John Shipp carves path to success
SLUH Class of 1998
By Ben DuMont
Nathaniel Shipp, against daunting odds, never gave up, and never gave in. He grew up before the Civil Rights movement and endured ridicule, including rejection from colleges, because of his skin color – yet he had dreams and persisted. Nathaniel went on to serve in the Korean War, became one of the first Black physical therapists west of the Mississippi River, and served the local Catholic community as a respected deacon.
“During his most difficult times, my grandpa said it would have been easy to quit and feel sorry for himself,” says John Shipp SLUH class of ‘98. “But he always persevered and became a better person for it.”
In addition to raising John in North St. Louis, where he attended St. Engelbert Focus School (now Saint Elizabeth, Mother of John the Baptist), Nathaniel challenged his grandson to apply to St. Louis U. High. John, however, had planned to attend Cardinal Ritter or a public school with his friends.
Nathaniel supported John throughout his entire SLUH journey, funding his education, attending his football games and helping him with his homework.
“He was such a champion for me in so many different ways. I give credit to him for the man I am today.”
John Shipp finished flight school and became a Blackhawk pilot.
Shipp knew nobody entering SLUH as a freshman, and he was not the popular kid he had been in middle school. Eventually, he found a group of friends and thrived, participating in track, basketball and football.
Dr. Eric Clark ‘83, President of Loyola Academy of St. Louis who was then the SLUH Dean of Students, was a mentor to Shipp. “Dr. Clark was tough on me and held me accountable. He set higher expectations and didn’t accept excuses. He was a realist that the world was not always going to be fair, and that I had to adapt and be resilient.”
As a sophomore at Missouri State, Shipp made a rash decision. He was attending on a football
See SHIPP, D5
City Academy offers exceptional education with bold expectations
School celebrating 25th year
St. Louis American staff
City Academy is celebrating its 25th year in operation after holding its first day of school on September 1, 1999.
The school was co-founded in 1999 by Don Danforth and Duncan Marshall on the belief that a family’s geographic location and income should never be a barrier to accessing high-quality education.
Originally based in the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club location on N. Kingshighway before moving across the street to the current campus in 2004, City Academy was the first private, independent school in North St. Louis. It remains the only school in the region to provide scholarship support to 100% of current students.
The school’s mission is to transform children, families and our community through exceptional education and bold expectations that empower children to overcome barriers.
The school has a current enrollment of 230 students who come from 40 ZIP codes in the St. Louis area, including Metro Illinois. 42% of its families reside in the city of St. Louis.
87% of its graduates are accepted into independent secondary schools and its number of alumni has grown to 295.
Jarrett Young, City Academy head of school, said on the school’s website that a summer road trip with his son gave him time to reflect on his first year in the position.
“Glancing out of the car window, I was struck by the vast countryside filled with crops that farmers worked tirelessly to cultivate. At that moment the parallels between their work and the work done by professionals at City Academy was apparent,” he wrote.
“During the 2022-2023 academic year, everyone at
See CITY ACADEMY, D2
St. Mary’s High School now named St. Mary’s South Side Catholic High School
St. Mary’s South Side Catholic High School, 4701 South Grand Boulevard, opened its doors under the name of South Side Catholic High School in September 1931. For the first two years, its teachers were Christian Brothers. The first classrooms were small wooden structures located on the property of St. Joseph’s Orphanage.
In September 1933, members of the Society of Mary (Marianists) took over the school. A faculty of ten Brothers of Mary taught 275 students. The school moved from the “portable” classrooms to the old St. Joseph’s Orphanage building in 1935, after the building had been remodeled for high school use. The first graduating class numbered 62. Affiliation with the University of Missouri and with the North Central Association was obtained in 1936.
Enrollment and faculty grew steadily from 1933, reaching a peak in 1946 with 1,100 students. The name of the school was changed from South Side Catholic to St. Mary’s in 1947.
See ST. MARY’S, D2
City Academy has offered a unique, outstanding private school education to students for 25 years. It is the only school in the region to provide scholarship support to all students.
Photo courtesy of City Academy
John Shipp
City Academy
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City Academy worked tirelessly to cultivate an academic environment and curricular experiences that lead to students’ academic and personal growth.
“The work that is required to fulfill our mission is all consuming, but as we witnessed at the 6th grade graduation on May 24, the outcome of that hard work is realized as students select the next best steps for the educational journey in outstanding secondary schools in St. Louis.”
City Academy puts an emphasis on STEAM, an integration of science, art, and math – along with technology and engineering.
St. Mary’s
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On July 1, 2023 St. Mary’s High School ceased to exist, and St. Mary’s South Side Catholic High School began.
Bricks and mortar
What seems like a wellplanned design emerged quite gradually, St. Mary’s South Side Catholic High School began as a small wooden structure located on the property of St. Joseph’s Orphanage.
In September 1964, a new brick and concrete structure, located north of the old school building site, was completed and opened with an enrollment of 883 students. The new structure, valued at $1,500,000.00, comprised of 19 classrooms, three science labs, language lab,
In addition, all students learn Spanish and 1st through sixth graders are provided violin lessons.
Young calls City Academy “my north star,” adding that the school “is many things to many people.” According to the City Academy website, tuition for the 2022-23 school year was $25,672. However, the average scholarship awarded in 2022-23 was $22,172, bringing the average outof-pocket cost to $3,500 Tuition is determined each year based on a family’s income, which is verified annually during the admissions and re-enrollment process. Tuition is recalculated each year to better reflect a family’s current financial situation.
library, cafeteria, administrative offices, third-floor living quarters for 30 Marianists and a dining room for the Marianists.
In February 1967, a new wing costing $374,420.00 was completed, including a new guidance complex, teacher preparation room, biology lab, chemistry lab, typing room, seven conventional classrooms and four classrooms that could be converted into two large size rooms. In 1988, ground was broken for a new athletic complex which, when completed, included a natural turf soccer/football field and a six-lane all-weather track. Lights were added in 1992.
On September 17, 1992, the gymnasium, which had been erected in 1938, was destroyed by fire. In March 1993, construction began on the Archbishop John L. May Athletic Complex. This complex included a state-of-the-art
wooden floor, mezzanine with batting cage, along with an alumni meeting room and two weight rooms.
In 1993, other renovations were completed in the school, including the remodeling of the Media Resource Center and the installation of a computer network, which linked the computer room with the other academic areas of the school. This computer updating has enabled the school to expand its computer capabilities.
In July of 1998, St. Mary’s South Side Catholic obtained from Catholic Charities the St. Joseph’s Chapel. Restoration began one year later. The St. Mary’s community now uses the chapel for both school and alumni liturgies. It has been renamed The Holy Family Chapel.
During the summer of 2000 renovations began on the third floor of the
main school. This floor previously served as a residence for the Brothers of Mary. The goal was to create a fine arts wing for St. Mary’s South Side Catholic in this area. A band room was created for the 2000-2001 school year. Two art rooms were added as of the 2001-2002 school year. Another classroom was renovated for use in the 2004-2005 school year. These projects completed the third-floor renovation.
In February of 2008, St. Mary’s South Side Catholic purchased the St. Michael’s Apartments located on the west side of campus to expand the campus and make room for a new baseball complex and soccer practice fields. Also in 2008, the Center for Applied Sciences (CAS) building was completed and held its first classes. The CAS offers students an opportunity to learn hands-on skills such as A/C and D/C
Electricity, Robotics and HVAC. In 2010, courses in Architectural Design, Graphic Design and Computer Programming were added to the CAS curriculum. After a $5,000,000 Capital Campaign “Divis Field” was erected in what was run down apartments acquired by Itaska LLC.
On April 4, 2011, the campus was renamed St. Marys High School - Frank J. Bommarito Campus and the inaugural baseball season at Divis Field was the same day.
In the summer of 2012, work began on the R.V. Wagner Courtyard, formally the quad. Located between the Archbishop L. May Athletic Complex and the South Wing, the Courtyard is made up of bricks and pavers inscribed with messages from alumni, students, parents, and friends of St. Mary’s South Side Catholic High School.
Construction on the
before a day of interesting and challenging classes.
new state of the art artificial turf field began in June 2016. Enhanced stadium lighting was installed in August 2016. The grand re-opening celebration for the new Kresko-Miller Field was held on Friday, August 26, 2016.
St. Mary’s South Side Catholic has been responsive to the secondary educational needs of the Catholic families it serves since 1931. In 2005, St. Mary’s signed the Marianist sponsorship agreement formalizing the affiliation with the United States Province of the Society of Mary and 19 faculty members have become Lay Marianists since then. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis and St. Mary’s South Side Catholic administration, faculty, and staff, without reservation, remain committed to quality instruction, faith formation and the development of the total student.
Jarrett Young, City Academy head of school, greets a student
Photo courtesy of City Academy
n Marian is the only all-girls, private middle school in the St. Louis community serving urban adolescents in a faith-based environment.
Fontbonne forms partnership with Marian Middle School
Will provide mentoring as well as scholarships to Fontbonne
Fontbonne University, a private, Catholic liberal arts university located in Clayton, Mo., in suburban St. Louis County, has established a unique partnership with Marian Middle School. Marian is the only all-girls, private middle school in the St. Louis community serving urban adolescents in a faithbased environment. The formal agreement establishing the program was signed on Wednesday, October 26, by Dr. Nancy Blattner, president of Fontbonne University, and Mary Elizabeth Grimes, president of Marian Middle School.
The partnership will provide Marian alumnae with scholarships to Fontbonne, as well as one-on-one mentoring to promote academic success, professional and leadership development opportunities, and career support. Up to 90 percent of Marian’s students face challenges associated with poverty.
The partnership supports the shared goal of increasing graduation rates for students of color through equitable opportunities that remove barriers to success.
“Reaching students during their formative middle school years can profoundly influence their academic goals and ambitions, which is one of the reasons that Fontbonne is so excited to launch this innovative program,” said Dr. Blattner. “Coinciding with our Centennial year, this new initiative not only underscores Fontbonne’s commitment
to inspiring students to become global citizens who think critically and act ethically to create a more just world, but also our resolve to provide opportunities for first generation college students and students of color.”
Marian was founded in 1999 by seven communities of Catholic sisters and several lay women to break the cycle of poverty by providing transformational education for girls with high potential but limited means. The school has an average
minority enrollment of approximately 97 percent, including 75 in middle school, 70 in high school, and over 60 in college. From 5th grade to career success, students are on a 12-plus year journey with Marian. Marian students commit to an intense 10-month, 10-hour daily schedule that includes an innovative STEM curriculum.
The school’s graduate support program provides Marian alumnae with academic, social, and financial support in high school and college, as well as connections to careers.
For example, Marian provides financial assistance for students attending tuition-based high schools.
Fontbonne University Forms Partnership with Marian Middle School
As a small university, Fontbonne embraces a student-centered academic environment, where every student is known by name and one-on-one counseling and advising help every student identify the best areas of study based on their individual interests, passions and career goals.
n The partnership supports the shared goal of increasing graduation rates for students of color through equitable opportunities that remove barriers to success.
“Poverty is a serious, deep rooted issue in St. Louis, and Marian Girls are no strangers to its effects,” said Grimes. “In St. Louis, the poverty rate stands at 22.8 percent, compared to 10.5 percent overall in the U.S. But 100 percent of our girls are graduating high school and going to college – rates that vastly exceed the national average.
Marian Girls are the future, and now with Fontbonne, we are ensuring their future, and the future of our community, is bright and sustainable for generations to come.” Fontbonne’s more than 100 areas of study primarily concentrate on healthcare, education, technology, business and humanities, with 44 undergraduate majors and 34 minors, as well as 10 undergraduate certificates. Graduate students may choose from 19 majors and 8 certificate programs.
By Forsyth School
St. Louis
For The
American
Forsyth School is a place where “personal best” counts! The challenging and engaging curriculum is supported by our talented faculty, committed administration, and caring families. Students learn how to accept and face challenges, set goals for themselves, reflect on their experiences and accomplishments, and support their fellow students.
Developmentally appropriate challenges— memory mapping, African dance, arthropod studies, Shakespeare performances, electrical engineering, and more—encourage students to try new things. In the Adventure Center, the high ropes course and climbing wall challenge kids to stretch beyond their comfort zones and set lofty goals for themselves—literally and figuratively!
The high beam is a special graduation capstone expe-
Forsyth uses ‘culture of challenge’ approach
rience reserved for Grade 6 students.
Nine specialist subject areas are an exciting part of everyday life at Forsyth:
• Art, Drama, & Music: Eyas–Grade 6
• Library: Eyas –Grade 6
• Science: Eyas –Grade 6
• Spanish: Eyas –Grade 6
• Physical Education:
Junior-K–Grade 6
• Innovation & Design: Senior-K–Grade 6
• Sustainability: Grades 3–6
Memory mapping is just one example of Forsyth’s culture of challenge across the grade-level continuum. In Grade 3, students receive an introduction to mapping using the Forsyth School campus. In Grade 4, students map the United States from memory. In Grade 5, they map North and South America. Finally, in Grade 6, the students map the
entire world from memory. Each world map is individualized based on the student’s interests and goals. With a culture of challenge, our students gain the skills to successfully manage large-scale, multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary projects.
Portrait of a graduate
As a result of Forsyth’s culture of challenge, our graduates are:
• Curious—they ask questions and take initiative
• Confident—they set goals and high expectations for themselves
• Willing to take risks, try new things, and try again
• Resilient—they can overcome obstacles and cope with setbacks
• -Joyful—they delight in learning, encourage others, and celebrate accomplishments
Tips to stay organized during school year
(StatePoint) When students -- and their parents -- stay organized, the sky is the limit. Amid the chaos of the school year, use these tips and gear recommendations to help keep everyone on track, whether they are at school, at home or on-the-go:
Notes and big ideas
Color-coded notebooks and binders, along with labeled dividers, can help you keep your coursework straight and your note-taking organized. Take your color-coding a step further by extending the concept to the tools you write with. Pilot Pen’s G2 gel
pen is a go-to for busy students and parents with its smooth, long-lasting gel ink that’s able to keep up with busy schedules. Science has shown that writing a to-do list with an appealing color can lead to greater productivity. Inspired by color trends and color psychology, the G2 Harmony Collection
colors were developed to promote balance, relaxation and hope, helping students get more done, stay positive and achieve their highest potential this school year. G2 is available in four point sizes and over 35 colors, so it’s ideal for note-taking, writing down big ideas, goal-setting and more.
Planning and scheduling
With each school year comes a flurry of planning and scheduling -- from after-school activities to field trips. Parents and kids alike can stay on top of all the last-minute changes with a desk calendar and an erasable pen. Pilot’s
FriXion line of erasable pens and markers write smooth and erase clean, so you can edit plans as often as they change. It’s much easier to remember tasks and events when you’ve recorded the details in a central location, so start a habit of entering all activi-
See TIPS, D6
scholarship, studying cell and molecular biology, when his grandfather died from lung cancer.
“After his passing, I lost my swagger,” says Shipp. “I walked out of football practice one day to clear my head.”
The next day, the coach severed John’s scholarship for a year – to teach him a lesson. Unsure how he would pay for college, he found his answer on a television commercial: the U.S. Army.
Shipp took off a semester and enlisted as a combat engineer in the National Guard. He completed officer school, at age 20, as one of the youngest military commissioned officers in U.S. history.
After becoming an officer, he returned to school to complete his BS degree in cellular and molecular biology with minors in chemistry and psychology. Upon graduation he went active duty. Due to a shortage of pilots because of army troops in both Afghanistan and Iraq, Shipp was able to transition from an engineer to aviation officer over the course of a year. After he finished flight school and became a Blackhawk pilot, he was selected for the maintenance test pilot program, a highly selective yet risky undertaking.
Up to this point, John’s five-year military service had primarily been stateside, but he received the call in 2005 to join the 101st Airborne Division as an air assault pilot in Iraq.
As the missions and close calls racked up, the deployment took a toll on him, mentally and emotionally. He had experienced live
combat, countless mortar attacks, bullet holes in his helicopter stopped only by Kevlar, a missile blowing up his sleeping quarters just moments after leaving, and even the loss of his flight school friend whose helicopter crashed after being ensnared by an enemy kite flying above a known insurgent safe house.
Despite the adversity Shipp faced during his tour in Iraq from 2005-2007, he found the entire military experience rewarding. “I knew I had given back to something bigger than me, a much larger purpose. That said, I was ready for
my next chapter because I had used up all nine of my lives.”
Today, Shipp, is the head of talent attraction and diversity, equity and inclusion at AnheuserBusch InBev. He leads workshops and training session across all of North American and blends both his personal experiences and historical stories to facilitate conversations on subjects
that can having varying viewpoints.
n Shipp, is the head of talent attraction and diversity, equity and inclusion at AnheuserBusch InBev.
One such story that he often shares is the the story of how Honda Motor Company began. Soichiro Honda, who worked on the production line for Toyota in the 1930s, was ignored when he presented his innovative concept – the 3-ring piston – to company leadership.
After leaving Toyota, he started his own company and amassed a fortune by
selling his invention to his former employer.
“It’s important to attract top talent,” Shipp says, “but it’s equally important to nurture creative ideas from our employees.”
Now in his 15th year at AB-InBev – after starting in operations maintenance and ascending the ranks as director of plant strategy, director of learning and development, to his current position – Shipp values embracing new perspectives. It’s a concept he learned at SLUH.
“[My English teacher] Mr. Hussung encouraged us to formulate our own ideas and opinions, and to
have a healthy, engaging discussion,” he says. “I leaned into this approach because it was fun looking at things differently and it allowed me to have a deeper appreciation for Shakespeare.”
Shipp, who encourages employees to share creative and disruptive ideas, believes diversity goes beyond promoting social justice. “From a business perspective, it is a booster. When we have employees representing a variety of cultures and backgrounds, it informs our product development and enriches our brand in a way that is authentic.”
Nathaniel Shipp served the local Catholic community as a respected deacon.
John Shipp in 2005 with the 101st Airborne Division as an air assault pilot in Iraq.
John Shipp with his wife and daughter.
Nathaniel Shipp served in the Korean War.
Vianney offers college-style schedule
By Vianney High
For The St. Louis American
Vianney’s two-semester, college-style schedule is much more than the mere restructuring of time. Learning within the block is a shift in the methodology of education.
In the two-semester, college-style schedule, a student takes more control of his education by being actively involved in the learning process. The environment fosters better interpersonal relationships, heightened critical thinking and stronger problem-solving skills, and allows students time for reflection.
The schedule is designed to reduce some of the obstacles that interfere with student achievement, such as insufficient time for in-depth thought, high stress levels and fragmented instruction.
Key features include:
• Four 80-minute academic periods provide time for in-depth focus and exploration.
• Teachers can give
Tips
Continued from D4
ties into your calendar as soon as they’re planned. The smooth gel ink and precise point of the FriXion Synergy Clicker is great for detailed planning, while FriXion Fineliner brings colorful, mistake-free writing to notes and calendars.
more personal attention to each student, because they have fewer students each semester.
• Extended class time enables teachers the opportunity to develop lessons that offer more variety and in-depth thought.
• Students take eight courses per year (four per semester) and graduate with 32 credits, among the highest in the Midwest.
• The 32-credit requirement means students can pursue more Advanced Placement (AP), Advanced College Credit (ACC) and Honors courses.
• As part of a college preparatory school, this schedule is better suited to a college and university format.
By using a college-style semester format, students complete full core credits in one semester. Therefore, students wishing to excel academically can fit up to 5 or 6 years of a given core subject into four years
Lockers, backpacks and desks
Use organizational tools anywhere school supplies are stored, such as lockers, backpacks and home study areas. Simple shelving and magnetic door organizers can maximize storage potential in any locker, whereas a backpack with multiple pockets allows you to arrange items by subject. Periodically empty your backpack complete-
WiFi-enabled shuttle bus providing safe transportation to and
of school.
Class periods are long enough to allow for quality learning experiences that are less likely to occur
ly; you may be surprised by the loose papers you find at the bottom. Use the opportunity to re-order items as-needed and to wipe down the bag’s interior. Parents and kids should keep clutter to a minimum in home workspaces with filing systems and supply trays. This will help prevent important papers and other items from going missing and improve productivity.
in a shortened period. Activities are usually alternated within a class period for variety, including: debates, student presenta-
Down to the details
If you’re smudgeprone, use quick-dry ink for effortlessly clean lines. When it’s time to study, this will make reading your notes a lot easier.
Pilot’s Precise Rolling Ball features a precision tip -great for organized notes and homework.
For more school year inspiration and tips, visit powertothepen.com.
tions, in-depth laboratory experiments, concentrated writing projects, practice time for difficult concepts, guest speakers, teacher
directed learning activities, exam-like testing conditions, time for meaningful research simulations, cooperative learning, and role playing.
Vianney has The Griffin Express, a 14-passenger,
from the higfh school.