities electives did? “No. I think it’s going to look different. What’s the impact of that? I don’t know yet.”

Schmidt worries about students so bent on engineering or science careers that they’re heading off to schools that won’t require any liberal arts. “I was a pharmacy student taking Latin for fun,” she says, “and I fell in love with it and wound up teaching it.” That kind of serendipity is fast becoming less possible as colleges drop liberal arts programs and faculty.

“Programmers can do amazing things with robotics and AI, but unless they understand ethics, we’re all in trouble,” says Carla Federman, chair of history and social sciences at MICDS, “and the opposite is also true: Being able to use data sets and statistical analysis is a very important part of what good historians Enthusiasm for science, technology, engineering, and math is do.” Her class didn’t just talk about the rising—and has the potential to overshadow interest in the liberal arts.

Battle of Gettysburg: “We used an app How do schools preserve a balance? and VR goggles to actually go to the site, look at the topography, and hypothesize

BY J E A N N E TTE C O O P E RMA N on how it would have affected the battle.

We don’t see STEM and the liberal arts You’ve heard of STEM? Liberal arts are so last century. as silos. We look for places to make connections.”

Fifty years ago, one in five college degrees was in the That’s why Rockwood School District talks humanities or social sciences; today, it’s one in 20. about STEM-Plus. “STEM is more than those High schools haven’t changed their liberal arts four areas. It’s a set of skills that are transferrequirements, but the electives that upper-class stuable,” says Bob Deneau, coordinator of K–12 dents rush to take have more to do with robotics and STEM. Students learn to use data and math to coding than with contemporary fiction or cultural think critically, to research a project’s history and societal impact, to anthropology. So what’s happening to the soft skills— understand the people they’re designing for. “We bring STEM into ethics and moral judgment; knowledge of human nature; language arts or social studies; we talk about novel engineering, where an ability to write persuasively, tell a good story, ask you take a problem from whatever you’re reading and students have searching questions, and analyze evidence; an underto engineer and design solutions.” standing of history and of the values and traditions of It’s easier to think of clear examples that bring STEM to the liberal other cultures? arts; the opposite transfer is, by Sarah Schmidt chairs the World Lanits very nature, a little fuzzier, less guages Department at De Smet Jesuit obviously relevant. “Before, there High School, where, she says, the Jesuwas so much exposure, it was hapits have always maintained that “to work pening without question,” Poelker with and for people throughout the says. “Now we have to articulate world, the best way is to understand the value of the humanities. But them—their history, their language, that’s fairly easy to do.”

STEMMING THE TIDE

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GRADES 2 - 6

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register now at wilsonschool.com Wilson-STLMagAdFeb-4.6x4.6_Summer Camp.indd 1 STL Mag Private School & CAmps.indd 1 Education_0319.indd 67

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MARCH 2019

2/4/19 12:36 PM

LAKE SAINT LOUIS HAZELWOOD

ANDREWS ACADEMY LAKE SAINT LOUIS 636-561-7709 / andrewsacademy.com

ASA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 314-524-4272 / asachristianacademy.org

CREVE COEUR CHESTERFIELD CHESTERFIELD

CHAMINADE COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL 314-993-4400 / chaminade-stl.org

CHESTERFIELD DAY SCHOOL 314-469-6622 / chesterfielddayschool.org

CHESTERFIELD MONTESSORI SCHOOL 314-469-7150 / chesterfieldmontessori.org

CLAYTON

CREVE COEUR

ANDREWS ACADEMY 314-878-1883 / andrewsacademy.com

CENTRAL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 314-727-4535 / centralschoolstl.org

ST. CHARLES

SOUTH COUNTY

A REA

ACADEMY OF THE SACRED HEART 636-946-6127 / ash1818.org

ABIDING SAVIOR LUTHERAN SCHOOL 314-892-4408 / aslsonline.org

P R IVAT E G R A D E SC HOO LS

1981

1962

1910

1957

1999

2008

1975

1818

1984

F O UN DE D

STARTING POINTS FOR YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

16 MONTHS– GRADE 8

18 MONTHS– GRADE 6

GRADES 6–12

AGE 3–GRADE 6

INFANT– GRADE 6

K–GRADE 6

PRE-K–GRADE 6

PRE-K– GRADE 8

AGE 2–GRADE 8

G R ADE LEVELS OFFERED

170

140

877

266

85

100

105

216

185

ENROLLM ENT

NO

NO

YES

NO

YES

NO

NO

YES

YES

UNIFORM S

50%

35%

18%

38%

93%

50%

70%

14%

18%

% M INORITY STUDENTS

AMI MONTESSORI

INDEPENDENT

CATHOLIC–MARIANIST

CHRISTIAN

CHRISTIAN

INNOVATIVE/ PROGRESSIVE

INDEPENDENT

CATHOLIC–INDEPENDENT

LUTHERAN CHURCH– MISSOURI SYNOD

SC HO O L O F THO UGHT O R AFFIL IATIO N

10

22

106

30

3

20

19

23

24

FUL L-TIME C ERTIFIED IN STR UCTO R S

13:1

8:1

9:1

8:1

16:1

10:1

8:1

8:1

11:1

STUDEN T/ TEAC HER R ATIO

$17,000

$6,640– $19,100

$18,998

$9,680

$5,000

$14,000

$19,525

$3,900– $12,000

$5,950

TUITIO N

15%

25%

43%

20%

20%

12%

29%

19%

15%

% R E C E IVIN G F IN A N C IA L A ID

FROM PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS RATHER THAN INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS. ALL INFORMATION IS SELF-REPORTED; THESE CHARTS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED

ST. LOUIS COUNTIES; AND MADISON, ST. CLAIR, AND MONROE COUNTIES IN ILLINOIS TO RESPOND TO AN INFORMATIONAL SURVEY. IN SOME CASES, DATA CAME

IN CREATING THESE CHARTS,WE STROVE TO BE AS INCLUSIVE AS POSSIBLE, INVITING MORE THAN 200 SCHOOLS IN ST. LOUIS; JEFFERSON, ST. CHARLES, AND

THE STATS

MARCH 2019

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WEBSTER GROVES ST. LOUIS ST. LOUIS CREVE COEUR VILLA RIDGE

THE COLLEGE SCHOOL 314-962-9355 / thecollegeschool.org

COMMUNITY SCHOOL 314-991-0005 / communityschool.com

CORNERSTONE ACADEMY 314-845-8788 / cornerstoneacademy.com

COUNTRYSIDE MONTESSORI SCHOOL 314-434-2821 / montessori4children.com

CROSSPOINT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 636-742-5380 / crosspointschool.org

FRANKLIN COUNTY BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS

THE FULTON SCHOOL AT ST. ALBANS 636-458-6688 / tfssa.org

GOVERNOR FRENCH ACADEMY 618-233-7542 / governorfrench.com

OLIVETTE

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN DAY SCHOOL 314-993-5004 / immanueldayschool.org

WEST COUNTY

KIRKWOOD

KIRKWOOD CHILDREN’S HOUSE 314-966-2030 / kirkwoodchildrenshouse.com

LIVING WATER ACADEMY 636-821-2308 / livingwateracademy.com

TOWN AND COUNTRY

LADUE

KIRK DAY SCHOOL 314-434-4349 / kirkdayschool.org

JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL 314-993-4040 / jburroughs.org

RICHMOND HEIGHTS

FENTON

HERITAGE CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 636-394-8063 / heritageclassical.org

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLHOUSE 314-874-0715 / internationalschoolhouse.com

OLIVETTE

H.F. EPSTEIN HEBREW ACADEMY 314-994-7856 / eha.org

ST. CHARLES

ST. LOUIS

GREEN PARK LUTHERAN SCHOOL 314-544-4248 / greenparklutheranschool.org

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN SCHOOL 636-946-0051 / immanuelstcharles.org

WEBSTER GROVES

GREAT CIRCLE ACADEMY 314-919-4700 / greatcircle.org

NORTH COUNTY

ST. LOUIS

FORSYTH SCHOOL 314-726-4542 / forsythonline.com

GRACE CHAPEL LUTHERAN SCHOOL 314-867-6564 / gracechapelstl.org

O’FALLON, ILLINOIS

FIRST BAPTIST ACADEMY 618-726-6040 / fbaofallon.org

CENTRAL WEST END

O’FALLON

CLASSICAL ACADEMY DE LAFAYETTE* 636-222-3442 / cadlafayette.com

CROSSROADS COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL 314-367-8085 / crossroadscollegeprep.org

NORTH ST. LOUIS CITY

TOWN AND COUNTRY

KIRKWOOD

CITY ACADEMY 314-382-0085 / cityacademyschool.org

CHURCHILL CENTER & SCHOOL 314-997-4343 / churchillstl.org

CHRIST COMMUNITY LUTHERAN SCHOOL 314-822-7774 / ccls-stlouis.org

2005

1985

1992

1923

2009

1848

1844

1999

1943

1961

1834

1955

1983

1994

1961

2002

1974

1990

1964

1998

1914

1963

2016

1999

1978

1973

K–GRADE 8

TODDLER–K

AGE 3–GRADE 6

GRADES 7–12

AGE 2–GRADE 2

AGE 2– GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 8

GRADES 7–12

K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 8

K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 8

K–GRADE 12

PRE-K–GRADE 12

AGE 3–GRADE 6

K–GRADE 12

GRADES 7–12

PRE-K–GRADE 8

INFANT–PRE-K

K–GRADE 8

AGE 3–GRADE 6

PRE-K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 6

GRADES 1–9

INFANT–GRADE 8

95

62

300

625

105

465

195

7

96

215

130

202

115

68

365

183

217

84

66

70

346

235

21

202

154

635

YES

NO

YES

NO

YES

YES

YES

NO

NO

YES

NO

YES

YES

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

YES

YES

NO

YES

8%

13%

18%

40%

15%

7%

56%

17%

DND

7%

45%

75%

50%

12%

33%

13%

43%

6%

16%

8%

31%

26%

19%

96%

15%

12%

CHRISTIAN

MONTESSORI

CHRISTIAN

INDEPENDENT

LANGUAGE IMMERSION

LUTHERAN CHURCH– MISSOURI SYNOD

LUTHERAN

CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN

ORTHODOX JEWISH

LUTHERAN CHURCH– MISSOURI SYNOD

SPECIALIZED FOCUS: BEHAVIORAL & AUTISM

LUTHERAN CHURCH– MISSOURI SYNOD

COLLEGE PREP

MONTESSORI

INDEPENDENT

BAPTIST

INDEPENDENT

CHRISTIAN

MONTESSORI

CHRISTIAN– NONDENOMINATIONAL

INDEPENDENT

EXPERIENTIAL

CLASSICAL EDUCATION

INDEPENDENT

RESEARCH-BASED METHODS TO HELP STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

LUTHERAN CHURCH– MISSOURI SYNOD

8

6

30

95

DND

35

12

7

DND

14

28

12

10

15

44

11

34

5

3

8

48

30

3

30

50

36

10:1

4:1–10:1

9:1

7:1

8:1

18:1

16:1

5:1

DND

20:1

4:1

17:1

12:1

8:1

8:1

18:1

9:1

7:1

3:1–8:1

9:1

7:1

8:1

5:1

9:1

3:1

17:1

$6,550

$8,740– $14,605

$3,024– $9,125

$28,480

$13,000

$6,448

$5,670

$9,200

DND

$7,000

$30,000

$4,650

$6,300

$8,475– $18,400

$13,772– $20,665

$4,825

$25,450

$5,700

$7,254– $16,101

$4,400– $4,600

$19,150– $20,550

$9,300– $17,950

$7,500– $9,000

$2,700

$34,440

$4,205– $7,390

7%

24%

18%

23%

DND

20%

10%

26%

DND

19%

10%

61%

10%

25%

25%

1%

55%

8%

15%

2%

20%

25%

10%

100%

8%

40%

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WEST COUNTY

RAINTREE SCHOOL 314-858-1033 / raintreeschool.org

CREVE COEUR

SAUL MIROWITZ JEWISH COMMUNITY SCHOOL 314-576-6177 / mirowitz.org

SOUTH CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL 314-667-4311 / scccommunityschool.org SOUTH CITY

SOULARD

CREVE COEUR

SAINT LOUIS PRIORY SCHOOL 314-434-3690 / priory.org

THE SOULARD SCHOOL 314-865-2799 / soulardschool.org

CREVE COEUR

ROSSMAN SCHOOL 314-434-5877 / rossmanschool.org

KIRKWOOD/ WEBSTER GROVES

SAPPINGTON

PROVIDENCE CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 314-842-6846 / providencestl.org

ROHAN WOODS SCHOOL 314-821-6270 / rohanwoods.org

WEST COUNTY

THE PRINCIPIA 314-434-2100 / principiaschool.org

NORTHWEST COUNTY

OUR REDEEMER LUTHERAN SCHOOL 314-427-3444 / ourredeemerstl.org FENTON

DARDENNE PRAIRIE

OAKHAVEN MONTESSORI SCHOOL 636-978-4440 / oakhavenmontessori.net

OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN SCHOOL 636-343-7511 / oursaviorlcs.org

FLORISSANT

CENTRAL WEST END

NEW CITY SCHOOL 314-361-6411 / newcityschool.org

NORTH COUNTY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 314-972-6227 / nccsedu.org

GRAND CENTER

MADISON COUNTY

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 618-462-1071 / mvcs-il.org

MONTESSORI LAB SCHOOL 314-833-5330 / montessorilabschool.org

WEBSTER GROVES

LADUE

METRO EAST

WELDON SPRING

SOUTH CITY

MIRIAM SCHOOL 314-968-3893 / miriamstl.org

MARY INSTITUTE AND SAINT LOUIS COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL (MICDS) 314-995-7367 / micds.org

METRO EAST MONTESSORI SCHOOL 618-931-2508 / metroeastmontessori.com

MESSIAH LUTHERAN SCHOOL 636-329-1096 / mlslions.org

MARIAN MIDDLE SCHOOL 314-771-7674 / marianmiddleschool.org

GRAND CENTER

GRAND CENTER

LOYOLA ACADEMY OF ST. LOUIS 314-531-9091 / loyolaacademy.org

MAP ST. LOUIS 314-884-1637 / mapstlouis.org

O’FALLON

A REA

LIVING WORD CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 636-978-1680 / lwcs.us

P R IVAT E G R A D E SC HOO L

2010

2005

2012

1956

1917

1937

2006

1994

1898

1964

1914

2008

1962

1969

2014

1974

1956

1859

1971

2000

1999

2016

1999

1980

F O UN DE D

PRE-K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 5

K–GRADE 8

GRADES 7–12

PRE-K–GRADE 6

AGE 2–GRADE 6

AGE 2–K

PRE-K–GRADE 12

PRE-K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 6

K–GRADE 6

AGE 3–GRADE 6

15 MONTHS– GRADE 6

PRE-K–GRADE 12

PRE-K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 6

PRE-K–GRADE 8

GRADES 5–8

GRADES 7–9

GRADES 6–8

PRE-K–GRADE 5

G R ADE LEVELS OFFERED

191

125

175

127

225

93

91

123

168

72

80

68

146

300

51

69

94

615

88

320

73

18

57

218

ENROLLM ENT

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

YES

YES

NO

YES

NO

UNIFORM S

20%

20%

20%

15%

42%

21%

22%

7%

15%

10%

30%

12%

75%

44%

22%

2%

22%

36%

21%

7%

97%

5%

92%

12%

% M INORITY STUDENTS

CHARLOTTE MASON PHILOSOPHY

PROGRESSIVE

JEWISH

CATHOLIC–BENEDICTINE

INDEPENDENT

PROJECT APPROACH

REGGIO EMILIA–INSPIRED FOREST SCHOOL

CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

LUTHERAN

LUTHERAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

MONTESSORI

CHRISTIAN

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

AMI–ACCREDITED MONTESSORI

CHRISTIAN

INDEPENDENT–SPECIAL EDUCATION

INDEPENDENT

MONTESSORI (AMI)

LUTHERAN

CATHOLIC– NATIVITY MIGUEL

MONTESSORI

CATHOLIC–JESUIT

CHRISTIAN

SC HO O L O F THO UGHT O R AFFIL IATIO N

12

15

24

54

28

12

14

17

11

9

8

7

11

40

3

9

19

67

4

14

6

3

7

32

FUL L-TIME C ERTIFIED IN STR UCTO R S

12:1

10:1

8:1

7:1

8:1

8:1

7:1

5:1

9:1

10:1

10:1

10:1

17:1

8:1

9:1

12:1

12:1

8:1

11:1

17:1

12:1

6:1

8:1

10:1–16:1

STUDEN T/ TEAC HER R ATIO

$4,500

$9,225

$15,500

$24,125

$20,400

$18,900

$16,900

$3,750– $9,900

$10,150– $14,790

$5,970

$5,400

$7,732– $11,966

$7,500

$14,141– $19,930

$8,910

$3,648

$9,000– $31,000

$20,550– $28,200

$7,775

$6,925

$12,500

$11,000

SLIDING SCALE

$2,680– $6,360

TUITIO N

60%

75%

45%

35%

15%

29%

10%

15%

94%

11%

95%

39%

20%

45%

53%

0%

60%

22%

10%

51%

100%

30%

100%

12%

% R E C E IVIN G F IN A N C IA L A ID

MARCH 2019

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FRONTENAC

VILLA DUCHESNE AND OAK HILL SCHOOL 314-432-2021 / vdoh.org

1857

1851

1973

1913

1952

1976

1993

1833

1929

1967

1974

1972

1865

1967

1982

1952

1851

1848

2011

AGE 2–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 8

AGE 3–GRADE 6

GRADES 6–12

GRADES 7 & 8

PRE-K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 8

AGE 3–GRADE 12

AGE 2–GRADE 6

K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 8

337

580

187

170

143

251

75

256

195

176

73

165

162

150

3 MONTHS– GRADE 8 K–GRADE 8

47

125

315

201

90

K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 12

PRE-K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 8

PRE-K–GRADE 8

NO

YES

YES

NO

NO

YES

NO

YES

YES

NO

NO

NO

YES

NO

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

12%

2%

36%

34%

31%

19%

22%

15%

15%

14%

3%

15%

10%

22%

1%

50%

1%

5%

DND

LUTHERAN CHURCH– MISSOURI SYNOD

LUTHERAN

LUTHERAN CHURCH– MISSOURI SYNOD

INDEPENDENT

INDEPENDENT

CHRISTIAN

WALDORF

CATHOLIC

CATHOLIC–NETWORK OF SACRED HEART SCHOOLS

ASSOCIATION MONTESSORI INTERNATIONALE

CHRISTIAN

CHRISTIAN

LUTHERAN CHURCH– MISSOURI SYNOD

REGGIO EMILIA

LUTHERAN

CHRISTIAN– NONDENOMINATIONAL

LUTHERAN

LUTHERAN CHURCH– MISSOURI SYNOD

CLASSICAL–CATHOLIC

22

25

12

24

23

24

6

50

65

11

12

9

14

30

5

15

20

14

10

16:1

20:1

11:1

7:1

8:1

11:1

6:1–10:1

6:1

8:1

14:1

8:1

11:1

13:1

6:1

10:1

10:1

16:1

14:1

9:1

$3,850– $5,150

$5,775

$6,000

$19,900

$26,925

$17,350

$13,810

$16,545– $19,215

$6,645$22,350

$6,368– $10,150

$4,500

$2,705– $8,880

$2,440– $7,050

$17,100– $17,700

$5,360

$4,000

$6,790

$6,392

$3,790– $7,590

25%

3%

35%

43%

DND

22%

>50%

20%

25%

20%

20%

10%

14%

25%

20%

50%

15%

55%

30%

Grade Schools 1. Because of space constraints, SLM was unable to include the many public grade schools or parish elementary schools in the Archdiocese of St. Louis or the Metro East. For more information about area schools, visit archstl.org/education and stlcityschools.org. 2. Some schools also have high schools, but for the purposes of this chart we asked that administrators only include information that pertains up to grade 8. 3. Some schools list only grades 6–8. In most cases, these are schools that incorporate middle school grades into their high schools. We included their middle school students on this chart and their high school students on the next chart. 4. *After opening, Classical Academy de Lafayette plans to add a grade each year through grade 12.

By marking “NA,” the school is stating that the category is not applicable; “DND” means “did not disclose”; “int’l” is an abbreviation for “international.”

BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS

ZION LUTHERAN SCHOOL BELLEVILLE 618-234-0275 / zionschoolbelleville.org

THE FINE PRINT

ST. CHARLES COUNTY

ZION LUTHERAN SCHOOL 636-441-7424 / zioharvester.org

ST. LOUIS HILLS

CLAYTON

THE WILSON SCHOOL 314-725-4999 / wilsonschool.org

WORD OF LIFE LUTHERAN SCHOOL 314-832-1244 / wordoflifeschool.net

CREVE COEUR

TOWN AND COUNTRY

WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 314-997-2900 / wcastl.org

WHITFIELD SCHOOL 314-434-5141 / whitfieldschool.org

WEBSTER GROVES

THE WALDORF SCHOOL OF ST. LOUIS 314-962-2129 / waldorfstl.org

WEST COUNTY

KIRKWOOD

VILLA DI MARIA MONTESSORI 314-822-2601 / villadimaria.org

VISITATION ACADEMY 314-625-9100 / visitationacademy.org

JEFFERSON COUNTY

WEST COUNTY

VICTORY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 636-223-7330 / vcacademy.org

TWIN OAKS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 636-861-1901 / twinoakschristianschool.org

DES PERES

ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN SCHOOL 314-822-2771 / stplutheranschool.org

WEST COUNTY

ST. MARK’S LUTHERAN SCHOOL 636-938-4432 / stmarkseureka.org CLAYTON

SOUTH CITY

ST. LOUIS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 314-664-3299 / slcacougars.org

THE ST. MICHAEL SCHOOL OF CLAYTON 314-721-4422 / stlmichaelschool.org

ELLISVILLE

ARNOLD

TOWN AND COUNTRY

ST. JOHN SCHOOL 636-779-2325 / stjstl.net/school

ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN SCHOOL 636-464-7303 / sjlsarnold.org

THE ST. AUSTIN SCHOOL 314-580-2802 / saintaustinschool.org

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CREVE COEUR WEST COUNTY

CHAMINADE COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL 314-993-4400 / chaminade-stl.org

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL 314-985-6095 / cbchs.org

MARYVILLE, ILLINOIS O’FALLON, ILLINOIS WATERLOO, ILLINOIS BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS

FATHER MCGIVNEY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL 618-855-9010 / mcgivneygriffins.com

FIRST BAPTIST ACADEMY 618-726-6040 / fbaofallon.org

GIBAULT CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL 618-939-3883 / gibaultonline.com

GOVERNOR FRENCH ACADEMY 618-233-7542 / governorfrench.com

SOUTH COUNTY

LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH 314-389-3100 / lhsnstl.org

MARQUETTE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL 618-463-0580 / marquettecatholic.org

MAP ST. LOUIS* 314-884-1637 / mapstlouis.org ALTON, ILL.

GRAND CENTER

ST. PETERS

NORTH COUNTY

LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL NORTH 314-389-3100 / lhsnstl.org

LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY 636-928-5100 / lutheranhighstcharles.com

OLIVETTE

LOGOS SCHOOL 314-997-7002 / logosschool.org

LADUE

JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL 314-993-4040 / jburroughs.org O’FALLON

BEL-NOR

INCARNATE WORD ACADEMY 314-725-5850 / iwacademy.org

LIVING WORD CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 636-978-1680 / lwcs.us

FENTON

CREVE COEUR

HERITAGE CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 636-394-8063 / heritageclassical.org

GREENWAYS ACADEMY 314-432-7534 / greenwaysacademy.com

WEBSTER GROVES

ST. CHARLES

DUCHESNE HIGH SCHOOL 636-946-6767 / duchesne-hs.org

GREAT CIRCLE ACADEMY 314-919-4700 / greatcircle.org

CREVE COEUR

CENTRAL WEST END

CROSSROADS COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL 314-367-8085 / crossroadscollegeprep.org

DE SMET JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL 314-567-3500 / desmet.org

VILLA RIDGE

CROSSPOINT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 636-451-6504 / crosspointchristianschool.org

AFFTON

SOUTH CITY

BISHOP DUBOURG HIGH SCHOOL 314-832-3030 / bishopdubourg.org

COR JESU ACADEMY 314-842-1546 / corjesu.org

BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS

GRAND CENTER

A REA

ALTHOFF CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL 618-235-1100 / althoffcatholic.org

ACADEMY OF THOUGHT & INDUSTRY* 314-884-1637 / thoughtandindustry.com

P R IVAT E H IG H SC HO O LS

1927

2016

1980

1957

1947

1970

1980

1923

1932

1999

2005

1834

1983

1966

2002

2012

1924

1967

1974

1990

1956

1850

1910

1950

1964

2016

F O UN DE D

415

18

383

422

250

100

481

625

341

54

34

110

115

211

82

202

310

700

217

51

578

821

877

319

340

18

E NR O LLM E NT

95%

90%

99%

98%

83%

96%

88%

44%

86%

99%

N/A

N/A

100%

100%

97%

100%

97%

85%

DND

95%

DND

95%

85%

98%

98%

95%

AC C EPTANC E RATE

20%

5%

11%

16%

74%

26%

12%

40%

26%

17%

30%

45%

50%

14%

10%

19%

14%

12%

43%

4%

7%

19%

18%

33%

28%

5%

% MINORITY STUDENTS

25

N/A

24

24

22

24

25

33

25

25

26

N/A

27

29

26

24

24

27

25

25

30

25

28

22

23

N/A

AVERAGE ACT SC ORE

98%

N/A

98%

99%

98%

92%

99%

100%

100%

100%

98%

N/A

100%

99%

99%

96%

100%

99%

97%

95%

100%

98%

100%

98%

98%

N/A

% C ONTINUING TO POST-SEC ONDARY EDUCATION

CATHOLIC

MONTESSORI

LUTHERAN

LUTHERAN

LUTHERAN

THERAPEUTIC

CHRISTIAN

INDEPENDENT

CATHOLIC

CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN

ALTERNATIVE

SPECIALIZED BEHAVIORAL

COLLEGE PREP

CATHOLIC

BAPTIST

CATHOLIC

CATHOLIC

CATHOLIC

INDEPENDENT

CHRISTIAN

CATHOLIC

CATHOLIC– LASALLIAN

CATHOLIC– MARIANIST

CATHOLIC

CATHOLIC

MONTESSORI

SC H OOL O F TH OUGHT OR AFFILIATIO N

60%

100%

67%

67%

64%

58%

50%

78%

75%

80%

100%

42%

43%

39%

38%

50%

70%

70%

73%

30%

86%

80%

85%

70%

46%

100%

% TEAC HERS WITH ADVAN C ED DEGREES

37

3

26

42

28

21

40

95

29

7

5

24

10

23

13

16

27

80

26

4

63

82

106

35

24

3

FUL L-TIME C ERTIFIED IN STR UCTO R S

12:1

6:1

12:1

10:1

9:1

6:1

22:1

7:1

12:1

6:1

1:1

4:1

10:1

9:1

14:1

10:1

12::1

12:1

9:1

5:1

11:1

10:1

9:1

10:1

17:1

6:1

STUDEN T/ TEAC HER R ATIO

$6,950

$11,000

$9,955

$14,000

$14,000

$31,000

$8,160– $9,600

$28,480

$13,995

$9,200

$10,000– $20,000

$30,000

$6,300

$8,770

$5,225

$6,850

$10,500

$16,800

$26,280

$5,900

$16,225

$15,250

$18,998

$10,700

$7,600

DND

A N N UA L O R A N N UA L IZED TUITIO N

50%

30%

20%

41%

83%

50%

12%

23%

44%

26%

N/A

10%

10%

55%

1%

40%

40%

27%

50%+

17%

34%

38%

43%

45%

17%

30%

% R EC EIVIN G FIN A N C IA L A ID

$9,200

$12,000

$10,255

$11,500

$11,625

$36,000

DND

$35,925

$15,763

$13,750

N/A

$29,100

$6,300

$11,512

$5,225

$10,000

$14,000

$18,500

DND

$6,300

$17,765

$18,200

$20,000

$15,000

$12,500

$17,000

AVE R AGE SP E N DIN G P E R STUDE N T

MARCH 2019

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O'FALLON KIRKWOOD FRONTENAC

ST. DOMINIC HIGH SCHOOL 636-240-8303 / stdominichs.org

ST. JOHN VIANNEY HIGH SCHOOL 314-965-4853 / vianney.com

ST. JOSEPH’S ACADEMY 314-394-4300 / sja1840.org

CREVE COEUR

TOWN AND COUNTRY

WEST COUNTY

1952

1976

1833

1929

1848

2003

1946

1994

1931

1818

1952

1840

1960

1929

1956

1911

1994

1898

1934

1962

1924

1974

2016

1859

292

719

280

250

375

360

86

43

328

1,000

75

500

615

720

271

300

123

218

241

116

564

35

50

619

70%

73%

87%

DND

94%

75%

65%

DND

92%

85%

95%

DND

DND

96%

DND

85%

96%

93%

DND

97%

DND

95%

90%

80%

31%

19%

12%

15%

9%

74%

64%

15%

40%

15%

50%

8%

9%

6%

15%

37%

7%

15%

15%

68%

12

2%

10%

36%

DND

27

29

27

24

24

31

27

22

30

24

27

25

24

32

27

29

DND

24

23

27

20

N/A

29

100%

99%

100%

100%

100%

99%

100%

100%

96%

99%

75%

100%

99%

99%

100%

100%

100%

93%

100%

98%

100%

85%

N/A

100%

INDEPENDENT

CHRISTIAN

CATHOLIC

CATHOLIC, NETWORK OF SACRED HEART SCHOOLS

CATHOLIC

CATHOLIC

LIBERAL ARTS

MONTESSORI

CATHOLIC, MARIANIST

CATHOLIC, JESUIT

CHRISTIAN– NONDENOMINATIONAL

CATHOLIC

CATHOLIC– MARIANIST

CATHOLIC

CATHOLIC– BENEDICTINE

CATHOLIC

CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

CATHOLIC

CHRISTIAN

CATHOLIC

CHRISTIAN

NONDENOMINATIONAL

INDEPENDENT

70%

74%

86%

75%

92%

48%

93%

75%

70%

95%

25%

78%

82%

58%

87%

75%

60%

77%

75%

40%

90%

40%

98%

80%

37

70

45

65

24

41

13

15

25

100

15

54

48

52

54

24

17

32

30

11

63

9

13

68

8:1

11:1

6:1

8:1

10:1

13:1

8:1

8:1

13:1

10:1

10:1

11:1

13:1

14:1

7:1

12:1

5:1

9:1

11:1

17:1

9:1

12:1

5:1

8:1

$26,925

$17,350

$20,685

$22,350

$14,850

$10,000

$27,700****

$21,225

$10,500

$17,100

$5,000

$14,710

$14,800

$9,545

$24,125

$12,250

$3,750– $9,900

$16,970

$11,900

$8,715

$14,850

$3,648

$30,100

$28,200

DND

22%

20%

25%

33%

90%

26%

25%

50%

41%

50%

23%

33%

30%

35%

65%

15%

94%

30%

20%

40%

0%

40%

27%

DND

$12,000

$19,381

$5,000

DND

$15,800

$10,850

$28,000

$13,652

$9,900

$56,000

$14,400

$9,000

$18,050

$3,700

$37,000

$34,727

$29,925

$20,150

DND

DND

$16,000

$11,200

$29,000****

Private and Public High Schools 1. These charts include schools with students enrolled in grades 9–12. 2. Some schools in these charts also include middle and elementary school grades. 3. *New school; data not yet available. 4. **Districtwide 5. ***Students attend South Technical High School part-time.

6. ****Annual cost of tuition for day school at Thomas Jefferson School; the annual cost for five-day boarding school is $47,950, seven-day boarding school is $50,900, and international boarding school is $52,900.

WHITFIELD SCHOOL 314-434-5141 / whitfieldschool.org

WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 314-997-2900 / wcastl.org

VISITATION ACADEMY 314-625-9100 / visitationacademy.org

FRONTENAC

ST. LOUIS

URSULINE ACADEMY 314-984-2800 / ursulinestl.org

VILLA DUCHESNE AND OAK HILL SCHOOL 314-432-2021 / vdoh.org

NORTH COUNTY

TRINITY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL 314-741-1333 / trinitycatholichigh.org

SUNSET HILLS

ST. ALBANS

THE FULTON SCHOOL AT ST. ALBANS 636-458-6688 / tfssa.org

THOMAS JEFFERSON SCHOOL 314-843-4151 / tjs.org

SOUTH CITY

ST. LOUIS

ST. MARY’S HIGH SCHOOL 314-481-8400 / stmaryshs.org

ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL 314-531-0330 / sluh.org

SOUTH CITY

WEST COUNTY

SAINT LOUIS PRIORY SCHOOL 314-434-3690 / priory.org

ST. LOUIS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 314-664-3299 / slcacougars.org

CENTRAL WEST END

SAPPINGTON

PROVIDENCE CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 314-842-6846 / providencestl.org

ROSATI-KAIN HIGH SCHOOL 314-533-8513 / rosati-kain.org

WEST COUNTY

SOUTH COUNTY

THE PRINCIPIA 314-434-2100 / principiaschool.org

NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL 314-544-1015 / ndhs.net

FLORISSANT

WEBSTER GROVES

NERINX HALL 314-968-1505 / nerinxhall.org

NORTH COUNTY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 314-972-6227 / nccsedu.org

ALTON, ILLINOIS

TOWN AND COUNTRY

LADUE

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 618-462-1071 / mvcs-il.org

MIRIAM ACADEMY* 314-962-6080 / miriamacademy.org

MARY INSTITUTE AND SAINT LOUIS COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL (MICDS) 314-995-7367 / micds.org

74 stlmag.com

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ST. CHARLES COUNTY ST. CHARLES COUNTY

FORT ZUMWALT WEST HIGH SCHOOL 636-379-0300 / whs.fz.k12.mo.us

FORT ZUMWALT NORTH HIGH SCHOOL 636-272-4447 / nhs.fz.k12.mo.us

NORTH COUNTY NORTH COUNTY WENTZVILLE KIRKWOOD

HAZELWOOD WEST HIGH SCHOOL 314-953-5800 / hazelwoodschools.org

HOLT HIGH SCHOOL 636-327-3876 / wentzville.k12.mo.us

KIRKWOOD HIGH SCHOOL 314-213-6110 / kirkwoodschools.org

LAFAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL 636-733-4100 / rsdmo.org/lafayette

WILDWOOD

WEST COUNTY

NORTH COUNTY

HAZELWOOD EAST HIGH SCHOOL 314-953-5600 / hazelwoodschools.org

LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL 314-993-6447 / lhwhs.ladueschools.net

SOUTH COUNTY

HAZELWOOD CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 314-953-5400 / hazelwoodschools.org

ST. LOUIS

HANCOCK PLACE HIGH SCHOOL 314-544-1200 / hs.hancock.k12.mo.us

GRAND CENTER ARTS ACADEMY 314-533-1791 / grandcenterartsacademy.org

ST. CHARLES COUNTY

FRANCIS HOWELL NORTH HIGH SCHOOL 636-851-4900 / fhn.fhsdschools.org THE HILL

ST. CHARLES COUNTY

FRANCIS HOWELL HIGH SCHOOL 636-851-4700 / fhh.fhsdschools.org

GATEWAY STEM HIGH SCHOOL 314-776-3300 / slps.org/gatewaystem

ST. CHARLES COUNTY

FRANCIS HOWELL CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 636-851-4600 / fhc.fhsdschools.org

ARNOLD

ST. CHARLES COUNTY

FORT ZUMWALT SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL 636-978-1212 / shs.fz.k12.mo.us

FOX HIGH SCHOOL 636-296-5210 / fox.k12.mo.us

ST. CHARLES COUNTY

FORT ZUMWALT EAST HIGH SCHOOL 636-477-2400 / ehs.fz.k12.mo.us

EUREKA

DOWNTOWN

CONFLUENCE PREPARATORY ACADEMY 314-588-1088 / confluenceacademy.org

EUREKA HIGH SCHOOL 636-733-3100 / rsdmo.org/eurekahs

THE GATE DISTRICT

COLLEGIATE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE & BIOSCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL 314-696-2290 / slps.org/collegiate

COVENANT BLU/ GRAND CENTER

SOUTHWEST GARDEN

CLEVELAND NJROTC HIGH SCHOOL 314-776-1301 / slps.org/cleveland

CLYDE C. MILLER CAREER ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL 314-371-0394 / slps.org/miller

CLAYTON

CLAYTON HIGH SCHOOL 314-854-6600 / claytonschools.net/chs

SOUTHWEST GARDEN

DUTCHTOWN

CENTRAL VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL 314-771-2772 / slps.org/cvpa

BRENTWOOD

CARNAHAN HIGH SCHOOL OF THE FUTURE 314-457-0582 / slps.org/carnahan

METRO EAST

SOUTH COUNTY

A R EA

BRENTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL 314-962-3837 / brentwoodmoschools.org

BELLEVILLE WEST HIGH SCHOOL 618-222-7500 / bths201.org

AFFTON HIGH SCHOOL 314-638-6330 / afftonschools.net/affton-high-school

P UB LI C HI G H SC HO OLS

1960

1952

1865

1939

1975

1976

1965

1903

2010

1992

1986

1881

1997

1955

1960

1998

1987

2007

1909

2008

2013

1996

1915

1908

1984

2006

1927

1916

1934

F OUNDED

1,791

1,315

1,749

1,762

2,076

1,102

1,839

405

409

1,104

1,739

1,820

1,917

1,740

1,500

1,900

1,350

1,300

1,678

452

224

593

306

900

411

357

235

2,200

790

ENROLLM ENT

24%

42%

16%

18%

53%

98%

90%

32%

75%

82%

25%

15%

17%

7%

15%

17%

15%

19%

13%

99%

71%

96%

84%

39%

87%

93%

41%

48%

20%

% M INORITY STUDENTS

24

26

24

21

19

16

18

18

19

17

22

23

22

21

22

22

22

21

23

15

23

16

16

26

17

16

23

20

21

AVERAGE ACT SC ORE

92%

91%

94%

68%

79%

63%

68%

90%

98%

66%

72%

86%

77%

68%

84%

93%

84%

91%

90%

96%

94%

81%

56%

92%

83%

70%

88%

76%

81%

% C O N TIN UIN G TO P O STSEC O N DARY EDUCATIO N

84%

87%

86%

89%

76%

74%

73%

88%

94%

63%

87%

81%

81%

47%

78%

82%

77%

80%

82%

88%

41%

65%

54%

95%

51%

58%

92%

77%

79%

% TEAC HER S WITH ADVA N C ED DEGREES

110

91

120

108

116

74

128

36

33

88

128

108

111

102

105

131

94

88

110

34

16

42

20

102

28

24

23

135

47

FUL L-TIME C ERTIFIED IN STR UCTO R S

16:1

13:1

17:1

16:1

17:1

17:1

17:1

15:1

17:1

19:1

27:1

28:1

28:1

18:1

15:1

15:1

15:1

14:1

16:1

15:1

17:1

20:1

16:1

11:1

17:1

21:1

11:1

18:1

23:1

STUDEN T/ TEAC HER R ATIO

$12,417**

$16,623

$12,000

$10,579**

$10,570**

$10,570**

$10,570**

$10,411**

$10,051

$15,638**

$11,661**

$11,661**

$11,661**

$9,200

$12,405**

$12,405**

$12,405**

$12,405**

$12,417**

$11,824

$15,638**

$15,638**

$15,638**

$18,843

$15,638**

$15,638**

$18,125

$12,285**

$10,100**

AVE R AGE SP E N DIN G P E R STUDE N T

MARCH 2019

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FERGUSON

WEST COUNTY

PARKWAY WEST HIGH SCHOOL 314-415-7500 / edline.net/pages/West_High

VALLEY PARK JEFFVANDERLOU WEBSTER GROVES IMPERIAL

VASHON HIGH SCHOOL 314-533-9487 / slps.org/vashon

WEBSTER GROVES HIGH SCHOOL 314-963-6400 / webster.k12.mo.us

WINDSOR HIGH SCHOOL 636-464-4429 / windsor.k12.mo.us/hs

UNIVERSITY CITY

UNIVERSITY CITY HIGH SCHOOL 314-290-4100 / ucityschools.org/uchs

VALLEY PARK HIGH SCHOOL 636-923-3613 / vp.k12.mo.us

WENTZVILLE

TIMBERLAND HIGH SCHOOL 636-327-3988 / wentzville.k12.mo.us

THE VILLE

SOUTH COUNTY

SOUTH TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL*** 314-989-7400 / southtechnical.org

SUMNER HIGH SCHOOL 314-371-1048 / slps.org/sumner

1909

1922

1889

1927

1932

1911

2002

1875

1967

1925

ST. LOUIS

1993

ACADEMY NEIGHBORHOOD

ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL 314-776-6040 / slps.org/roosevelt

1911

1936

1968

1976

1971

1961

1959

1930

1964

1968

1972

1930

1904

2004

1972

1962

1993

1909

1950

2013

SOLDAN INTERNATIONAL STUDIES HIGH SCHOOL 314-367-9222 / slps.org/soldan

FENTON

ROCKWOOD SUMMIT HIGH SCHOOL 636-891-6800 / rsdmo.org/rsummit

BRECKENRIDGE HILLS

MANCHESTER

PARKWAY SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL 314-415-7700 / edline.net/pages/ParkwaySouthHS

MARYLAND HEIGHTS

WEST COUNTY

PARKWAY NORTH HIGH SCHOOL 314-415-7600 / edline.net/pages/ParkwayNorthHS

RITENOUR HIGH SCHOOL 314-493-6105 / ritenourschools.org

CHESTERFIELD

PARKWAY CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 314-415-7900 / edline.net/pages/ParkwayCentralHS

PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL 314-213-8051 / phs.psdr3.org

ORCHARD FARM

OAKVILLE

OAKVILLE HIGH SCHOOL 314-467-7000 / mehlvilleoakvillehigh.ss11.sharpschool.com

ORCHARD FARM HIGH SCHOOL 636-250-5400 / ofsd.k12.mo.us

WALNUT PARK EAST

FLORISSANT

CENTRAL WEST END

MEHLVILLE

NORTHWEST ACADEMY OF LAW AND SOCIAL JUSTICE 314-385-4774 / slps.org/northwest

NORTH TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL 314-989-7600 / northtechnical.org

METRO ACADEMIC AND CLASSICAL HIGH SCHOOL 314-534-3894 / slps.org/metro

MEHLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL 314-467-6000 / mehlvillehigh.mehlvilleschooldistrict.com

McKINLEY HEIGHTS

FLORISSANT

McCLUER SOUTH–BERKELEY HIGH SCHOOL 314-506-9800 / edline.net/pages/McCluer_South-Berkeley_High

McKINLEY CLASSICAL LEADERSHIP ACADEMY 314-773-0027 / slps.org/mckinleycla

FLORISSANT

McCLUER NORTH HIGH SCHOOL 314-506-9200 / edline.net/pages/McCluer_North_High

CHESTERFIELD

McCLUER HIGH SCHOOL 314-506-9400 / edline.net/pages/McCluer_High

MAPLEWOOD

MARQUETTE HIGH SCHOOL 636-891-6000 / rsdmo.org/marquette

SOUTH COUNTY

LINDBERGH HIGH SCHOOL 314-729-2410 / go.lindberghschools.ws/lhs

MAPLEWOOD–RICHMOND HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL 314-644-4401 / mrhschools.net

LAKE SAINT LOUIS

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL 636-561-0075 / wentzville.k12.mo.us

868

1,380

510

276

680

1,763

320

764

574

462

1,286

1,795

1,722

1,410

1,678

1,092

1,269

580

1,665

314

766

340

1,523

572

415

1,433

1,005

2,296

1,580

2,200

1,359

7%

19%

99%

30%

80%

16%

100%

28%

97%

89%

21%

71%

51%

30%

29%

52%

40%

14%

16%

100%

86%

61%

77%

58%

93%

82%

92%

30%

43%

13%

18%

20

24

14

22

17

22

14

N/A***

16

14

23

18

20

25

24

23

24

20

22

14

16

26

20

22

17

18

17

24

23

23

21

81%

94%

49%

90%

66%

86%

53%

63

71%

53%

91%

56%

90%

91%

91%

89%

88%

70%

92%

53%

66%

97%

83%

97%

69%

71%

60%

90%

62%

82%

83%

58%

84%

49%

85%

53%

91%

54%

74%

56%

40%

86%

79%

81%

90%

93%

89%

85%

76%

79%

50%

68%

63%

81%

60%

74%

68%

77%

88%

89%

80%

91%

56

89

35

30

102

108

24

54

39

41

88

92

127

108

124

85

102

33

130

26

68

22

102

38

42

95

72

139

35

129

88

16:1

17:1

16:1

10:1

15:1

16:1

16:1

14:1

19:1

17:1

16:1

17:1

16:1

18:1

18:1

16:1

16:1

27:1

13:1

18:1

11:1

17:1

15:1

18:1

10:1

15:1

14:1

17:1

12:1

19:1

15:1

$9,221

$12,390**

$15,638**

$13,000

$14,957

$10,579**

$15,638**

$11,204

$15,638**

$15,638**

$12,417**

$10,693**

$15,382

$12,504**

$12,504**

$12,504**

$12,504**

$12,092

$8,798**

$15,638

$19,032

$15,638

$8,574

$15,638**

$11,420**

$11,420**

$11,420**

$12,417**

$12,896

$9,886**

$10,579**

76 stlmag.com

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ST. CHARLES

WEST COUNTY

LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY 636-949-2000 / lindenwood.edu

MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY 314-529-9300 / maryville.edu

MARSHALL

ST. JOSEPH

MARYVILLE

PARKVILLE

ST. LOUIS

MISSOURI WESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY 816-271-4200 / missouriwestern.edu

NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY 660-562-1212 / nwmissouri.edu

PARK UNIVERSITY 816-741-2000 / park.edu

SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY 800-758-3678 / slu.edu

ROLLA

SPRINGFIELD, WEST PLAINS

JOPLIN

WEST COUNTY

MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE 660-831-4000 / moval.edu

MISSOURI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 573-341-4111 / mst.edu

MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY 417-836-5000 / missouristate.edu

MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY 417-625-9300 / mssu.edu

MISSOURI BAPTIST UNIVERSITY 314-434-1115 / mobap.edu

LEBANON, ILLINOIS

JEFFERSON CITY

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY 573-681-5000 / lincolnu.edu

MCKENDREE UNIVERSITY 800-232-7228 / mckendree.edu

MIDTOWN ST. LOUIS

HARRIS-STOWE STATE UNIVERSITY 314-340-3366 / hssu.edu

SPRINGFIELD

EVANGEL UNIVERSITY 417-865-2815 / evangel.edu

CLAYTON

SPRINGFIELD

DRURY UNIVERSITY 800-922-2274 / drury.edu

FONTBONNE UNIVERSITY 314-862-3456 / fontbonne.edu

KANSAS CITY

AVILA UNIVERSITY 816-501-2400 / avila.edu

C O L LE G ES

M A IN CAM P US

1818

1875

1905

1915

1886

1870

1905

1937

1964

1828

1872

1827

1866

1857

1923

1955

1873

1916

F O UN D ED

7,326

4,013

4,928

3,592

1,443

6,065

14,924

4,172

1,469

1,457

2,594

5,980

1,693

1,398

800

1,400

1,462

1,225

FU L L-T I M E ST U D EN TS

58%

N/A

77%

100%

54%

80%

72%

95%

58%

67%

93%

89%

DND

89%

84%

93%

73%

75%

ACCEPTANCE RATE

52%

5%

38%

34%

72%

48%

27%

13%

23%

75%

37%

60%

53%

30%

34%

80%

61%

40%

% STU D E N TS L I VI N G O N CA MP US

40% M 60% F

49% M 51% F

43% M 57% F

39% M 61% F

59% M 41% F

76% M 24% F

42% M 58% F

40% M 60% F

45% M 55% F

52% M 48% F

56% M 44% F

46% M 54% F

43% M 57% F

28% M 54% F

41% M 59% F

42% M 58% F

43% M 57% F

35% M 65% F

GENDER D IST R IB U T IO N

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Y

N

GREEK SYSTEM

22%

45%

18%

23%

48%

14%

14%

26%

20%

19%

14%

19%

65%

89%

22%

14%

18%

33%

% M IN O R ITY ST U D E N TS

6%

6%

3%

1%

20%

3%

4%

5%

2%

1%

5%

13%

3%

2%

6%

1%

12%

9%

% IN T E R N AT IO N A L ST UD E N TS

1,042

1,032

241

207

108

377

1,084

350

339

94

176

717

119

167

167

108

111

70

FAC U LTY MEMBERS

9:1

15:1

20:1

16:1

14:1

17:1

21:1

18:1

19:1

14:1

13:1

15:1

DND

16:1

8:1

14:1

13:1

12:1

ST U D E N T/ T EAC H E R R AT IO

91

48

127

120

46

36

101

140

56

53

100

88

47

21

44

70

70

42

M AJOR F I EL D S OF F ERED

28

N/A

22

21

19

28

24

22

22

23

24

23

18

18

22

23

26

22

AVERAG E ACT SC ORE

1,757

2,271

978

868

211

1,423

3,567

1,160

436

505

648

1,990

361

179

217

355

353

360

# STUDENTS GRADUATED ‘17–’18

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

GRA DUAT E P ROGRA M AVA I LA BL E

$43,160

$415*

$9,805

$206*

$19,300

$285*

$210*

$222*

$388– $893*

$960*

$781*

$16,900

$209*

$5,388

$25,980

$22,150

$28,500

$20,500

I N-STAT E T U I T I ON

$43,160

$415*

$16,457

$426*

$19,300

$896*

$458*

$444*

$388– $893*

$960*

$781*

$16,900

$427*

$10,020

$25,980

$22,150

$28,500

$20,500

OU T-OF -STAT E T U I T I ON

$12,304

$8,240

$10,016

$8,102

$9,150

$10,274

$8,755

$6,364

$8,720

$9,440

$10,088

$9,000

$7,068

$9,250

$10,545

$8,522

$9,046

$7,000

YEA RLY ROOM A ND BOA RD

94%

88%

68%

85%

99%

88%

78%

90%

99%

85%

95%

88%

60%

76%

92%

100%

96%

99%

% REC EI VI NG F I NA NC I A L AID

MARCH 2019

Charts_0319.indd 77

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2/4/19 12:36 PM

BOLIVAR

SOUTHWEST BAPTIST UNIVERSITY 417-328-5281 / sbuniv.edu

COLUMBIA

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI–COLUMBIA 573-882-2121 / missouri.edu

WEBSTER GROVES

FULTON

LIBERTY

WEBSTER UNIVERSITY 800-981-9801 / webster.edu

WESTMINSTER COLLEGE 800-888-9266 / westminster-mo.edu

WILLIAM JEWELL COLLEGE 816-781-7700 / jewell.edu 1870

1849

1851

1915

1853

1963

1933

1839

1867

1833

1962

1878

1957

1869

1873

690

948

692

2,260

7,187

5,152

6,601

20,720

4,771

650

10,617

1,326

8,979

8,088

10,041

70%

47%

78%

57%

16%

81%

65%

78%

65%

65%

100%

95%

90%

72%

84%

76%

84%

83%

38%

60%

14%

16%

27%

48%

95%

N/A

67%

29%

28%

35%

30% M 70% F

41% M 59% F

55% M 45% F

44% M 56% F

48% M 52% F

45% M 55% F

43% M 57% F

47% M 53% F

60% M 40% F

100% F

44% M 56% F

46% M 54% F

48% M 52% F

53% M 47% F

42% M 58% F

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

12%

19%

14%

26%

21%

19%

31%

19%

13%

35%

44%

10%

25%

27%

15%

8%

4%

8%

3%

8%

4%

6%

3%

7%

1%

2%

2%

2%

5%

6%

61

137

57

592

841

555

1,021

1,314

302

53

692

103

556

940

540

10:1

10:1

11:1

8:1

8:1

16:1

14:1

18:1

16:1

10:1

18:1

13:1

19:1

12:1

20:1

41

37

35

129

116

49

59

96

38

25

80

70

48

104

142

23

26

24

24

33

24

25

26

27

23

N/A

23

22

24

23

234

281

174

734

1,769

2,023

1,777

6,512

1,172

175

2,248

534

2,631

3,351

1,810

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

$23,230

$33,500

$25,700

DND

$2,183*

$10,491

$281*

$8,637

$7,425

$22,500

$111*

$23,100

$9,123

$9,638

$208*

Colleges and Universities 1. Because of space constraints, this chart does not include trade schools, seminaries, or institutions with fewer than 650 students. 2. Unless otherwise indicated, all statistics pertain to undergraduates. 3. *Cost per credit hour.

FULTON

ST. LOUIS

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS 314-935-6000 / wustl.edu

WILLIAM WOODS UNIVERSITY 800-995-3159 / williamwoods.edu

ST. LOUIS

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI–ST. LOUIS 314-516-5000 / umsl.edu

KANSAS CITY

KIRKSVILLE

TRUMAN STATE UNIVERSITY 660-785-4000 / truman.edu

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI–KANSAS CITY 816-235-1000 / umkc.edu

COLUMBIA

STEPHENS COLLEGE 573-876-7207 / stephens.edu

FLORISSANT VALLEY, FOREST PARK, MERAMEC, WILDWOOD

EDWARDSVILLE, ILLINOIS

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY– EDWARDSVILLE 618-650-3705 / siue.edu

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE 314-539-5000 / stlcc.edu

CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS

CAPE GIRARDEAU

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY– CARBONDALE 618-453-2121 / siu.edu

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY 573-651-2000 / semo.edu

$23,230

$33,500

$25,700

DND

$2,183*

$27,900

$426*

$25,707

$14,277

$22,500

$216*

$23,100

N/A

$9,638

$400*

$9,700

$9,930

$10,140

$11,050

$16,440

$9,363

$10,334

$10,380

$8,724

$10,000

NA

$7,720

$9,761

$10,622

$8,935

87%

99%

100%

82%

49%

45%

88%

78%

83%

98%

47%

100%

70%

92%

78%

SpringArts_0319.indd 78

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SPRING ARTS GUIDE

THE

FINE ARTS

The Saint Louis Ballet’s Coppélia, p. 81

BY AMANDA WOYTUS

Nothing proves that art is long and life is short quite like the list of music, theater, visual art, film events, and other performances being presented in St. Louis this spring and summer. Add up your free time, divide it by the number of events on the culture scene, and you’ll see. Luckily for you, we’ve put together a punch list—select even a couple of these performances each month, and you’ll have a full agenda.

Spring is the season of renewal, and though new faces— among them St. Louis Symphony Orchestra music director Stéphane Denève and Shakespeare Festival St. Louis executive producer Tom Ridgely—give us reason to rejoice in saying goodbye to the hibernation of winter, we must also bid farewell to the Rep’s longtime artistic director, Steven Woolf, but not without a big celebration first. This year’s list of concerts is full of megastars, including Garth Brooks, Ariana Grande, Carrie Underwood, and Shawn Mendes. Then there are the festivals. Whether you love Tennessee Williams or J.S. Bach, snaking your way through downtown Maplewood for Let Them Eat Art or eating your way through the Festival of Nations, there’s no shortage of great options. If art is long and life is short, we need to get moving.

A GUIDE TO THE BEST

O F T H E C I T Y ’ S C U LT U R E S C E N E ,

MARCH THROUGH AUGUST

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79 Photography courtesy of Saint Louis Ballet

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MAR similar to that in nature. Not to be missed: Ashley’s inflatable sculpture, accompanied by local dancers performing choreography coordinated to go with the park’s landscape.

Murder at Haversham Manor, but there are a few…hiccups. The actor playing the victim won’t stay dead, the leading lady’s unconscious, and actors are tripping up everywhere. Described as a “fall-down funny” mix of Monty Python and Sherlock Holmes, this British farce won London’s Olivier Award and then unexpectedly took flight in the States. When sci-fi god and Star Wars director J.J. Abrams, in London shooting The Force Awakens, wandered into the show one night, he found himself laughing and became a producer.

of the St. Louis music scene, they felt that a book wasn’t enough.

Enter The St. Louis Sound Project, five shows in various venues in the city. Nights are devoted to jazz, rock, blues, hip-hop, and Americana with performances by such favorites as The Tonina Quartet, Marquise Knox, and Marsha Evans. Shows are $10 each, $25 will get you all five, and for $50, a copy of The St. Louis Sound Project is included.

“Striking Power: Iconoclasm in Ancient Egypt”

March 22–August 11 Pulitzer Arts Foundation, 3716 Washington, pulitzerarts.org.

“How We See: The M at e r i a l i t y o f C o l o r ”

March 2–June 30 Laumeier Sculpture Park, 12580 Rott, laumeiersculpturepark.org.

Demetri Martin

Garth Brooks

The inspiration for “How We See” struck Laumeier curator Dana Turkovic as she was visiting Modern Art Oxford. There she saw “Love Is Enough: William Morris and Andy Warhol,” a juxtaposition of works by the great British textile designer and equally renowned American pop artist. “It was an unexpected pairing,” Turkovic says, but “the exhibition was beautifully curated” by Jeremy Deller. “The parallels Deller made between the two artists created a fresh dialogue of their respective practices. ‘How We See’ uses a similar curatorial device: Drawing on what is here, it makes what is old new again.” The exhibit includes sculpture by Claire Ashley, David Batchelor, Jedediah Caesar, Jeffrey Gibson, Barbara Kasten, and Anne Lindberg. Color here is both a chromatic display of beauty, Turkovic says, and an amplification of its “objectness,” a display of technology and material sciences, and proof that the creation of hue variations is

March 9 The Dome at America’s Center, 701 Convention Plaza, domeatamericascenter.com.

Brooks, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, is the top-selling solo artist of all time at 148 million units, beating Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, and Elton John. Brooks is more than his stats, though. There’s the music, ranging from rollicking— “Ain’t Goin’ Down (’Til the Sun Comes Up)”—to sweetly tender— “If Tomorrow Never Comes” and “The Dance.” When he charges into The Dome, we’ll be hoping for “Friends in Low Places.”

Is there anything more inspiring than wandering around a museum and looking, awestruck, at ancient works of art? As part of the Pulitzer’s first exhibition to track the “history of iconoclasm in relation to ancient Egyptian art,” the museum has almost 40 objects on loan from one of the largest collections: New York’s Brooklyn Museum.

Broken artworks and undamaged pieces together tell the story of the period’s destruction of art, be it for political or religious reasons. Take, for example, a fragmented basalt face from a sarcophagus, dating from 332–30 BCE, perhaps destroyed in the belief that it contained a certain spiritual energy.

T h e S t. L o u i s S o u n d Project

T h e P l ay T h at G o e s W r o n g

March 13–April 7 The Mainstage at The Rep, 130 Edgar, repstl.org.

Will anything go right in this play within a play? The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society is putting on a murder mystery, The

March 23, 26, 28–30 Various venues; check stlmag.com for more.

This new fest has unexpected roots: as a book. When Reedy Press teamed up with KDHX DJ Steve Pick and author Amanda Doyle to create a compendium

March 24 The Pageant, 6161 Delmar, thepageant.com.

Known for his absurdism, deadpan observations, and use of a sketchpad and acoustic guitar in his act, comedian Martin—who was a Daily Show contributor and writer for Conan—comes to St. Louis on the heels of his 2018 Netflix special, The Overthinker.

T i m e S ta n d s S t i l l

March 28–April 14 The J, 2 Millstone Campus, jccstl.com.

James is a reporter who left Iraq after seeing too much; Sarah is a photojournalist who stayed there and was injured by a roadside bomb. When the two are reunited in New York, they try to start a different, more conventional life together—but Sarah has a secret about her time embedded without James. the Los Angeles Times called this play, by Donald Margulies, “absorbingly intelligent.” Here it’s directed by New Jewish Theatre’s Doug Finlayson.

march 2019  stlmag.com

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SPRING ARTS GUIDE

A S ta n d i n g O vat i o n f o r S t e v e | A p r i l 1 0

In 1986, when Steven Woolf took over as artistic director of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, the organization was in a tough spot, artistically and financially. Since then, he’s produced more than 300 shows, directed 45, and presided over the theater’s record-breaking 50th-anniversary season. In 2017, when Woolf announced his retirement, he led with this sweet sentiment: “It’s not often you get to live your dream, but I’ve been able to do just that at The Rep.” It’s only fitting that the soon-to-be artistic director emeritus kicks off his retirement with an event celebrating his tenure. Fans are invited to share memories, which will be incorporated into the ceremony, through the Rep’s website. Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, 130 Edgar, repstl.org.

more reason to catch this performance: It’s your last chance this season to watch the Saint Louis Ballet on the mainstage.

Dreamgirls

April 4–20 Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee, straydogtheatre.org.

We’re on board for anything Beyoncé- or Jennifer Hudson– related, and Stray Dog Theatre’s performance of Dreamgirls checks both boxes. But before it was a movie, of course, it was a musical, one that tells the story of R&B group The Dreams.

Based on groups like The Shirelles and The Supremes, The Dreams will find their star—but not without conflict.

Coppélia

April 5–7 Touhill Performing Arts Center, 1 University, stlouisballet.org.

Coppélia is actually based on two stories, one of them a dark psychological fantasy—German writer E.T.A. Hoffmann’s “Der Sandmann”—but you wouldn’t know it. This comic tale of a doll so real-seeming, a boy falls in love with her, is magical, innocent, and sweet; one reviewer describes it as “enough tiaras, tulle and rhinestones to sink the Titanic.” When the ballet, by French composer Léo Delibes, premiered in Paris in 1870, it was an immediate success. One

SpringArts_0319.indd 81

M y Fav o r i t e M u r d e r L i v e

April 20 Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market, stifeltheatre.com.

A podcast wherein two friends who met at a Halloween party talk about their favorite murders seems a little...inappropriate.

But once you listen, you’ll find Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark are anti–victimblaming, equally against romanticizing the crimes, and pro–“pepper spray first, ask questions later.” (“Stay out of the forest,” “You’re in a cult; call your dad,” and “Stay sexy and don’t get murdered” are some of the podcast’s other catchphrases.)

In each episode, the pair recap the events of a grisly true-crime event and ask listeners—dubbed Murderinos—to write in with murders committed in their own hometowns. Their rowdy live shows follow a similar format: Kilgariff and Hardstark each run down a crime, usually centered on the place where they’re performing, and ask audience members to come up to the mic and share firsthand accounts.

Aziz Ansari

April 27 Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market, stifeltheatre.com.

When we last saw Ansari, he’d returned from learning to make pasta in Modena in his Netflix hit Master of None. After taking a year off in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct (and since apologizing), the Parks and Recreation favorite is slowly re-emerging, with a 30-plus-city tour—Road to Nowhere—of his über-personal standup. To catch up, watch any of his previous specials: Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening, Dangerously Delicious, Buried Alive, and Live at Madison Square Garden. 

S l at k i n C o n d u c t s Bernstein

April 27 & 28 Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand, slso.org.

Leonard Bernstein was one of—if not the—most accomplished conductors, composers, and pianists of the 20th century, his contributions ranging from directing the New York Philharmonic to creating music for West Side Story.

Beloved St. Louis Symphony conductor laureate Leonard Slatkin returns to the podium to lead musicians in Bernstein’s Symphony No. 3, “Kaddish.” A mourner’s kaddish is a Jewish prayer said for someone who has died, and in Symphony No. 3, Bernstein taps into its duality: both as a requiem and a celebration of life. The piece was dedicated to the memory of the slain President John F. Kennedy.

APR

2/4/19 12:41 PM

MAY

C o m e F r o m A w ay

May 14–26 Fox Theatre, 527 N. Grand, fabulousfox.com.

Bach in Motion

May 2 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity, bachsociety.org.

Almost 300 years ago, composer Johann Sebastian Bach wrote his four orchestral suites, which were basically popular dance music back in the 18th century. Now in its second year, the St. Louis Bach Festival pays homage to the German Baroque composer with a series of performances. Don’t miss this collaboration by Big Muddy Dance Company and the Washington University Department of Music in performances of the suites.

Tennessee Williams F e s t i va l

May 9–19 Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square, twstl.org.

Christopher Castellani’s

Cher

May 10 Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark, enterprisecenter.com.

Last year alone, Cher debuted a Broadway show (appropriately titled The Cher Show), graced the silver screen in the jukebox rom-com Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (playing Meryl Streep’s mother—is there a higher achievement?), and was honored at the Kennedy Center (there’s one). She also put out an album, Dancing Queen, with covers of ABBA songs. Watch her perform them, along with her biggest hits, on her Here We Go Again Tour.

Leading Men

April 18 Left Bank Books, 399 N. Euclid, left-bank.com.

S y m p h o n i e Fa n ta s t i q u e

The buzz is the premiere of Dear Mr. Williams, a one-man play inspired by the writer’s life,

by Bryan Batt (Mad Men). Batt described the show to Playbill: “The tumultuous journey from adolescence to adulthood is one we all must take, but it’s oh-somuch more exciting and poetic with Tennessee Williams as your guide.” Need more? Left Bank Books hosts Christopher Castellani and his book Leading Men, all about Williams.

This 1830 work by Berlioz is a trip in five movements: the introduction of the protagonist artist and the object of his fixation; a ball; a cowherd’s melody; the artist poisoning himself with opium and having nightmarish visions; and, finally, a satanic dream. Conducted by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s Stéphane Denève, it’s your last chance to catch the new music director this season. Mezzosoprano Rinat Shaham will also perform Shéhérazade by Ravel.

May 10–12 Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand, slso.org.

In the immediate aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks, when the FAA closed American airspace, 38 inbound planes were diverted to the town of Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador... population 10,000. Come From Away takes its name from the stranded passengers, the “come from aways,” and tells the story of people from all over the world who are forced together.

ing and how we make up our identities. First up, the Beirut artist Hamdan’s two installations examine the “world of the earwitness.” The first part is the U.S. premiere of Walled Unwalled, a video and live performance. The second is his 2017 work Saydnaya (the missing 19db). The two pieces reflect the artist’s acoustic investigation of Saydnaya, a prison in Syria.

Sepuya uses collage and mirrors to deconstruct traditional portraits of friends and other artists.

Shot from both an apartment in Brooklyn and a studio over more than 10 years, the images ask the viewer to consider what’s real and what’s not. 

Nina Simone: Four Women

May 15–June 6 Edison Theatre, 6465 Forsyth, theblackrep.org.

Christina Ham’s play, presented

by The Black Rep, features four characters modeled on the civil rights activist’s song. The setting is the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, the day it was bombed in 1963. Amid the rubble: Sarah, Sephronia, Sweet Thing, and Simone. Sarah wants to work. Sephronia wants to march. Sweet Thing wants to go to Chicago. And Simone?

She wants to fight back. In 2017, Ham told The Washington Post, “I think any black woman has felt like all four of these women at different parts of her life.”

James Carter with the Peter Martin Trio

May 19 The Sheldon, 3648 Washington, thesheldon.org.

Carter is a saxophonist—soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone—who, one reviewer says, “draws as much from free squonkers as gutbucket blues players, with an equally musical knowledge added to it.” (You had us at “squonkers.”) At the Sheldon, he’ll be playing modern jazz, with a mix of funk, rock, and soul, with the acclaimed Peter Martin Trio.

John Pizzarelli Trio with C at h e r i n e R u s s e l l : B i l l i e & Blue Eyes

“ L aw r e n c e A b u H a m d a n & Pa u l M pa g i S e p u ya ”

May 17–August 18 Contemporary Art Museum, 3750 Washington, camstl.org.

This spring, two new exhibits at the Contemporary Art Museum explore the politics of listen-

May 22–26 Ferring Jazz Bistro, 3536 Washington, jazzstl.org.

Closing out the jazz season is a massive show paying tribute to two standards: Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra. The guides in this trip back to the music

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Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Earshot, installation view, Portikus, Frankfurt/Main, 2016. Courtesy Portikus, Frankfurt/ Main and Maureen Paley, London. Photo: Helena Schlichting. Photography by Matthew Murphy

2/4/19 12:42 PM

SPRING ARTS GUIDE

of the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s are bandleader and guitarist John Pizzarelli and “old-school vocalist” Catherine Russell.

Carrie Underwood

Be More Chill

Carrie Underwood’s Cry Pretty was the latest country album to mix in sounds of R&B (“Backsliding”) and address gun violence in America (“The Bullet”). Now she’s touring in support of it with The Cry Pretty Tour 360. Why the 360? Her set—her tour’s creative director has worked with Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Rihanna, her production designer with Justin Timberlake and Beyoncé—has a 360-degree stage that lets her play to the entire audience. She’ll share it with guests “Girl in a Country Song” duo Maddie & Tae and Runaway June, a trio that reminds us of the Dixie Chicks. 

May 30–June 22 The Marcelle, 3310 Samuel Shepard, newlinetheatre.com.

The last show of New Line Theatre’s season asks the audience: “You’re offered a pill with a tiny supercomputer inside, to be taken with some Mountain Dew, that will install a personalized voice inside your head that will tell you how to be cool. Do you take it?” Any adult would say no—at the thought of drinking Mountain Dew alone—but put yourself in Jeremy’s shoes. He’s a teenage nerd who discovers a “super quantum unit Intel processor” in pill form that promises popularity. Consider this from The New Yorker: “If you fed Dear Evan Hansen and Mean Girls to the Little Shop of Horrors plant, Be More Chill is probably what you would get.”

June 18 Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark, enterprisecenter.com.

Love’s Labour’s Lost

May 31–June 23 Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park, 6604 Fine Arts, sfstl.com.

A comedy from Shakespeare’s lyrical period (see also Romeo & Juliet) is set for the mainstage of the Shakespeare Festival.

In Love’s Labour’s Lost, Tom Ridgely’s directorial debut, the Princess of France sets out on a diplomatic mission to Navarre, but its young king has vowed not to see women. “The Bard’s insights into the different ways men and women love and want to be loved have never felt so contemporary,” Ridgely says, noting that Navarre’s park setting is perfect for Forest Park. 

Photography by Josiah VanDien, Herring & Herring

SpringArts_0319.indd 83

Ozzy Osbourne

June 26 Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, 14141 Riverport, livenation.com.

If you were born before 1980, you probably know Osbourne as the Prince of Darkness for his work with Black Sabbath or for his solo career, which includes charttopping hit “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” And there was the time he bit the heads off two doves… and the time he bit the head off a bat. If your birthdate is after 1980, you might know him from his reality show The Osbournes, which featured the rocker shuffling around the house and sometimes hilariously forgetting how to answer his own phone. Or 13, the 2013 record he made with Black Sabbath after 35 years.

Either way, Osbourne officially retired from music in 1992. Maybe that’s why he’s named this latest tour, with guest act Megadeth, No More Tours 2.

Kinky Boots

June 19–25 The Muny, 1 Theatre, muny.org.

Kinky Boots is the Broadway brainchild of pop star Cyndi Lauper (who wrote the play’s 16 songs) and Torch Song Trilogy’s Harvey Fierstein (who wrote the book). Based on a British work taken from a true story, it tells the story of Charlie, who inherits a near-bankrupt shoe factory, and Lola, the drag performer who shows him the niche market that just might save it. Dealing with themes of identity, acceptance, and honor, the musical, winner of six Tony Awards, is having its Muny and regional premieres.

The Revolutionists

June 27–July 14 The Marcelle, 3310 Samuel Shep­ ard, insighttheatrecompany.com.

Insight Theatre Company describes this work as an “irreverent, girl-powered comedy”... set, um, during France’s Reign

of Terror. How does that play out? Three women from history—Queen Marie Antoinette, playwright Olympe de Gouges, and assassin Charlotte Corday— plus one composite character, a Haitian woman called Marianne Angelle, meet, murder Marat, and try to make sense of the extremism that was Paris in 1793.

That the queen, de Gouges, and Corday all died that year should give you a hint as to how it ends: “in a song and a scaffold.”

S h aw n M e n d e s

June 30 Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark, enterprisecenter.com.

Shawn Mendes’ story is truly that of Gen Z. The Ontario native, who had natural talent for singing but no formal training, started posting videos of himself performing covers in his bedroom online, which went viral—and finally a record label noticed. Now the 20-year-old has three world tours and two Grammy nominations under his belt. His fourth tour will spotlight new hits like “In My Blood” and “Lost in Japan” from a self-titled album.

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JUL

Fa i r S a i n t Lo u i s

D e at h C a b f o r C u t i e

July 4–6 Gateway Arch National Park, fairsaintlouis.org.

July 8 Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market, stifeltheatre.com.

At press time, the lineup was still top secret, but what’s well known: There’s no better spot for fireworks under the Arch.

Earlier this year, Death Cab for Cutie expanded its (mostly sold-out) tour in support of is ninth album Thank You for Today, proving that the alt-rockers who once were a recurring storyline on the midaughts favorite The O.C. are still relevant. Fun, even. The Pitch wrote that frontman Ben Gibbard “burned through dazzling renditions of old favorites and brought along a colorful light show to match” when Death Cab played Kansas City.

Ariana Grande

July 6 Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark, enterprisecenter.com.

It’s been almost two years since Grande’s Dangerous Woman tour, during which 22 people died in a bombing after her performance at the Manchester Arena in England. Since the attack, Grande’s raised $13 million for the victims and spoken out about her PTSD. This spring sees her return to the tour circuit with the Sweetener World Tour, in support of two albums, Sweetener and Thank U, Next. The latter refers to her bop of the same name, when she name-drops exfiancé and Saturday Night Live performer Pete Davidson, along with other exes, in a series of scenes from early-2000s movies: Mean Girls, Legally Blonde, Bring It On, and 13 Going on 30.

An Evening with The Av e t t B r o t h e r s

July 12 & 13 Fox Theatre, 527 N. Grand, fabulousfox.com.

The folk favorites have been busy and not just with the 16 extra stops they’ve added to their 2019 touring schedule.

There’s an HBO documentary about their lives, directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio; a new album, True Sadness; and two new songs late last year, “Trouble Letting Go” and “Roses and Sacrifice,” which debuted on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

L e t T h e m E at A r t

Grease

July 12 Downtown Maplewood, cityofmaplewood.com.

July 19–August 18 Robert G. Reim Theatre, 111 S. Geyer, stagesstlouis.org.

The French celebrate Bastille Day with fireworks and a day off work. We celebrate by going to downtown Maplewood for five hours of live art demonstrations. The festival last year invited more than 50 creatives from across the region to show off their talents and talk about their processes. You can also expect live music and food from Maplewood’s restaurants.

Looking for a dose of nostalgia? Stages St. Louis performs a beloved American comingof-age story, featuring a beauty school fever dream and the best dance-off ever.

“ Pa u l G a u g u i n : T h e A r t o f Invention”

July 21–September 15 Saint Louis Art Museum, 1 Fine Arts, slam.org.

S t. L o u i s F i l m m a k e r s Showcase

July 12–14 & 19–21 Washington University’s Brown Hall, Centennial Greenway, cinemastlouis.org.

It’s an embarrassment of local film riches. For two weekends in July, the nonprofit Cinema St. Louis will show only movies—ranging from features to shorts as well as documentaries—that were made, directed, written by, or produced by St. Louisans and films with strong ties here. Filmmakers will be on hand for Q&As.

The story of Paul Gauguin, who started creating Impressionist art in Paris in the late 1800s, rings oddly true even in 2019: Man loses job in stock market crash; man is relieved because it means he has more time to create art; man hits the road. Gauguin visited Brittany, Panama, Martinique, and Tahiti; befriended Vincent van Gogh; and, after his death, became a figure in the PostImpressionist, Synthetist, and Symbolist movements. Now the Saint Louis Art Museum exhibits more than 50 of his works, on loan from one of the biggest collections of his art, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen.

fest list

Four festivals you mustn’t miss: the 48 Hour Film Project (48hourfilm .com), the Whitaker Music Festival (mobot.org), Twangfest (twangfest .com), and the Loop Arts Fest (visittheloop.com). Although the dates hadn’t been announced at press time, the 48 Hour Film Project challenges St. Louis filmmakers to make the best short in two days. June through August, the Missouri Botanical Garden hosts the 10-week outdoor Whitaker Festival. Looking for Americana? Head to Twangfest (June 5–8), which has been celebrating the best in the region since 1997.

Round out the month by attending the Loop Arts Fest (June 21–23).

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Paul Gauguin; “Landscape from Tahiti”, c. 1893; oil on canvas, 49 x 54 cm; Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, photography by Emma Sheehan

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SPRING ARTS GUIDE

O p e r a T h e at r e o f S a i n t L o u i s

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is committed to bringing new works here, and this season is no different. But first, something funny, something tragic, and something...a little different. In May and June, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (May 25 and 31; June 6, 8, 12, 16, 19, and 29). In this opera buffa, a sequel to The Barber of Seville, Figaro is getting married to Susanna, who is also the Count’s object of affection. Will they be able to thwart the powerful man’s plans? Next, Verdi’s Rigoletto (June 1, 5, 14, 20, 22, 26, and 30): The Duke has eyes for Rigoletto’s daughter, Gilda, but when Rigoletto hires an assassin to take out the Duke for seducing her, the effect is the opposite of what Rigoletto intended. The Coronation of Poppea (June 9, 13, 15, 22, 26, and 28), by Monteverdi, tells the story of Emperor Nero and his mistress Poppea, who longs to be empress and will go to great lengths to make sure it happens. The winners of this opera aren’t who you’d expect. If you can only see one performance, make it Fire Shut Up in My Bones (June 15, 19, 21, 23, 27, and 29). Terence Blanchard, who composed the opera’s hit Champion, returns with screenwriter Kasi Lemmons for the adaptation of New York Times journalist Charles M. Blow’s memoir about his turbulent childhood in Louisiana. Loretto-Hilton Center, 130 Edgar, opera-stl.org.

another pair with them, Dan + Shay, plus Morgan Wallen, who collaborated with Florida Georgia Line on “Up Down.”

for us, Bryan—along with Cole Swindell and Jon Langston— has mastered the art of a fun summer concert.

B l u e s at t h e A r c h

August 2, 9, 16 & 23 Gateway Arch National Park, 50 N. Leonor K Sullivan, archpark.org.

S t. L o u F r i n g e F e s t i va l

On the first four Fridays in August, starting at 6 p.m., The Gateway Arch Park Foundation fills North Gateway near Laclede’s Landing with the sounds of world-renowned blues artists—and it’s free. As of press time, the lineup hadn’t been finalized (watch stlmag .com for an announcement), but last year’s included Dexter Allen and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, dubbed by Rolling Stone the future of blues music.

The event also includes food vendors and lawn games.

August 13–18 Grand Center Arts District, various locations, stlouisfringe.com.

Florida Georgia Line

L u k e B r ya n

August 8 Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, 14141 Riverport, livenation.com.

August 17 Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, 14141 Riverport, livenation.com.

Last month, the country duo released a fourth album, Can’t Say I Ain’t Country, and now they’re hitting the road with a tour they promise will bring “lots of pyro, energy, and good vibes.” And they’re bringing

Luke Bryan is back for a second year. On his Sunset Repeat Tour, the country star—who has nine No. 1 Billboard hits—is sharing his song “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset” with fans across the U.S. Lucky

The festival, which connects “uncensored, unjuried performing arts with accessible and affordable performances for audiences,” is back at it for the eighth year with a new, asyet-unnamed play by Shannon Geier of the Because...Why Not? Theatre Company. Other latenight local acts include Lola Van Ella and Kristen Goodman and their Big Gay* Soirée.

Lengua De Vaca/Cow’s Tongue, Longing for the Impossible by Huasmole Corp Artistic Exploration International Headline Act. Photo by Huasmole Corp

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F e s t i va l o f N at i o n s

August 24 & 25 Tower Grove Park, 4256 Magnolia, festivalofnationsstl.org.

For a couple of days in August, Tower Grove Park is transformed into an international bazaar when 125,000 people gather to eat and shop globally.

Last year featured more than 45 food booths alone, with tamales, samosas, kebabs, and khachapuri. There are also arts and crafts, music and dance performances, and an area with children’s activities.

Shakespeare in Love

August 29–September 15 The Grandel, 3610 Grandel Square, insighttheatrecompany.com.

In 1998, the inimitable Tom Stoppard co-wrote this story about a wealthy merchant’s daughter who disguises herself as an actor to attract the attention of Shakespeare, and the Bard, plagued by writer’s block, who is inspired by her to write Romeo and Juliet.

Now Insight Theatre Company brings the love story of Will and Viola to the stage.

B i g M u d d y B l u e s F e s t i va l

August 30–September 1 Laclede’s Landing, bigmuddyblues festival.com.

The lineup for this year hadn’t been finalized at press time.

Last year more than 30,000 people came to watch 60-plus musicians, including Big George Brock, St. Louis Brass Band, and Ptah Williams. There will be two tribute shows and a free event on Friday.

AUG

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It’s not just the pho at Mai Lee and Nudo House that’s therapeutic. Eating at a Qui Tran restaurant is like coming home. How, in a profession famous for tantrums and scathing insults, does he stay so sweet?

S TO R Y B Y J E A N N E T T E C O O P E R M A N / P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y K E V I N A . R O B E R T S

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EAVESDROP ON A GROUP OF ST. LOUIS CHEFS, AND PRETTY SOON HIS NAME WILL COME UP. First name only, because everybody knows Qui Tran, or wants to. Besides, the name’s fun to say: that clicky hard K, then a pucker (a whistle? a kiss?) and an exuberant “whee.”

All in just three letters. They spell a world, drawing you inside.

You’re welcomed with such warmth, you forget how cool Qui is. Heir to the legendary Mai Lee (tucked behind the Best Buy box on the craziness that is Eager Road), Qui added Nudo House in 2017, shifting from Vietnamese and Chinese into Japanese ramen (but keeping banh mi and pho and sneaking in a curry).

In less than a year, the place made the cover of Food & Wine. This spring, he’ll open the second Nudo House, in the east Loop next to The Pageant.

The rest of Qui’s energy goes to mixed martial arts, good causes, the cigar club at The Ritz-Carlton, his wife, his parents and sisters, about a thousand friends, and a miniature pinscher named Snow Pea, in whatever order is required of him at the moment. But the organizing principle is food. He soaks up

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ideas from every chef he meets, and when he cooks, he’s a whirl of concentrated energy.

“I’ve called a few people ‘the straw that stirs the drink’ here in St. Louis,” says his friend Mike Emerson, cofounder of Pappy’s, “but Qui is more like the high-speed blender. He’s putting in 80, 90 hours a week, but you’ll see him at every possible charity event to support the city.”

He’s also “our own private little Google,” Emerson adds. “Qui says, ‘C’mon, I’ll introduce you,’ and the walls drop. You might think you’re just an acquaintance, but in Qui’s eyes, you’re a friend.”

THE BAR AT MAI LEE

Most places, people shift their weight from one foot to another as they wait for takeout, flip through a throwaway paper, check the phone. On a Friday night in the bar at Mai Lee, a guy’s sipping a beer, and soon he’s so deep in conversation with another diner that when his paper bag shows up, you get the feeling he’d rather just open it and eat his takeout here. Qui brings out four more bags and sets them on the back bar, rubbing the bartender’s shoulders as he passes. “Hi, Biscuit!” a middle-aged woman says into her phone. “I’m in the bar at Mai Lee”—her tone significant, as though anyone would know the vibe that fact conjures. A young woman orders breathlessly: “OK, so this is how overwhelmed I get. Can I get chicken banh mi and—what’s your favorite non-pho soup? And the pad thai. Oh, and I want some green beans and crab Rangoon.” Qui swipes a card at supersonic speed, scooting a server out of the way by grabbing him around the waist, then calls, “What’s up, Chef?” La Pâtisserie Chouquette’s assistant pastry chef has just walked in, a toddler in his arms. Two women flirt with the bartender in Spanish as he mixes one of Qui’s Asian martinis: ginger liqueur, green tea vodka, and sake. With the warm spice of ginger and a paper-dry finish, it’s wise and innocent at the same time—kind of like Qui. With his bald head and round, friendly face, the guy just looks happy, without a hint of suspicion or judgment. “I’ve never heard him say a negative thing about anybody,” says photographer Gregg Goldman, “When I need to be put in a good mood, I go sit in the bar at Mai Lee, order some soup and watch the world go by.”

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Qui and Thuy relaxing at home with their “road dog,” Sweet Pea.

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It’s as clear as yesterday: Sau Tran’s arms waving wildly at each approaching car, the headlights blinding for a second, then gone. Five-year-old Qui can’t quite figure out what’s happening, but he can smell the tension coming off his father’s wiry body. Finally somebody stops, and Sau, whose English is just words and phrases, useless as unstrung beads, shows the driver a piece of paper with an address on it. A church.

He’s gotten a job there, cleaning at night, and he’s bringing Qui because they can’t afford a sitter, and they’re on foot, and he’s terrified of being late.

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This is the earliest memory Qui can summon, a tight hard acorn that contains his future. Like his father that night, he will forever be navigating what’s new and scary, depending on hard work, graced by strangers’ unreliable kindness.

Born in Vietnam, he left as a babe in his mother’s arms. Two and a half rough years later, his family arrived in St. Louis, safe but bemused. They would tell Qui nothing of that journey until he reached his twenties. It lived only in their memories and private conversations.

They kept their culture alive—and their earlier, happier memories—largely through food. Lee, the calm and practical Continued on p. 108

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S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

20 19

EDUCATION PROFILES A PARENT'S JOB IS NEVER DONE. One of the biggest choices you can make for your children is where they will receive their education. It's a decision that will shape knowledge, character, skill, and ultimately their future.

Learn about great local options in the following pages.

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EDUCATION PROFILES

S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL [SLUH] 4970 OAKLAND AVENUE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63110 314-531-0330 / SLUH.ORG

Educating “Men for Others” since 1818: For 200 years, St. Louis University High School has provided a premier education to young men from all walks of life. The oldest Jesuit high school west of the Mississippi River, SLUH began as a Latin school for boys in a riverfront house. Since then, it has remained committed to its city location.

SLUH inspires its students to accept extraordinary challenges, while preparing them to be “Men for Others” and leaders in their communities.

Infused with the five-century-old tradition and philosophy established

by St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, SLUH’s focus in all of its endeavors reflects the Jesuit motto Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, a Latin term meaning “For the greater glory of God.” SLUH’s dedicated faculty—95 percent of whom have advanced degrees—seek to develop critical thinking and thoughtful expression among their students. Its impressive curriculum offers more than 100 electives, including Advanced Placement courses in more than 20 disciplines. By engaging nearly every interest through a storied

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athletic program and nearly 100 student clubs, SLUH further encourages students to build community through participation.

SLUH’s student body is composed of 1,000 young men from nearly 90 ZIP codes in the metropolitan area. A financial aid program of over $4 million ensures that all academically qualified young men are admitted based on their ability to succeed, rather than their economic circumstances.

With an average ACT of 30, SLUH’s most recent graduates were accepted at more than 200 different colleges and universities throughout the United States. These students accepted scholarships for their freshman year of studies valued at approximately $3.2 million.

About 15,000 SLUH alumni represent leadership in all levels and disciplines, nationally and internationally. Of these, 8,000 reside in the St. Louis area, with graduates leading many aspects of their community, from civil service to non-profits and leadership at Fortune 500 companies.

GRADES

ENROLLMENT

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

COST

9–12 (boys)

1,000

10:1

$17,100

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EDUCATION PROFILES

S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

CHAMINADE COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL 425 S. LINDBERGH BOULEVARD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63131 314-692-6650 / CHAMINADE-STL.ORG

Chaminade College Preparatory School educates young men, grades 6–12, in the Catholic Marianist tradition. Chaminade’s intention is to ensure that every young man who passes through its doors is able to achieve the balance between school life and play. The school motto is ESTO VIR, “Be a Man,” and it is a true journey from boyhood to manhood that includes spiritual, educational, and social development.

As a school for boys, Chaminade is created from the perspective of how young men learn, build relationships, and interact with the world. The school’s mission is to cultivate students' inherent skills, gifts, and talents while realizing their potential as men. This is accomplished through a focus on academics, formation of character, and athletics and activities.

Chaminade provides a modern, academically challenging curriculum using personalized instruction. Classrooms, averaging 17 students, are student-centered and address multiple learning styles. The alternating block schedule allows for longer classroom experiences for debates, labs, and deeper academic engagement.

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GRADES

ENROLLMENT

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

COST

6–12 (boys)

872 (high school: 584; middle school: 288)

9:1

$18,998

COLLEGIATE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND BIOSCIENCE 1547 S. THERESA AVENUE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63104 314-696-2290 / SLPS.ORG/CSMB

The Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience is a prestigious college-prep high school that provides unmatched preparation for students interested in careers in health care and bioscience—all within a diverse student culture. A rigorous college-prep curriculum includes 10 AP courses and the opportunity to earn more than 30 college credit hours. Collegiate offers students ongoing four-year support toward college application and acceptance at the nation’s most prestige universities—a program quite unique in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

Collegiate students gain a competitive advantage through partnerships and internships with Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Goldfarb School of Nursing, the Missouri Botanical Gardens, Saint Louis Zoo, the Cortex Innovation Community, and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. Students are also mentored by graduate-level students and scientists at these respected institutions.

Collegiate is a Saint Louis Public Schools magnet school allowing eligible St. Louis County students to apply. Many students from districts such as Webster Groves, Parkway and Ladue are proud Collegiate Owls! Call 314-696-2290 for application information.

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GRADES

ENROLLMENT

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

COST

9–12 (coed)

260

14:1

N/A

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EDUCATION PROFILES

S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

INCARNATE WORD ACADEMY 2788 NORMANDY DRIVE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63121 314-725-5850 X1149 / IWACADEMY.ORG

The mission of Incarnate Word Academy is to challenge young women of faith to achieve their God-given potential as academically successful Women of the Word. Following the example of Jesus, the Incarnate Word, they promote human dignity, thereby empowering themselves and others to make a positive impact on the world. Founded in 1932, the Academy is sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.

At IWA, girls enjoy not just equal opportunity but every opportunity! The singlegender setting offers a rich learning environment where every student welcomes academic challenges, expresses her thoughts and opinions, and participates in new learning opportunities. The college preparatory environment extends beyond the curriculum. Modular scheduling helps IWA graduates begin their college career with an edge: already knowing how to collaborate, structure downtime, and initiate discussions with professors.

Red Knights take advantage of 22 athletic teams, 17 clubs and organizations, and 20 college-credit course offerings. In addition, there are 18 scholarship categories, including several new scholarships worth up to $4,000 per year.

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GRADES

ENROLLMENT

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

COST

9–12 (girls)

343

12:1

$13,995

MIRIAM SCHOOL & MIRIAM ACADEMY MIRIAM SCHOOL: 501 BACON AVENUE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63119 MIRIAM ACADEMY: 2845 N. BALLAS ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63131 314-968-3893 / MIRIAMSTL.ORG

Miriam is the St. Louis region’s most comprehensive resource for children with learning differences. Its programs offer a different approach to unlocking potential, designed to meet the unique social, emotional, and academic needs of each student.

For 60 years, Miriam School has offered a specialized education for bright children in pre-K through eighth grade with learning challenges. With small class sizes, experienced teachers and staff, and integrated accommodations such as speech/language and occupational therapy, students at Miriam School find a nurturing environment full of possibilities.

In 2016, Miriam Academy opened to serve high school students in an environment designed to empower unique learners. Miriam Academy’s small class sizes, curriculum modifications, and tailored opportunities such as internships and summer experience help students prepare for college or a career path after graduation.

Miriam also operates Miriam Learning Center, which supports children and young adults ages 3 to 25 through a range of services including evaluations, tutoring, and therapy. No matter where families are in their journeys, Miriam helps identify needs and provide solutions.

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GRADES

ENROLLMENT

PRE K–12 (coed)

94 (elementary and middle school); 49 (high school)

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

7:1

COST

$9,000–$30,100 (2018–19)

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EDUCATION PROFILES

S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

VILLA DI MARIA MONTESSORI SCHOOL 1280 SIMMONS AVENUE, KIRKWOOD, MO 63122 314-822-2601 / VILLADIMARIA.ORG

Nestled on six beautiful acres in Kirkwood, Villa di Maria Montessori School has been serving children in the St. Louis community for more than 50 years. Villa di Maria prides itself in providing the highest-quality Montessori education to children ages 2½–12 and is guided by its mission to “support each child to develop academic excellence and the ability to embrace and respond to the challenges of today’s world with innovation, compassion, determination, grace, and kindness.”

As an AMI-accredited (Association Montessori Internationale) Montessori school, Villa di Maria is committed and enthusiastic about providing an authentic Montessori environment. The school cultivates an enthusiasm for learning in each child. With a strong academic program, Villa di Maria emphasizes life skills, such as problem-solving, teamwork, self-direction, and self-expression.

To schedule a campus tour or to learn more about how Villa di Maria helps foster independence and a lifelong love of learning, visit villadimaria.org or email info@villadimaria.org.

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GRADES

ENROLLMENT

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

COST

AGES 2½–12

179

14:1

$6,500–$10,500

VISITATION ACADEMY 3020 N. BALLAS ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63131 314-625-9103 / VISITATIONACADEMY.ORG

With a long-standing reputation for academic excellence, Visitation Academy is an independent Catholic school offering a coeducational Montessori program for ages 2 through kindergarten and the area’s only all-girls education for grades 1–12.

A Visitation education nurtures and challenges students as they move through the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools. Small class sizes allow faculty to know students well; the all-girls environment provides young women with the confidence to pursue wider fields of study and achieve higher levels of success.

Salesian spirituality, based on the teachings of St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal, is the foundation of Viz’s educational philosophy. Students learn to live life intentionally with gentle strength, confidence, and joy. As a result, students develop a distinct worldview and grow to become curious, creative, and innovative contributors to their communities.

“Be who you are and be that well.” Since 1833, St. Francis de Sales’ words have guided the spirit of Visitation Academy as students discover their gifts, live their spirit.

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GRADES

ENROLLMENT

TODDLER–K (coed) GRADE 1–12 (girls)

539

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

6:1

COST

$21,510 (2019–20 Upper School tuiton)

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EDUCATION PROFILES

S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

COMMUNITY SCHOOL 900 LAY ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63124 314-991-0005 / COMMUNITYSCHOOL.COM

Parents recognize in their children the gift of something great. For more than a century, Community School has let those gifts flourish in an environment of active, experiential learning. A seasoned faculty engages students with a challenging curriculum integrating academics, the arts, physical education, and interpersonal skills. Community students are responsible, caring, and vibrant people who learn how to work with and lead others.

Community believes the world is to be explored, examined, and enjoyed— both the physical world and the world of ideas. The expansive campus, with its woods, trails, pond, fields, and light-filled classrooms, provides a perfect and safe environment for this early exploration. Students learn to dig deep into subjects and examine them in detail. Parents value the security that the secluded campus provides and the nurturing environment that the teachers create.

The child-focused classrooms and challenging curriculum reach children in innovative ways that stretch their abilities and cultivate continued development.

This builds a lifelong love of learning that prepares students for success at the very best secondary schools...and in life.

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GRADES

ENROLLMENT

AGE 3–GRADE 6 (coed)

347

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

COST

$19,150–$20,550

7:1

CHESTERFIELD MONTESSORI SCHOOL

THE COLLEGE SCHOOL

14000 LADUE ROAD, CHESTERFIELD, MO 63017 314-469-7150 / CHESTERFIELDMONTESSORI.ORG

7825 BIG BEND BOULEVARD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63119 314-962-9355 / THECOLLEGESCHOOL.ORG

Chesterfield Montessori is a nonprofit school founded in 1981, offering authentic AMI Montessori programs at all levels. The beautiful sunlit environment features classrooms that are open, inviting, well-organized, and equipped with the full spectrum of Montessori materials. Nurturing teachers are highly trained and enjoy working with the culturally diverse student body. Montessori education stimulates a passion for learning, exploration, and discovery. The partnership of parents, children, and teachers makes CMS a place where students and families flourish.

The College School in Webster Groves engages children, ages 3 to 14, in experiential curriculum that is both rigorous and reflective. From coding robots and analyzing ecosystems to conducting experiments in the woods and becoming investigative journalists in local neighborhoods, students do more than learn in a traditional classroom setting.

They become collaborators, risk-takers, and problem-solvers who believe they can change the world. To learn more and schedule a personal tour, email admissions@thecollegeschool.org or call 314-962-9355.

GRADES 16 MONTHS–14 YEARS (coed) STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 12:1

ENROLLMENT 170

COST SEE WEBSITE

GRADES PRE-K–GRADE 8 (coed) STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 9:1

ENROLLMENT 235 COST $9,300–$17,950

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EDUCATION PROFILES

S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

ROSSMAN SCHOOL 12660 CONWAY ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63141 314-434-5877 / ROSSMANSCHOOL.ORG

Nestled on a 20-acre campus in Creve Coeur, Rossman is an independent private preparatory school dedicated to discovering and nurturing that which makes each child one-of-a-kind. In a small, safe, and supportive school community, students thrive as they are challenged and stretched by an unparalleled educational program emphasizing strong academics, character development, and leadership skills.

Rossman’s experienced and innovative faculty develop close, personal relationships with each child and implement a stimulating curriculum that inspires a lifelong love for learning while providing a solid foundation in language arts, mathematics, and specialty subjects such as art, music, physical education, science, Spanish, and social studies. The school’s thoughtfully designed program teaches children how to learn and equips them with the problem-solving, critical thinking, organization, and collaboration skills that future leaders need.

The core values of kindness, honesty, respect, and responsibility are woven deeply into every facet of Rossman. Graduates are known not only for being academically well prepared but also for their embodiment of these traits.

QUICK LOOK

GRADES

ENROLLMENT

AGE 4–GRADE 6 (coed)

227

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

COST

$20,400 (includes lunch)

8:1

NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL

FORSYTH SCHOOL

320 E. RIPA AVENUE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63125 314-544-1015 X1104 / NDHS.NET

6235 WYDOWN BOULEVARD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63105 314-726-4542 / FORSYTHONLINE.COM

Notre Dame High School, a Catholic college-prep school, is sponsored by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Today, 100 percent of Notre Dame’s students pursue higher education, and 75 percent receive merit-based scholarships. A variety of AP and ACC courses challenge students to achieve college credits in a supportive high school environment. Students receive personal attention and 1-to-1 academic conferencing with a faculty advisor each week. Classroom teaching is enhanced with the integration of technology via iPads.

Located next door to Washington University and across the street from Forest Park, Forsyth School offers an unforgettable experience on a one-of-a-kind campus with classrooms in six repurposed, historic homes. Forsyth is a place where personal best counts—in the classroom, on the field, on the stage, and on the high ropes course in the Adventure Center. The challenging and engaging curriculum fosters independence and prepares students to thrive in secondary school and beyond.

GRADES 9–12 (girls)

ENROLLMENT 242

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 11:1

96

COST $11,900

GRADES AGE 3–GRADE 6 (coed) STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 8:1

ENROLLMENT 365 COST $20,161 (2018/19)

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S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

LUTHERAN NORTH MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL

LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH

5401 LUCAS AND HUNT ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63121 314-389-3100 / LUTHERANNORTHSTL.ORG

9515 TESSON FERRY ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63123 314-631-1400 / LHSSSTL.ORG

Lutheran North is a coeducational, Christian school, serving students in the St. Louis metropolitan area. This college-prep school is opening its doors to middle schoolers in grades 6–8 in the fall. Lutheran North blends a challenging curriculum with opportunities for service, cocurricular, and athletic activities. Students are welcome from various Christian, socio-economic, academic, and racial backgrounds. Lutheran North helps students grow in their faith, develop their strengths, and meet the challenges of new opportunities.

Lutheran South is committed to helping students succeed through building relationships and providing individualized attention. This coeducational, Christian school serves students from 53 different zip codes.

Named the “Best Athletic Program for Small Schools,” Lutheran South is large enough to offer a wide variety of activities, yet small enough for students to find their niche. From faith formation to college preparation, Lutheran South combines a strong tradition of family with excellence in education.

GRADES 9–12 (coed); Grades 6–8 beginning in the fall

GRADES 9–12 (coed)

ENROLLMENT 250 STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 12:1 COST $14,550

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 12:1

MICDS (MARY INSTITUTE AND SAINT LOUIS COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL) 101 N. WARSON ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63124 314-995-7367 / MICDS.ORG

A nationally recognized leader in independent education, MICDS is a college-prep, coed school for students from junior kindergarten (age 4) through the 12th grade. MICDS helps students discover their unique talents, preparing them for higher education and to lead lives of purpose and service. When your child attends MICDS, they’ll explore their passions and pursue academic excellence in state-ofthe-art classrooms, labs, athletic facilities, theaters, and art studios throughout the 100-acre campus. Join MICDS for a life of discovery!

ENROLLMENT 420 COST $14,550

URSULINE ACADEMY 341 S. SAPPINGTON ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63122 314-984-2800 / URSULINESTL.ORG

Ursuline Academy is rooted in a tradition of college-preparatory education, service, and innovation. Students are encouraged to discover the power within themselves through a personalized approach to education, helping each young woman understand and develop her individual learning style and reach her full potential. Part of a network of 150 Ursuline-sponsored schools in 35 countries, the unique Global Education Program offers students opportunities to develop global competencies applicable to future careers. The Ursuline graduate is a confident young woman prepared for living and leading in a global society.

GRADES JK–12 (coed) STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 8:1

GRADES 9–12 (girls)

ENROLLMENT 1,234 COST $20,550 (JK–4), $24,400 (5–6), $28,200 (7–12)

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 10:1

ENROLLMENT 375 COST $14,850

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S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

WHITFIELD SCHOOL 175 S. MASON ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63141 314-434-5141 / WHITFIELDSCHOOL.ORG

Whitfield is a close-knit and diverse community for grades 6–12 in which each student’s unique strengths are known, cultivated, and celebrated. The talented faculty capture students’ imaginations and help them identify and pursue their passions.

Whitfield’s college preparatory program is rooted in character education. The Habits of Mind & Heart curriculum encourages critical reflection for academic and personal growth.

Whitfield’s college counseling program inspires students to reach for their top choice schools in a low-stress way. The process features an extraordinary level of individualization and curricular integration, and an emphasis on choosing schools that further develop students’ strengths and empower them to flourish as scholars and individuals. In the past six years, seniors have earned more than $12 million in merit scholarships for their first year of college.

Whitfield graduates are prepared for the global realities they will face in college and beyond. The international program includes hosting students from around the world who choose to study at Whitfield and providing opportunities for American students to travel abroad.

QUICK LOOK

GRADES

ENROLLMENT

6–12 (coed)

440

VILLA DUCHESNE AND OAK HILL SCHOOL 801 S. SPOEDE ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63131 314-810-3529 / VDOH.ORG

A Sacred Heart education is a journey, not a destination. Once begun, it is something that is lasting—a passport to the world with no expiration date.

The faculty help students pack the “essentials” for this lifelong journey of learning. Graduates leave with the confidence and character to make choices for themselves while weighing the impact of those choices on others. They carry with them open hearts, open minds, open eyes, and open arms—everything they need to open worlds.

98

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

COST

$27,775 (2019–20; financial aid available)

8:1

THE WILSON SCHOOL 400 DEMUN AVENUE, CLAYTON, MO 63105 314-725-4999 / WILSONSCHOOL.COM

At The Wilson School, students age 3 through sixth grade learn in a nurturing environment where they are known and valued as individuals. Wilson kids are challenged each and every day by exceptional educators through integrated, project-based experiences. The curriculum balances STEM, language arts, and creative self-expression, enriched by an award-winning technology program. Your Wilson graduate will be equipped for life, possessing the knowledge and skills to flourish academically, socially, and emotionally.

GRADES AGE 3–GRADE 6 (coed), GRADES 7–12 (girls) ENROLLMENT 445

GRADES AGE 3–GRADE 6

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 8:1 COST $6,645–$23,250

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 7:1

ENROLLMENT 170 COST $20,700

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S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

DE SMET JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL 233 N. NEW BALLAS ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63141 314-567-3500 X1247 / DESMET.ORG

De Smet Jesuit High School is an all-male, college-preparatory, Catholic high school located in Creve Coeur. De Smet Jesuit offers a top-tier academic program and a balanced emphasis on academics, faith, service, and co-curricular activities, so graduates are best prepared to be “men for and with others.”

In January 2018, De Smet Jesuit opened its Innovation Center, a high-tech learning space where students can engage with peers and professionals from around the globe, explore virtual worlds, collaborate on small group projects, and develop as young entrepreneurs alongside professional mentors. The possibilities are limitless for students to engage, explore, and create.

For students still considering options for high school or for those just beginning the search process, De Smet Jesuit will host a Spring Open House on Saturday, April 13, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students in the seventh grade may also schedule Shadow Visit Days to spend a half day attending classes with current students during March and April by calling the Admission Office at 314-567-3500 x1247.

QUICK LOOK

GRADES

ENROLLMENT

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

COST

9–12 (boys)

700

10:1

$16,700

NERINX HALL

SAINT LOUIS PRIORY SCHOOL

530 E. LOCKWOOD AVENUE, WEBSTER GROVES, MO 63119 314-968-1505 / NERINXHALL.ORG

500 S. MASON ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63141 314-434-3690 / PRIORY.ORG

Located in the heart of Webster Groves, Nerinx Hall is an independent, Catholic, all-girl high school founded in 1924 by the Sisters of Loretto. Nerinx is more than a college-preparatory school. It is an enriching Catholic education that shapes, and is shaped, by extraordinary students. In this community of learners, students develop a respect for differences of opinion, discover how to best articulate their own views, and believe in each other’s potential.

Saint Louis Priory School is a Catholic, Benedictine, academically rigorous school serving boys in grades 7–12. The school’s 150-acre campus is conveniently located at I-64 and Mason Road. Priory offers a challenging liberal arts education, with coursework in English, Classical and Modern Languages, Math, the Sciences, History, Theology, Computer Science, and Fine Arts. Athletics are an important part of the Priory experience, fostering friendships, teamwork, and school spirit. Visit and explore this distinctive school.

GRADES 9–12 (girls)

ENROLLMENT 564

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 9:1

COST $14,850

GRADES 7–12 (boys)

ENROLLMENT 400

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 7:1

COST $24,125

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S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

GREAT CIRCLE ACADEMY 330 N. GORE AVENUE, WEBSTER GROVES, MO 63119 844-424-3577 / GREATCIRCLE.ORG

A place where no one feels different—that’s what makes Great Circle Academy different. It’s a welcoming place for children who need an alternative to a traditional school setting. At GCA, highly qualified teachers and therapists work as a team, and have significant behavioral health training and certifications. Small classes blend with a flexible teaching approach based on individual needs to provide daily support to students. Accreditation comes from AdvancED and the Independent Schools Association of Central States (ISACS). Financial aid is available.

GCA works with kindergarteners through twelfth graders who have significant emotional and behavioral challenges, communication disorders, cognitive delays or an autism diagnosis. Plus, GCA has Missouri’s only high school program for teens in recovery from substance use. It blends academic rigor with a therapeutic environment to create a positive high school experience that supports sobriety for a lifetime.

At Great Circle Academy, students discover the strengths within themselves to blossom and thrive, feel safe and empowered, and reignite their passion for learning and life.

QUICK LOOK

GRADES

ENROLLMENT

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

COST

K–12 (coed)

250

4:1

$30,000

CROSSROADS COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL

CHURCHILL CENTER & SCHOOL

500 DEBALIVIERE AVENUE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63112 314-367-8085 / CROSSROADSCOLLEGEPREP.ORG

1021 MUNICIPAL CENTER DRIVE, TOWN & COUNTRY, MO 63131 314-997-4343 / CHURCHILLSTL.ORG

Crossroads’s rigorous and diverse academic program provides the flexibility to explore and the focus to dive deep. The school's recording studio, black box, 2D and 3D art studios, and MakerSpace help every student find their voice. With 10-plus AP courses and a full-time college counselor, the school prepares each student to thrive in college and beyond.

At Crossroads, everyone has something to contribute. The class of 2018 earned more than $4.8 million in merit-based college aid.

Crossroads’s academics, together with an extensive extracurricular program, provide meaningful learning opportunities at the intersection of creativity, thinking, doing, and ethics.

For 40 years, Churchill Center & School has made a transformational impact by providing outstanding educational services to children with dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning disabilities through day school, summer school, and tutoring programs. As a nationally recognized leader and a Wilson® Accredited Partner, Churchill’s highly individualized program features a 50-minute, 1:1 daily tutorial for each student and a robust curriculum of multi-sensory reading, language, fine arts, and math instruction. Churchill empowers students with learning disabilities to gain the strategies and confidence they need to succeed, becoming advocates for their future. To learn more, please visit churchillstl.org.

100

GRADES 7–12 (coed) ENROLLMENT 217 STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 9:1

GRADES 1–9 (coed)

COST $25,450 (middle school); $26,280 (upper school)

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 3:1

ENROLLMENT 154 COST $34,440

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EDUCATION PROFILES

S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

MISSOURI MILITARY ACADEMY 204 N. GRAND STREET, MEXICO, MO 65265 573-581-1776 / MISSOURIMILITARYACADEMY.ORG

Since 1889, thousands of parents from across the U.S. and around the world have looked to Missouri Military Academy to give their boys the structure, responsibility, and love they need to grow, compete and thrive—and ultimately become young men who are in full command of their lives.

For boys in grades 7 through 12 postgraduate, MMA is a college-preparatory boarding school with a military tradition. MMA’s comprehensive 360° Education program empowers students to unlock their full potential. Through MMA’s tightknit environment, supported by peers, teachers, and mentors, boys learn personal accountability, perseverance, and self-discipline.

Through MMA’s unique College Triumph program, qualifying students can start college early and graduate with one year of college completed–or even their AA degree. MMA graduates consistently achieve 100 percent college acceptance and earn an impressive number of scholarships, including to the U.S. service academies.

Located 90 minutes from St. Louis, Missouri Military Academy’s 248-acre campus provides a safe, supportive, and scenic setting for learning.

QUICK LOOK

GRADES

ENROLLMENT

7–POSTGRADUATE (boys)

208

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

14:1

COST

$38,000 (includes room and board)

COUNTRYSIDE MONTESSORI SCHOOL

COR JESU ACADEMY

12226 LADUE ROAD, CREVE COEUR, MO 63141 314-434-2821 / MONTESSORI4CHILDREN.COM

10230 GRAVOIS ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63123 314-842-1546 / CORJESU.ORG

Countryside Montessori School is dedicated to the education of the whole child. Countryside meets each child’s need for intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development. The learning environment is designed to cultivate independence, individual responsibility, freedom of choice, concentration, problem-solving abilities, social interaction, competency in basic skills, and a love of learning. By offering a superb Montessori education in a nurturing environment, Countryside strives to help children reach their full potential and become independent, lifelong learners.

Cor Jesu, a Catholic, college-preparatory school founded by the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, offers an academically challenging program committed to the total education of young women.

CJ’s innovative, hands-on approach encourages students to think beyond their textbooks. Inspired by the eight religious sisters on staff and the charism “Sharing the Love of the Heart of Christ,” students embrace personal dignity, faith, integrity, and compassion, graduating as responsible members of the global community.

GRADES 8 WEEKS–6 YEARS (coed)

ENROLLMENT 66

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 3:1–8:1 (varies)

COST VARIES

GRADES 9–12 (girls)

ENROLLMENT 578

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 11:1

COST $15,250

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EDUCATION PROFILES

S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

ST. ROCH SCHOOL

KIRK DAY SCHOOL

6040 WATERMAN BOULEVARD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63112 314-721-2595 / GOSTROCH.COM

12928 LADUE ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63141 314-434-4349 / KIRKDAYSCHOOL.ORG

St. Roch is committed to delivering an excellent education while preparing students to think, act, and serve on their own. A close-knit, diverse, and caring community where kids get the support they need to flourish, St. Roch embraces the principles of academic excellence, faith, discipline, and service. Situated centrally next to Forest Park, the school draws students from more than 20 ZIP codes and prepares them for the most challenging high schools in the region. St. Roch also offers affordable tuition, with multi-child discounts and financial aid available.

Kirk Day School, an independent school nestled in the heart of Town and Country, sets the benchmark for academic excellence within the Christian elementary school community. Established in 1992, KDS offers a proven academic program grounded in a Christian worldview. Graduates excel academically, participate actively, and engage the world with a strong spiritual foundation. 98 percent of alumni attend first-choice select private high schools upon graduation. Students benefit from small class sizes, foreign languages, and a wide variety of extracurricular activities.

GRADES PRE-K–GRADE 8 (coed) STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 11:1

ENROLLMENT 220 COST $5,400

GRADES AGE 3–GRADE 6 (coed) STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 8:1

ENROLLMENT 302 COST $3,141–$9,480

ST. JOSEPH’S ACADEMY

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN SCHOOL

2307 S. LINDBERGH BOULEVARD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63131 314-394-4321 / SJA1840.ORG

115 S. SIXTH STREET, ST. CHARLES, MO 63301 636-946-0051 / IMMANUELSTCHARLES.ORG

St. Joseph’s Academy has been a leader in education for more than 175 years. The 140-course college-prep curriculum is rigorous by design and focuses on developing leaders. The school seeks a balanced approach and invites students to pursue their many interests.

In 2018, SJA activated a new college advising program and opened a state-of-the-art resource center. SJA’s mission is to provide quality Catholic education in an environment that challenges students to grow in faith, knowledge, and respect for self and others.

Immanuel Lutheran School (est. 1848) is an outstanding Christian school for children and has been recognized as a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Immanuel emphasizes high academic standards in a caring, Christ-centered environment. Students in preschool (beginning with 2-year-olds) through Grade 8 are nurtured in the Christian faith, equipped with an excellent education, and prepared for a life of Christian responsibility and service. Visit Immanuel by scheduling an appointment online or via phone.

GRADES 9–12 (girls)

ENROLLMENT 500

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 11:1

102

COST $14,710 (2018–19)

GRADES AGE 2–GRADE 8 (coed)

ENROLLMENT 492

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 18:1

COST $3,770–$5,903

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EDUCATION PROFILES

S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

TWIN OAKS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL RAINTREE SCHOOL 2100 S. MASON ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63131 314-858-1033 / RAINTREESCHOOL.ORG

Children thrive on discovery. This is how questions are answered and, more importantly, how new ones arise. This is why Raintree School is hidden—hidden on 11 acres of forest, stream, prairie, fallen log, and giant boulder—hidden to be discovered by tiny feet and hands as they are propelled by ever-growing minds.

Raintree is Missouri’s first Reggio Emilia-inspired forest school. An independent preschool and kindergarten, the school’s emergent, project-based curriculum emphasizes innovation, citizenship, and grit.

1230A BIG BEND ROAD, BALLWIN, MO 63021 636-861-1901 / TWINOAKSCHRISTIANSCHOOL.ORG

Twin Oaks Christian School equips students to lead, serve, and thrive in God’s world for His glory. Dynamic instructors motivate learners to excel academically and to prepare for challenges ahead. Twin Oaks is an exciting place to learn for children age 3 through grade 8; a place where they actively participate, discover meaning, and solve problems. Technology is integrated throughout the grade levels in order to deepen and support essential knowledge. Each student has a personalized learning plan, focusing on needs, strengths, and potential. When you visit, you will instantly recognize a positive school culture, beautiful classrooms, and modern facilities.

GRADES AGE 2–K ENROLLMENT 92 STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 8:1

GRADES AGE 3–GRADE 8 (coed)

ENROLLMENT 165

COST $17,700 (full-time), $14,200 (part-time), $11,700 (half-day)

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 11:1

COST $2,705–$8,880

CHESTERFIELD DAY SCHOOL 1100 WHITE ROAD, CHESTERFIELD, MO 63017 314-469-6622 / CHESTERFIELDDAYSCHOOL.ORG

CDS offers a premier start-to-finish education for students age 18 months through the sixth grade. Beginning with an early childhood program rooted in the Montessori philosophy, CDS’s holistic approach values all dimensions of a child. Classrooms feature mixed-age groupings that foster peer learning, uninterrupted blocks of work time, and guided choice of work.

In the second through sixth grades, students build on Montessori foundations with additional personalized methodologies—including Singapore Math, Project Based Learning, and a state-of-the-art MakerSpace—where students are challenged to mature academically and socially.

GRADES 18 MONTHS–GRADE 6 (coed) ENROLLMENT 150

PREMIER CHARTER SCHOOL 5279 FLYER AVENUE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63141 314-645-9600 / PREMIERCHARTERSCHOOL.ORG

Premier Charter School offers an exceptional academic setting deeply rooted in character education for families who live in the City of St. Louis. At the heart of PCS is a caring and creative environment that celebrates diversity. The innovative curriculum at PCS is designed to grow critical-thinkers who are ready to succeed in the 21st century.

Premier Charter School is where character and academics meet!

GRADES PRE-K–GRADE 8

ENROLLMENT 935

COST N/A

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 15:2 (pre-K); 18:1 (K–1); 20:1 (2–8)

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO 4:1 (toddler); 8:1 (PK and up) COST $19,100

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S P EC IA L A DV DVE E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

FROM ARTS TO ATHLETICS, these summer programs provide plenty of options for children to continue their development outside of the school year.

For additional information about local summer programs, visit STLMAG.COM/SUMMERCAMPS.

AGES/GRADES

GENDER

Ages 8–18

Coed

DATES/HOURS

COST

DEADLINE

Up to $225

N/A

Varies

Registration will remain open until camps are full.

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER ST. LOUIS SUMMER CAMPS 314-335-8000 | BGCSTL.ORG

Your child can make lifelong friends, visit some of St. Louis' best attractions, enjoy sporting and cultural activities, take field trips, and learn to swim at one of the area's most affordable summer programs.

Weekdays June 10–August 2 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

CAMP WHITFIELD AND WHITFIELD SPORTS CAMP 314-434-5141 | WHITFIELDSCHOOL.ORG/SUMMERCAMP

At Camp Whitfield, children grades K–7 participate in a variety of fun activities. Campers engage in technologybased classes, unique art experiences, crafts and sports and games. Whitfield Sports Camps are perfect for athletes at any level. Whitfield coaches provide sportspecific training and instruction in week-long camps.

Ages, prices, dates, and times vary by sport.

Camp Whitfield: Entering grades K–7

Camp Whitfield: July 8–26 Sports Camps: Vary Coed

Before and after care available

CHESTERFIELD MONTESSORI SCHOOL SUMMER PROGRAM

Weekdays 8 a.m.–3 p.m.

314-469-7150 CHESTERFIELDMONTESSORI.ORG/PROGRAMS/SUMMER-AT-CMS

Chesterfield Montessori School offers a Montessori summer program for children ages 16 months to 12 years, providing a good balance of indoor and outdoor activities, swimming lessons, sports activities, and creative arts.

16 months–12 years

Coed

Extended Care: $255–$340

May 1

Weekdays June 10–July 19

Ages 5–15

Coed

Summer School: 8:30 a.m.–2:15 p.m.

Ready, Set…Read!: 8:30–10 a.m.

COCA SUMMER ARTS CAMPS

Contact Anne Evers at aevers@churchillstl.org for details.

Weekdays May 28–August 16

314-561-4898 | COCASTL.ORG

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$990–$1,865

Half- and full-day sessions

314-997-4343 | CHURCHILLSTL.ORG

COCA prides itself on offering some of the most creative camps around, providing campers with the opportunity to experience new things, build their skills and have tons of fun. Kids and teens will learn to express themselves through poetry, dance, drama, sculpture, songwriting, videography, and much more.

Session 1: June 3–June 28 Session 2: July 3–July 26* Session 3: July 29–August 16 *Closed July 4

Before and after care available

CHURCHILL CENTER & SCHOOL SUMMER PROGRAMS

Churchill's six-week program, designed for children with specific learning disabilities, features a 1:1 tutorial and individualized curriculum fused with creative and interactive experiences to empower students to thrive in and out of the classroom.

One week sessions

Sports Camps: Vary

Ages 3–18

Coed

Full day: 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Half day: 9 a.m.–11:45 a.m.; 12:15 p.m.–3 p.m.

$124 per week

First day of camp

Before and after care available

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S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

AGES/GRADES

GENDER

THE COLLEGE SCHOOL ADVENTURE DAY CAMPS AND EXPEDITIONS 314-962-9355 | THECOLLEGESCHOOL.ORG/SUMMERCAMP

Every summer, The College School offers a variety of camps for children. Experience some wonderful adventures, and find out for yourself why The College School camps are so popular!

Ages 4–15

Coed

DATES/HOURS

COST

DEADLINE

June–August

Two-week themed adventure day camp: $475

When full

9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Before and after care available

Overnight Expeditions: $500

June 3–August 9

Varies

Enrichment camps: 8–10 a.m.; 10 a.m.–12 p.m.

Session 1: June 3–7 Session 2: June 10–14

Early registration: $100

COMMUNITY SCHOOL CAMPS 314-991-0005 | COMMUNITYSCHOOL.COM/CAMP

Community School offers camps for 3-year-olds to eighth graders, including arts, academics, and just plain summer fun on the school’s beautiful 18-acre campus. There are more than 70 offerings, with special sessions from STAGES, Bricks 4 Kidz, HiNRG and more!

Plus, there’s Play Camp for the youngest campers and FUNdamentals to fight the summer slump.

Age 3–Grade 8

Coed

COR JESU SUMMER CAMPS 314-842-1546 | CORJESU.ORG

Girls will get a taste of what life is like at Cor Jesu while enjoying a variety of enrichment camps including science, robotics, cooking, music, knitting, and more.

Plus, they can hone their sports skills by learning from high school players and coaches at the sports camps.

Grades 5–8

Girls

Sports Camps: June and July See the website for specific dates/times for each camp.

COUNTRYSIDE MONTESSORI SCHOOL

After May 15: $125

Early bird registration ends May 15

Weekdays June 3–August 9

314-434-2821 | MONTESSORI4CHILDREN.COM

Join Countyside Montessori School for daily activities including pony rides (ages 2–5), swimming/water play, fun classroom and science activities, art, gardening, and outdoor play in Countryside's new trike area.

May 15

Two 10-week sessions Ages 1–5

Coed

Age 3–Grade 6

Coed

Half day: 8:15 a.m.–12 p.m.

Full day: 8:15 a.m.–3:15 p.m.

Extended day: 7 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Varies

N/A

$275 per week

N/A

TBD

When full

Half day: $25 School day: $40 Full day: $45

When full

FORSYTH SUMMER DISCOVERY 314-726-4542 | FORSYTHONLINE.COM

Forsyth Summer Discovery provides kids with an ageappropriate mix of structure, freedom, and challenge.

Different weekly themes allow kids to become artists, engineers, climbers, designers, cyclists, explorers, and more on Forsyth School’s one-of-a-kind campus.

GREAT CIRCLE SUMMER CAMPS FOR YOUTH ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM 844-424-3577 | GREATCIRCLE.ORG

Two Great Circle options– "Keeping it Cool" week-long day camp in Webster Groves or overnight camp at its Meramec Adventure Learning Ranch, in Steelville.

Full details on website, March 1.

June 10–August 9 One-week sessions

Day camp: Grades 3–12

Day camp: July 8–12 Coed

Overnight camp: July 29–August 2

Ages 3–5

Coed

Half day: 8:15–11:15 a.m.

School day: 8:15 a.m.–3:15 p.m.

Full day: 8:15 a.m.–6: p.m.

Grades 5–9

Girls

Ages 6–18

Coed

June 1–August 9

Grades 1–9

Coed

June weekdays

Overnight camp: Ages 6–18

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN SCHOOL'S SUMMER ADVENTURE CAMP

May 28–July 26

636-946-0051 | IMMANUELSTCHARLES.ORG

Immanuel offers summer programs that provide an environment which recognizes and celebrates God's gift of life in each child. Weekly themes give opportunities with learning centers, STEM adventures, art activities, and games.

INCARNATE WORD ACADEMY 314-725-5850 | IWACADEMY.ORG

Incarnate Word Academy offers a variety of sports, STEM, leadership, and performing arts camps.

Campers will venture onto center court, center field, and center stage! Along the way, they will have fun, create incredible friendships, and discover gifts they never knew were there.

One week before the start of each camp

Varies by camp

KANAKUK 417-266-3000 | KANAKUKSUMMER.COM

Kanakuk's premier summer camps in Branson, Missouri provide 6 to 18-year-olds with unparalleled experiences to build faith and friendships that will last a lifetime.

Varies

LUTHERAN NORTH CRUSADER SUMMER ACADEMY 314-389-3100 | LHSNSTL.ORG

Lutheran North's Crusader Summer Academy offers children opportunities to grow in athletics or learn a new hobby.

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Varies

N/A

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S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

AGES/GRADES

GENDER

DATES/HOURS

COST

DEADLINE

Grades 1–12

Coed

Summer weekdays

Varies

N/A

June 10—August 2 Age 4–Grade 6

Coed

$500 per two-week session

May 30

LUTHERAN SOUTH SUMMER CAMP 314-631-1400 | LHSSSTL.ORG

Lutheran South Summer Camp is a sports-focused program offering students the chance to learn a new skill or master one they already know.

MAKER CAMP AT ST. MICHAEL SCHOOL 314-721-4422 | STMICHAELSCHOOL.ORG

STEM comes to life at Maker Camp, where campers explore robotics, design, coding, and 3D printing through hands-on activities and journeys to neighboring Forest Park, Shaw Park pool, and more.

Camp will not be in session July 4–5

MMA CONFIDENCE AND LEADERSHIP CAMPS 573-581-1776 X429 MISSOURIMILITARYACADEMY.ORG/SUMMERCAMPS

Each summer, MMA welcomes young people from across the country and around the world to train, compete, and learn in its military and recreational facilities. In addition, MMA Summer Academy is a rewarding opportunity for young people to simultaneously learn leadership skills and improve their academics and study skills.

Confidence & Leadership Camps: Ages 8–17

Confidence & Leadership Camps: July 7–20 Boys Summer Academy: June 23–July 19

Summer Academy: Grades 7–12

Confidence & Leadership Camps: $1,100–$2,190

N/A

Summer Academy: $3,850

NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER CAMP 314-544-1015 X1104 | NDHS.NET

Notre Dame High School offers age-based athletic camps for third through twelfth-graders focusing on softball, cheer, basketball, volleyball, tennis, field hockey, soccer, and lacrosse. Notre Dame also offers many enrichment camps.

May-July Grades 3–12

Girls

Four-day sessions

$65+

N/A

Specific dates and times vary

NERINX HALL SUMMER CAMPS 314-968-1505 X115 | NERINXHALL.ORG/SUMMERCAMP

Summer camp at Nerinx Hall offers fun and learning for athletes, artists, and those anxious to learn new skills.

Grades 3–8

Girls

Age 3–Grade 7

Coed

Entering JK3–Grade 6

Coed

Varies by camp. Check website for more details.

NEW CITY SCHOOL 314-361-2267 | NEWCITYSCHOOL.ORG

New City School is serious about summer.

Your camper can dig for dinosaur bones, sing in a musical, perform science experiments, practice math, and so much more. Join New City School for one week or all eight—there are so many opportunities for joyful learning and joyful play! Call or visit the website for a copy of the school's brochure.

June 10–August 9 Before and after care available

Varies by camp

May 31

$295 per week

May 31

$1,408 per four-week session

Open enrollment

$75–$220

N/A

PASSPORT TO SUMMER AT VILLA DUCHESNE AND OAK HILL SCHOOL 314-432-2021 | VDOH.ORG

Passport to Summer welcomes students from all schools to experience athletics, academics, and adventure at Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School.

Campers are placed in groups by age and ability with staff handpicked to meet each group's needs.

All programs take place on campus with Day Camps including a weekly field trip to a St. Louis attraction.

June 3–August 2 7:15 a.m.–6 p.m.

RAINTREE SCHOOL SUMMER INTERLUDE

June 3–July 26

314-858-1033 | RAINTREESCHOOL.ORG

Get outside! With weekly field trips, special guests, art encounters, science experiments, and community service, it's sure to be a fascinating summer at Raintree School.

Age 3—Entering Grade 3

Coed

Grades 1–8

Boys

9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Extended care: 7 a.m.–6 p.m. (no additional charge)

SPARTAN SUMMER AT DE SMET JESUIT ATHLETIC CAMPS: 314-567-3500 X1309 ACADEMIC CAMPS: 314-567-3500 X1274 DESMET.ORG/SPARTANSUMMER

Join the teachers and coaches of De Smet Jesuit High School for an exciting summer of academic and athletic camps. Mix and match morning and afternoon activities to make this your most fun and productive summer yet. Watch for updates online at desmet.org/spartansummer. Registration opens Saturday, January 26.

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June 3–July 19 (hours vary) Camps will not be in session the week of July 1

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S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

AGES/GRADES

GENDER

SPORTING ST. LOUIS SOCCER CAMPS

DATES/HOURS

DEADLINE

Half day: $125

Day before each camp begins

All Skills: July 15–19

314-514-7417 X104 | SPORTINGSTL.COM/CAMPS

Soccer players can learn a wide variety of skills regardless of their position in Sporting Skills Camp, or learn skills related to taking or stopping shots in Sporting Strikers & Goalkeepers Camp.

COST

Ages 9–18

Coed

Strikers & Goalkeepers Camp: July 29–August 1

Full day: $230

Half- and full-day sessions

ST. JOSEPH'S ACADEMY CAMPS 314-394-4319 | SJA1840.ORG

St. Joseph’s Academy welcomes girls in grades 3–9 to experience SJA this summer at the school’s numerous academic, athletic, and extra-curricular camps.

Visit the website for more information and to register.

Grades 3–9

Girls

Varies by camp. Check website for more details.

Ages 3–18

Coed

June 3–August 2

$155–$450

N/A

Grades 2–8

Coed

June 11–July 27

Varies

May 31 (online registration)

Pre-K–Grade 12

Coed

STAGES PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY 636-449-5775 | STAGESSTLOUIS.ORG

STAGES Performing Arts Academy offers an exciting variety of Musical Theatre camps, workshops, and productions for students of all ages and abilities all summer long! These dynamic, inventive programs are designed for preschoolers to teens. To register, call 636-449-5775 or visit stagesstlouis.org.

SUMMER @ SLUH 314-531-0330 | SLUH.ORG/SUMMER

Students in grades 2–8 can sharpen their skills in the classroom and on the field through a variety of academic and athletic-oriented offerings.

SUMMER AT SLU 314-977-3534 | SUMMER.SLU.EDU

Saint Louis University offers more than 60 camps and academies for pre-K through high school students, from perfecting their jump shot in basketball camp to hands-on experience in SLU’s medical academies.

SUMMER FUNDAMENTALS AT MIRIAM 314-961-1500 | MIRIAMSTL.ORG

Miriam's specialty summer camps are perfect for students entering grades K–12 who need a boost in fundamentals. Choose from academic, social skills, and therapy camps.

Entering grades K–12; students who are unique learners

Coed

Varies by program

Session 1: June 10–21 Session 2: June 24–July 5 Session 3: July 8–19

Varies

N/A

Free

May 11

Starting at $84 (varies by camp)

When full

Half- and full-day sessions

Session 1: June 3–6 Session 2: June 10–13 Session 3: June 17–20

$100 per session

June 1

$275–$650 per week

N/A

Half- and full-day sessions After care available

UMSL BRIDGE PROGRAM SUMMER ACADEMY 314-516-5196 UMSL.EDU/PRECOLLEGIATE

The Summer Academy offers academic enrichment in the core areas of mathematics, science, written and oral communication, career research and identification, personal and professional development, college planning, and ACT preparation.

Weekdays June 17–July 12 Grades 9–10

Coed 7:45 a.m.–12 p.m.

URSULINE ACADEMY SUMMER CAMPS 314-984-2818 | URSULINESTL.ORG

Whether your child loves to perform, create, run, build, compete, or everything in between, Ursuline has a summer camp for them! This year, Usuline is excited to offer a wide array of options in athletics, STEAM, and its new partnership with COCA, all on Ursuline's campus in Kirkwood.

May 28–July 18 Ages 6–14

Coed

VIZ SPORTS SUMMER CAMPS 314-625-9100 VISITATIONACADEMY.ORG/STUDENT-LIFE/ATHLETICS/SUMMER-CAMPS

Viz Sports camps are for girls entering kindergarten through the eighth grade and include soccer, cheerleading, volleyball, basketball, and field hockey.

WILSON SCHOOL SUMMER CAMPS 314-725-4999 | WILSONSCHOOL.COM

The Wilson School’s Think Camp features two weeks of fun and creative problem-solving activities. Wilson Day Camp runs for eight weeks and features themed activities in addition to trips to Shaw Park.

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K–Grade 8

Girls

9 a.m.–12 p.m.

Think Camp: Grades 2–6 Coed Day Camp: Age 3–Grade 6

Week-long sessions throughout June and July

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Q U I N T E S S E N T I A L LY

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It’s not just the pho at Mai Lee and Nudo House that’s therapeutic. Eating at a Qui Tran restaurant is like coming home. How, in a profession famous for tantrums and scathing insults, does he stay so sweet?

S TO R Y B Y J E A N N E T T E C O O P E R M A N / P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y K E V I N A . R O B E R T S

“Quintessentially Qui” Continued from p. 89

one, cooked for a living and soon owned her own restaurant. Sau, a former soldier with a warm heart and a zany, sometimes slightly raunchy sense of humor, worked as an auto mechanic by day and helped her at night. They found a home on The Hill.

Qui knows now what an anomaly they must have been, that first Vietnamese family in a neighborhood with red-andgreen–striped fire hydrants. Somehow, though, he felt comfortable. He’d ride his bike around the South Side, stopping at Italian markets. Rice or noodles, fermented fish or anchovies—the differences didn’t seem so big.

He graduated with honors from a city magnet school, studied international business at Saint Louis University, then dropped out, telling his parents a degree was pointless. His future was already tethered to the family restaurant, Mai Lee. His mother had opened the place when he was 8, and she’d sent little Qui around to all the tables because his English was better than hers. By age 12, he was working 12-hour shifts, infusing them with a sense of fun his mother was too exhausted to muster. Qui needed to have fun at work; his parents left him no free time for parties or games or school lock-ins or spring break. He resented this theft of his childhood (still does), but he limited his rebellion to a little attitude now and then, rolling his eyes at some dictate or scaring them by dating a girl of another race. No wild disobedience; he respected his parents too much. And when they finally told him what they’d gone through to get to this country, the story altered something deep inside him.

He couldn’t erase their scars, but he could push a little harder himself—and he could damned well not complain.

SAU AND LEE TRAN HAD BEEN QUIET

for so long. Hiding in Vietnam; isolated here because they couldn’t speak the language; silent with their children for fear

108

of burdening them. Sitting in a tiny storeroom off Mai Lee’s kitchen, they pour out their story so fast, it overflows.

The two met in Can Tho, about 60 miles south of Saigon in the Mekong Delta. The city is famous for its floating river markets: Farmers stock the boats before dawn, and the piles of dragon fruit, pineapples, pumpkins, watermelons, and cabbages glow in dawn’s thin light, their colors dancing on dark water.

Lee was a street hawker, and Sau traded on Vietnam’s black market—coconuts, rice, sugar, whatever he could find— desperate to raise enough money to leave the country. Saigon had fallen the previous year, 1975, and Sau, a soldier in the South Vietnamese army, would be risking death to get a regular job. His brother and uncle had already been killed. His grandfather was in a concentration camp.

His father was in hiding.

“In 1976 I met my wife, ’77 got married, ’78 I got Qui, ’79 I left Vietnam,” Sau tells me. “My parents can’t go with me, because we don’t have enough money.

They say, ‘OK, you guys go.’ I find the future over here.”

Qui, their firstborn, was just 6 months old, but Sau overrode his wife’s anxious protests. Cradling the baby close, he said, “OK, God help me. Or we die.”

With 104 other people, they squeezed onto a boat about 4 yards wide and cast off into the black night, the ocean rough.

“I am very worried about my son and my wife,” Sau says, “because we don’t have enough food. But Qui was still—” he gestures discreetly.

Lee nods. “I feed him.”

The youngest child on the voyage, he then crawled around the bottom of the boat, keeping people’s spirits up. “He was very good,” his mother says, still proud. “He didn’t cry.”

“And we lucky,” Sau interjects.

“Lucky we alive,” Lee agrees. “A lot of people die in the ocean.” This was the peak of the refugee exodus, and the boats were as vulnerable as paper sailboats. Storms wrecked and sank many of them; passengers sometimes starved to death; pirates attacked. “It took three days and two nights to Malaysia,” Sau says. “Almost a month on the beach in Malaysia. Just sand, no camp or nothing.”

“They gave a little food,” Lee inserts.

“Not enough. I find some crab on the beach. Then they put us back on a boat

and cut the rope. The boat now 163 people. No water. No food.”

“And no engine,” Lee adds.

“The engine broke.”

After four days adrift without food and water, he knew that in a few more hours, people would begin to die. His son would die.

“No more milk,” Lee says, her voice tightening at the helplessness of it.

“About 2 p.m. day four, we see some rich ship,” says Sau, “but we don’t worry about it, ’cause we see a lot of ships but they never help us, they pass. This ship, they come straight to us. Indonesian Navy. They had water and food, and they fix engine, too. About two hours to refugee camp. When we get there, everybody’s crying, because we are still alive.”

Earlier, a young woman, raped by pirates, had tried to throw herself naked into the ocean. Sau dragged her back.

“You die, I die,” he warned, “and I have a wife and baby.”

Later, at the refugee camp in Indonesia, the woman introduced them to her cousin, who was a nurse. Tiny Qui had fallen ill with polio, rampant in the camps. The cousin found him medicine, and he began to recover.

Qui relishes the symmetry: “A saved life saved a life.”

“DUDE, SHE’S VIETNAMESE,” A SERVER

whispers. Qui darts a glance at the young woman, registers more French than Asian in her features. Other servers dive into the argument, everybody but Qui convinced. Meanwhile, Thuy Nguyen’s Harvard-bound date is asking whether she speaks Vietnamese.

“Of course,” she says coolly, so he challenges her, jerking his head toward the servers. “What are they saying?”

She listens a minute, her lips curving in a slight smile. “They are arguing about whether I am Vietnamese.”

By the time dinner arrives, her date, who’s been trying to impress her with his knowledge of Vietnamese food, is asking what she’d think about taking their relationship to another level. Just then, Qui comes over and introduces himself.

“I know who you are,” she says. “You hang out with my brother, Turtle.”

Qui blinks. Who the hell is Turtle?

Thuy assumed that her brother’s friends would use his pet name, too.

They don’t. It takes months for Qui to

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realize which of his buddies is Turtle. By then, she’s agreed to a date. “She could be with some Harvard guy,” Qui reminds himself, dazed. But it’s not only stars that have aligned: They have the same sort of family, refugees struggling and succeeding in a new culture; the same tiger mom experience, reared to get A’s and never, ever get into trouble; the same love of food and travel.

They live together for more than a decade before he asks her to marry him.

She never once nudges him.

Qui isn’t even expecting to propose when he does. His cell phone charger dies. He runs over to the Galleria to buy a new one, and while he’s there, he stops by a jewelry store to say hi to a friend who works there—and asks where the diamond engagement rings are.

“Whoa,” the friend says.

After a minute’s blank stare, Qui nods: “I guess I’m ready.”

He designs the ring himself and presents it with an awkward flourish. “Well, I deserve the ring,” Thuy says, “but I’m not worried about the marrying.”

“I knew we’d always be together,” she explains now, six years after the wedding. “I’m not a fairy-tale person, never have been, but it felt like kismet, like our paths were meant to somehow coincide.

We say ‘I love you’ all the time, but I also really like him. He’s interesting.” (When Qui turned 40 and teased that he’d go find himself two 20-year-olds, she rolled her eyes. “You couldn’t stand it, all that yapping and whining.”)

Both the eldest in their families, they went ahead for their parents’ sake. “We were losing family members left and right to cancer,” Thuy says. “His mom said something like, ‘By the time you guys get married, I’ll be dead.’”

Lee was and is perfectly healthy. “Now they’re bugging us for children,” Qui reports. “They’re screwed.” Neither Thuy nor Qui wants kids. “Unless they’re fourlegged,” he adds. “Snow Pea’s my road dog. Next I’m gonna get a Rottweiler or a Doberman and name him Fluffy.”

Every morning, Qui rises at 7:30 to walk Snow Pea (“It gives me peace”) and wipe her paws. He kisses his wife and goes off to business meetings about Nudo House (“How do people stand desk jobs?”), then to one or both of his restaurants, leaving by 10 p.m. to work out. He takes two days a year off, Thanksgiving and Christmas,

because he and Thuy cook for the family.

They did have a brief shining time when they could take off and travel, spur of the moment: Vegas, Cancun, New Orleans.

“Now I’m back in debt big time, building a new brand,” he says. “I have a lot of people’s lives at stake. Marie-Anne [Velasco, his chef at Nudo House] moved her whole family here from Chicago. If I fail, I may screw up her life.” There’s no melodrama in the words, just an acceptance of responsibility. “I’m trying to be more CEO. But I’ve got to be out there all the time, kissin’ hands and shakin’ babies.” He winks. “Restaurants fail when there’s no soul.”

BEHIND NUDO HOUSE’S LONG

counter, hands move so fast they blur, hoisting a bain-marie, stirring a giant wok, dipping spring roll wrappers, raising a wire basket of marinated hard-boiled eggs from a steamy pot, fist-bumping as workers pass.

“Lot to do, little bit of time,” mutters Chris Ladley. They open in 10 minutes.

Out front, Wil Pelly moves with Zen concentration, arranging tiny empty black containers to await hot sauce. “I like to guess how many,” he says over his shoulder. “I was one off.”

Pelly was a chef at Sanctuaria, then the Robust group. This, he says, “is a different kind of kitchen than any of us are used to. Almost every single person, when we opened, had run kitchens. It was like a home for wayward boys. Hang out at the bar at Mai Lee long enough, Qui’s bound to hire you for something! But a lot of us were raised in French-style kitchens. I was a yeller. I used to throw things.”

What made the difference? “Qui. I’m not saying he walks on water, but he nurtures.

It’s something I’m not used to.”

Pelly starts chalking the blackboard of specials. People will say “hoisin” as “hah-why-sin,” he predicts, “and think it’s from Hawaii. You’d be amazed how many people mispronounce things and say it authoritatively. ‘I’d like your pho’ [pronouncing it ‘foe’]. You want my enemy?”

Two minutes till opening. Trays of food are ready, the spring rolls lined up like soldiers. Ladley tastes broth like a sommelier. “You’re looking for the fat content, the flavor, the sweetness,” explains Pelly. “With the pho broth, making sure you can taste all the spices.” He points to a high shelf that holds glass

jars—cloves, star anise, allspice, cinnamon sticks, coriander...

Executive chef and co-owner Velasco joins us. Tiny, with a wide smile, she looks about 12. Once, when she was in Chicago, Anthony Bourdain bought dinner for a group of young, broke, worshipful food nerds after a book signing. He kept calling her Cookie. “You can call me Cookie all night,” she retorted, “but I can still cook you under the table.”

She and Pelly (whom she fondly calls “our Bart Simpson” because he’s made it his job to prank and pester) tell me about the broth kettles, Thelma and Louise.

They ran 24/7 for a solid year. “For a milky pork broth, we boil the bones at a high heat for 20 hours,” Velasco says, “so opposite the French style, which is to simmer low. Broth’s just bones and water, but you pull out all the collagen, which is what gives that lip-smack of flavor.”

Of Filipino, Chinese, and Hawaiian descent, she speaks German, Spanish, English, Tagalog, and French: “I took Mandarin, but the only things I know are the bad things. Same with Vietnamese.

It helps in the kitchen.” Raised in Montreal, she studied economics and took a job with a bank. “The humming of the computers, it just wasn’t my thing,” she says, shaking her head until the ponytail under her ball cap swings almost horizontal. She took off, traveled through Asia, cooking along the way and then in New York, Italy, the Dominican Republic, Vancouver, Chicago. After landing a job as a sushi chef at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis, she moved on to The Chase Park Plaza as chef de cuisine.

“Qui and I met when I was teaching at L’École Culinaire,” she says. “I’d go to Mai Lee, just sit at the bar and have soup. One day I walked in wearing my chef whites, and we got to be friends. I’d say, ‘I just want to open my own place. I want to make sandwiches.’” She’d staged in the best restaurants in the world, but at the end of the day, she’d “just grab a really good sandwich and a nice beer or glass of wine. I wanted to do comfort food but make everything properly. I hate shortcuts—like improper butchery, or not brining meat.”

Velasco had moved to Chicago with her husband and baby when Qui called and said, “You still want to open that restaurant?” They came back. She liked Qui’s vision: “Top-notch food, but something March 2019 stlmag.com

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you could just run to no matter what you were wearing, no matter how you felt.”

They researched ramen, flying around the country to taste the best.

“Even though I felt like I did a decent version of it, something was lacking,” Qui says. “That’s when I sought out Nakamura.” One of Japan’s four ramen gods, Shigetoshi “Chef Jack” Nakamura agreed to come to St. Louis and consult.

Velasco loved how scientific Nakamura was: “He had all these gadgets to test the minerality of the water—chlorine’s not so good for broth. We had a little chem lab going on. We learned the proper way to extract flavor from bones, which noodle goes with which stock, which tare [flavoring], which level of brix [sugar content].”

She pulls out a pocket refractometer that measures the brix. “The noodles need to be cooked for 45 seconds exactly,” she continues. “The alkaline level is what gives the noodle its bounce and texture.”

Qui nods, not looking up. He drops miso and spice into a bowl, pours in steaming stock, adds a plop of noodles and braised chicken. Ramen’s varieties are regional: dried mackerel flakes and strong pork in the north, chicken boiled milky, tonkotsu-style, in the south.

Velasco describes the tantanmen, warning that it isn’t for everybody: “Sesame paste and chili paste to start it off in the wok. We sauté garlic and ginger and green onions in sesame oil, then add bonito flakes, a strong tuna, so it has that fishy funk that makes your eyelids sweat.”

She and Qui crave that funk. Unlike their spouses, they’ll try anything—fresh raw urchins, raw oysters by the platter.

Bring it. Qui does, however, “loathe balls.

I literally can’t wrap my mind around the idea of eating something’s testicles.”

To change the subject, I ask what his favorite comfort food is.

“I’m a soup guy. You can’t manipulate it or mask the tastes. It takes time.” He looks up. “Most soups don’t have enough flavor. There needs to be more care.”

O N E EV E N I N G , Q U I WA S B E H I N D

the bar at Mai Lee when he heard his name yelled—and then screams. He banged through the door into the kitchen, saw a worker with a knife in his hand and, without thinking, ran over, grabbed his wrist, and slammed it on the counter. The man had just thrown a big Chinese cleaver at a coworker. “The kid

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had ducked, thankfully,” Qui says, “but then the guy grabbed another knife. I got it away from him and kicked him out of the restaurant.”

Was Thuy a wreck when she heard?

“She doesn’t know that story. I never bring drama home. When I come home, I’m smiling and relaxed. Her job’s stressful enough.” He sees my brow furrow. “I deal very well with stress,” he assures me. “My staff says I’m Zen-like.” How’d he learn? “From my dad yelling all the time and my mother blowing up because she holds it in. I thought, ‘There has to be some kind of middle ground.’”

He’s found it. He doesn’t swallow stress or spit it at other people; he just chews like it’s tobacco, keeping his equilibrium.

His tattoo is a dragon and a phoenix— fire and water, masculine and feminine.

He cooks, which in Vietnamese culture is strictly a woman’s terrain, but he also does mixed martial arts. “I don’t compete,” he says. “I just train.”

“Well, let’s put it this way,” a friend drawls. “Ninety-nine percent of people in the city don’t want to get in the room and ‘train’ with Qui.” When I tell Qui he seems too gentle to be a fighter, he smiles. “Martial arts teach you discipline; they teach you to be calm.

If you met a true martial artist, you’d be, like, ‘This guy’s a fighter?’ I’m the first to apologize and walk away.”

His family is Buddhist, but without the scaffolding of organized practice: “We don’t need anyone to tell us about respect and dignity.” At work, he’s learned that the best way to calm someone is to—he points to his ear—“listen. ‘I didn’t like this,’ someone might say. ‘You’ve never eaten mushrooms, you come to my place, you don’t like mushrooms, well, that’s not my fault. But it’s ‘What don’t you like?’

Because if it’s too salty or too spicy, I can fix that.” He grins. “Then there are the times you say, ‘OK, I’ll take it back,’ and they say, ‘No, just pack it to go.’”

His wife’s wit is deceptively sharp: “It’s a Southern ‘Bless your heart’ kind of thing,” he says with a grin. “She’s good at putting people down without them even knowing it.” Immediately, he amends that, doesn’t want to say “putting people down.” This man has no sharp edges, no desire for confrontation. “If somehow you can show you are a bigger person in a more intelligent way,” he says, “that screws the idiot up more than actual force.”

Politics is a chasm he usually leaps or sidesteps, “but sometimes it’s such crazy shit that you have to step in. This whole [Brett] Kavanaugh thing was going on, and an older white man said, ‘It was, like, 35 years ago. Who cares?’ I said, ‘Let me put it into perspective.’” He gave a hypothetical example: Say a boy was molested by a priest 35 years ago. “When the kid 35 years later comes out and says something, no one shames him. But if a woman comes out…”

After Donald Trump became president, a customer remarked to Qui, “You’re lucky we let you into this country.” Qui replied evenly, “You are absolutely right. I’m so lucky that President Ronald Reagan let us into this country.

I’m very proud of the way President Reagan and President George H.W. Bush talked about the importance of immigration for this country.” Qui’s eyes blaze for just a second, then soften. “For me, in the restaurant business, it’s all about constant change. But not a lot of people are OK with change. They’re sitting on their couch in their own home with the same neighbors, and all of a sudden they get an influx of people they’re not used to dealing with, and it feels like an invasion.

“I don’t want to call that man a racist,” he continues. “You’re prejudiced because you’re not exposed to certain things. It’s not that he hates me.” He looks into the distance. “I’ve been judged every day.

My father and mother taught me that respect is earned. I don’t go in assuming I will be accepted anywhere. I go in knowing I have to earn respect. And if they still don’t respect me, that’s OK. It’s not like wanting water. I will concentrate on the people who want to work with me, who want to do good, who share my vision.”

He pauses. “The Communists locked my grandfather in a concentration camp for 10 years. But the beautiful thing is, he got to live the last 16 years of his life here as a free man. He’d been fighting for freedom his whole life.”

GERARD CRAFT AND KEVIN

Nashan, the first two St. Louis chefs to win James Beard Awards. Emerson.

The other Mike, Del Pietro. David Choi of Seoul Taco. They all met Qui in the bar at Mai Lee—back when it was on Delmar—and they’ve been in constant touch ever since. Nashan, the culinary genius behind Sidney Street Café and

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Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co., calls it “borrowing sugar”—which might mean advice, or a replacement for a piece of equipment that’s just broken down in the middle of a catering job. But the friendship’s more than transactional.

When chefs come to St. Louis, Emerson says, ‘They sit down at a table of eight guys and say, ‘You all own different restaurants? And you actually get along?’ The collaboration’s 15 years old, and you can put Qui, Kevin Nashan, and Gerard Craft at the head of the parade—with me banging the cymbals in back. So many people have come through here and thought, ‘Man, that makes a lot of sense. Why aren’t we all working together?’”

Did the coasts learn from this gang of chefs in St. Louis? Nashan shrugs. “I don’t become friends with you because I heard it’d be cool to be friends with you. What happened in St. Louis was all of us getting along—which is not really traditional in the restaurant business.”

As soon as they realized “that if we were going to do this, we needed to all do it together,” Qui says, St. Louis’ food scene started to blossom. “Before that, everybody was really snobby. I don’t know why. We don’t make money in this business; we smell like oil and smoke; there’s nothing glamorous about it. But it was this boys’ club. I didn’t have a lot of friends in the restaurant business back then.” Now, he does. “And now it’s the women who are starting to shine, and that’s a very, very beautiful thing.

“For me, it’s always been that way,” he adds. “My mom’s a beast. She’ll outcook and outwork any man. But there’s been this generationalized sexism, like institutionalized racism.”

Qui’s openness extends to food itself.

“Watching him dissect a bowl of ramen is like watching a brain surgeon,” Emerson says. Critiquing what’s wrong with it? “Oh, no. With Qui, it’s always what’s right with it.”

He’s not a purist about mixing influences, either. “I don’t feel like certain things are sacrilege,” he says. “It’s like adding hip-hop to rock: It can be amazing. You walk into my kitchen, there’s Indian spices, African spices, olive oil.

“I don’t need to ‘elevate’ a cuisine,” he adds. “If people can make beans taste like beef, how can you beat that? If someone says, ‘I’m going to elevate Vietnamese

food,’ that’s an automatic turnoff. This cuisine’s been cooked for kings and queens.

There’s no need to make it better.”

“FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF CATERING

Mr. Grossberg needs,” Qui’s mom had instructed. So Qui rode his bike to the glossy Clayton office above J. Buck’s to meet Grossberg, son of the founders of Delmar Gardens. They were—though Qui didn’t know this yet—Hungarian Jews who’d lost the rest of their family in the Holocaust.

Grossberg’s secretary looked up with a smile: “Qui, Gabe just called. He’s running a little late.” Qui shrugged. I’m 14 years old. Whatever! About eight minutes later, Grossberg swept in, saying, “Qui, I’m sorry! Thanks for waiting. Give me just a second.” He greeted his staff warmly, handing out hugs and handshakes. Qui, whose family was far more reserved, was riveted. Grossberg thanked him again for waiting and asked, “D’you mind if I smoke?” Dazed, Qui shook his head, thinking, This is your office. Do whatever the hell you want!

In another part of his brain, a single sentence was playing over and over again, like the bass line in a rock anthem: I want to be like this guy.

Now, they’re financial partners, and as they prepare to open the second Nudo House, they’re contemplating a third.

But his parents are still verklempt over the first one.

“You know what?” Lee asks me, leaning forward to grab my arm for emphasis. “He opened the restaurant, he don’t tell us! He knew I would say no. A customer told me!”

Tentatively, I mention what a great location the second Nudo House will have. She frowns. “Two is enough.”

Nashan grins at the account. “Mai Lee’s his mom’s place,” he says firmly.

“Nudo’s his own deal, his own identity.

It’s Qui’s vision and Thuy’s, and there’s soul to it; it’s not scripted.”

It was Thuy, by the way, who fell in love with ramen first. She took Qui to a restaurant in Chicago and said, “Why can’t you do this?” It was also Thuy who came up with Nudo House’s pho dip, a fusion of banh mi and the French dip. And it was Thuy who suggested soft-serve ice cream (lychee and coconut, not chocolate and vanilla). Qui heaps credit on her, but she waves it away: “I just want my

husband to have the food I like readily available for me!”

When I say I could see Qui on TV as a celebrity chef, Thuy hesitates: “He absolutely has the charisma. But what drives Qui is meeting people, talking to people, and I’m not sure a camera could give him that. When he found out there were people coming to look for him at Mai Lee when he was at Nudo House, he got really upset.”

Early in their years together, Thuy blurted, “Why are you so happy all the time? You wake up happy!” She used to pick fights with him, “just because I was so irritated that he was happy all the time.

But he just handles things really well.”

What gives Qui joy, she says, is “when the people around him are happy. He is driven to please people, but not in a people-pleasing way. He just wants the people around him to enjoy life.” What annoys him? “Whining. Toxic people.”

Scares him? “Failure.” What do all the people who flock around him not realize?

She stops to think. “He’s a pretty open book. People think he can’t be this happy and this energized all the time, but he is.”

Another pause, and a gleam comes into her eye. “He likes Taylor Swift. And he won’t admit it, but he likes rom-coms.”

Affection and humor: Qui Tran’s patent medicine for stress relief. “I don’t laugh around anyone else as much as I laugh around Qui,” says Loryn Nalic, co-owner of Balkan Treat Box. “And his dad is so funny. We call him QuiDad.” She turns serious. “I don’t think happiness is a state of mind as much as it is a moment. You have to find those moments, and they come with not taking yourself too seriously.”

If Nalic were directing an actor to play the part of Qui, she’d say, “You need to be animated. Engaging, inclusive, and silly. But you also have to be no-nonsense, because at the end of the day, there’s no bullshit.”

She realized just how hardcore Qui was when they catered a wedding: “He had this giant gas wok, and it was pumping out a lot of heat and fire. We’re cooking in this tent, and the rain’s coming down in sheets, and the sides of the tent are drooping around him, and he’s just flipping food at top speed in this hot-ass wok, water dripping on his head, acting like it’s 70 degrees and sunny. He didn’t even look up.”

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S T. LO U I S SAG E

LAW & LORE

Who Was John Hays?

J

OHN HAYS WAS the civilized

sort, not a shoot-’em-up lawman, and he commanded universal respect.

He also caused some confusion, serving as sheriff of St. Clair County at the same time that another young man, this one named John Hay, worked in the Cahokia Courthouse as the county court clerk.

Lewis and Clark met both Hay and Hays on January 30, 1804, “about Sun Set,” and Clark later jotted a note in their famous journal to distinguish the two—who couldn’t have been more different.

Hay had a British father and a Creole mother; Hays was born into a family of Sephardic Jews who’d fled Spain for the Netherlands, then emigrated to New York.

There they’d worshiped at the Shearith Israel synagogue, the nation’s oldest— until they were (temporarily) excommunicated in 1756. According to the American Jewish Historical Society, Solomon Hays (John’s grandpa) caused “one of America’s first recorded shande far di goyim, or scandal in front of the gentiles,” by bringing criminal charges against the temple’s board of elders. He claimed they’d manhandled him off the property after a fight broke out. It seems his wife had repeatedly closed the window on the women’s balcony, but other women kept opening it, and finally one of the elders removed it altogether, enraging Hays.

1770 Hays’ estimated birthdate

1790 St. Clair County is founded.

Hays’ name soon shows up on the Cahokia militia roster.

By 1802 Hays is the sheriff of St. Clair County.

1804 Both John Hays and John Hay meet Lewis and Clark.

1823 Hays retires to be a gentleman farmer.

1836 Hays dies.

2019 A plaque honoring Hays will be placed at the Cahokia Courthouse.

His grandson was more diplomatic. As a teenager, John traveled the wilds of Canada, trading with Native Americans. In 1790, at age 20, he settled in Cahokia, then Illinois’ most populous town. He immediately joined the militia (its other members were French) and was soon made sheriff of St. Clair County.

One of the first Jews to live in Illinois before it became a state, Hays married a Catholic, but there’s no sign that he converted. Nor is there any sign of anti-Semitism. John Reynolds, the fourth governor of Illinois, remembered Hays fondly in his writings, praising his intelligence, honesty, and endurance. (He once lay in the snow for three days, trapped by a Canadian blizzard.) And though he was refined, this was the frontier, full of drunken brawls and squatters, and he did his share of enforcing, much of it singlehanded. (There’s a handwritten arrest warrant ordering him to go find a guy who’d stolen a horse.)

His experience with various tribes allowed Hays to provide military intelligence when he rode out with Illinois territorial governor Ninian Edwards during the War of 1812. (Incidentally, Edwards’ sister-in-law was Mary Todd, who met a lanky young lawyer named Abe Lincoln while living with the Edwardses.)

In the 1820s, Hays moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, to serve as an agent for the Potawatomi and Miami tribes. He later returned to Cahokia to live out his days as a gentleman farmer.

ST. LOUIS MAGAZINE, VOL. 25, ISSUE 3 (ISSN 1090-5723) is published monthly by St. Louis Magazine, LLC, 1600 S. Brentwood, Suite 550, St. Louis, MO 63144. Change of address: Please send new address and old address label and allow 6 to 8 weeks for change. Send all remittances and requests to St. Louis Magazine, Circulation Department, 1600 S. Brentwood, Suite 550, St. Louis, MO 63144.

Periodicals postage paid at St. Louis, MO, and additional mailing office. Postmaster: Send address changes to St. Louis Magazine, 1600 S. Brentwood, Suite 550, St. Louis, MO 63144.

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Illustration by Britt Spencer

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