High School Newsletter

Welcome back! A new school year is an opportunity to reset, build new habits, and set goals for your future. Whether you are starting a new grade or preparing for an important step toward college, remember that small steps add up to big progress. We are excited to continue walking alongside you this year!

This past weekend, we proudly welcomed our new 8th grade cohort to Access Academies! 🎉

Through our A2HS (Access 2 High School) Program, students will participate in programming once a month throughout the school year to help them prepare for high school and build the skills they need to become successful Access Scholars.

Did you know? We’re now welcoming students starting in 7th grade! 🙌

Students have the opportunity to join Access Academies beginning in 7th grade, or they may apply if they attend Sr. Thea Bowman Catholic School in East St. Louis, Illinois.

📢 Know a student or family who may be interested? Be on the lookout for more information about upcoming opportunities to join Access Academies!

A2C Orientation Reminder! 🎓

We’re excited to welcome our 11th and 12th grade Access Scholars and their families to our first Access 2 College (A2C) meeting of the 2026–2027 school year!

📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
📍 Il Monastero at Saint Louis University
3050 Olive St., St. Louis, MO 63103

Reminder: Orientation is mandatory for all 11th & 12th grade students and at least one parent/guardian.

📧 We have emailed each family their assigned orientation time. Please check your email for your scheduled time.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the Access Academies team. We’re happy to help!

Hey! We created a chat just for Access Scholars & family where we’ll share important resources, scholarships, internships, events, college opportunities, and more! 🎓✨

Make sure you join so you don’t miss out on opportunities throughout the school year!

👉 Join the chat here: https://groupme.com/join_group/116346649/ARxzYSy4

• Open to all students
• Confidential
• In-person and/or referral options

Are you taking a college credit course this semester (AP, 1818, Dual Enrollment, ACC, etc.)? We can cover that fee! Please complete the following information as soon as you have it so we can make payment arrangements for the class.

Be advised that you will only receive college credit for the class if you pass and it is paid for, so be sure to complete this form.

You will need to create a separate submission for each class, and if this is for a year-long class, you will need to resubmit this form each semester.

For Fall Semester classes, submit this form by the end of September. For Spring Semester classes, submit this form by the end of February. We will not pay late fees!

Complete Form:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdY7RtgC_n5qkbmpRWtpyKEJWysR2kW4WxjVkAtNcWdOFrfiQ/viewform?usp=header

We love celebrating our Access scholars and alumni! Did you graduate, land a new job, join a club, earn a scholarship, make honor roll, get married, welcome a child, receive an award, or have another exciting update? We'd love to hear from you. Your stories help inspire current students and show supporters the long-term impact of Access Academies.

Current Students, parents, and alumni are encouraged to share <3

Questions? Connect with Dave Baldwin at dave.baldwin@accessacademies.org

Families are invited to join this parent-led committee and get more involved with the Access Academies community!

The committee offers opportunities to:

• 🎉 Help plan and support events
• 🙌 Volunteer with Access Academies
• 🤝 Connect with other Access families
• 💡 Share ideas and help strengthen our programs

Interested in getting involved? We’d love to have you join us!

👉 Join the committee here: https://groupme.com/join_group/113105488/aWkuz0Ej

• Get organized before classes get busy.

• Meet your teachers and introduce yourself.

• Join one club, sport, or activity that interests you.

• Set one academic goal and one personal goal.

• Learn how your school communicates important announcements.

• Create a calendar for assignments, activities, and deadlines.

🔗 Resource: BigFuture College Planning | Career Exploration

Choose a regular time and place for homework. Check your assignments every day, start with the most important task, and break large assignments into smaller steps. A consistent routine can make schoolwork feel much more manageable.

🔗 Resource: Study Strategies

UMSL offers a wide variety of majors, affordable options, and opportunities close to home. When researching a college, look beyond the name: explore majors, campus resources, scholarships, student organizations, and career opportunities.

🔗 Resource: BigFuture College Search

🔗 Resource: BLS Career Profile | UMSL Education | UIUC Education | UW–Madison Education

Teachers help students learn, grow, and prepare for their futures. Education careers can include classroom teachers, school counselors, special education professionals, instructional coaches, and administrators.

As part of a senior community service project, we are offering free family portraits to members of the community. This event aims to provide families with a meaningful opportunity to capture lasting memories, regardless of their financial situation. The portraits will be taken by Photography 2 and Portfolio student photographers for families at no cost. The families will receive digital images (and releases) that can be printed.

Event Details:

Families will need to book at appointment at

https://outlook.office.com/book/FamilyPortraitSessions@cbchs.org/?ismsaljsauthenable

There are 8 time slots for each Sunday. If for any reason you need to cancel or reschedule, please use your email confirmation and the same calendar link to do so as SOON as possible. These spots fill up fast and we usually end up with a waitlist.

Choose a Sunday: Sep 27, Oct 14, Oct 11, Nov 1

Time: 12pm to 4pm (appointments are offered every half hour on the 00 & 30).

Location: CBC High School, 1850 De La Salle Dr. St. Louis. (We are the giant castle-looking building near the intersection of 270 and 40/64). We have a photo studio located in the bottom level of the school and will have signs on where to park and enter on the rear of the building.

Cost: Free for all families

Questions: Please email Mrs. Niehaus at CBCPhotography@CBCHS.org.

🎓 High-achieving high school seniors from low-income backgrounds: take the next step in your college journey. Find out if you're eligible for the National College Match and apply for free: https://lnkd.in/gi68nBXc.

🗺️ Two premier geospatial conferences. One week. One campus.
This September, the geospatial community comes together at Saint Louis University for CaGIS 2026 and GeoResolution 2026 — bringing research, education, industry and national security together in St. Louis.
📅 CaGIS Conference | September 8–11
🔗 https://lnkd.in/gccfiJt4
📍 GeoResolution 2026 | September 10
🔗 https://lnkd.in/gS4UzPiF
Two great opportunities to connect, learn and see what’s next in geospatial. 🚀

Registration is Required

Start Here provides general information, street addresses, phone numbers, and websites for dozens of agencies, shelters, employment resources, food pantries, and other organizations throughout the St. Louis area.

Website: https://www.startherestl.org/

Join the Infinite Scholars Program for a FREE College Scholarship Fair, where participating colleges and universities may offer admission and award scholarships to eligible students on the spot.

Sunday, September 13, 2026
2:00 PM–5:00 PM
SLU Busch Student Center
20 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103

Students with a 3.0+ GPA are strongly encouraged to attend and should bring multiple copies of:

• Unofficial high school transcripts
• ACT/SAT scores
• Résumé

Save Our Sons+Sisters is hosting TWO in‑person Boeing Bootcamp Informational Sessions designed to help you step confidently into high‑demand aviation careers.

Thursday, Sept 3rd — 10AM
Thursday, Sept 10th — 6PM

Classes start in October!
If you’re 18+ and a high school graduate or GED holder, this is your moment.

What You’ll Learn:

• Overview of Boeing apprenticeship opportunities
• Application + hiring process breakdown
• Resume customization tips
• Common reasons applications get rejected
• Live Q&A with experts

Register here to attend: https://form.jotform.com/251244970706054

OFS MetroMarket is rolling across the St. Louis bi-state area, bringing affordable produce, frozen meats, and healthy grocery options closer to the communities we serve.

Swipe to see where we'll be the rest of the week.

View the full schedule: ofsmetromarket.org/schedule

¿Quieres aprender a manejar mejor tu dinero, mejorar tu crédito o prepararte para comprar una casa? ¡Esta es tu oportunidad!

Acompáñanos todos los martes de septiembre a las 6:00 p. m. (CST) en nuestras clases virtuales por Zoom.

📅 Temas:

✅ 8 de septiembre: Crea tu mapa financiero: Aprende a presupuestar.
✅ 15 de septiembre: Tarjetas de crédito: De la confusión al control total.
✅ 22 de septiembre: ¿Qué es el crédito?
✅ 29 de septiembre: Conceptos básicos para comprar casa.

🎁 ¡Asistir tiene recompensa! Por cada clase a la que participes, recibirás una entrada para el sorteo de una tarjeta de regalo de $100. ¡Mientras más clases completes, más oportunidades tendrás de ganar!

📲 Regístrate hoy mismo escaneando el código QR del volante.

Comparte esta publicación con tus familiares y amigos. ¡Nunca es tarde para tomar el control de tus finanzas y construir un mejor futuro!

🌐 prosperityconnection.org
📞 Pablo Giraldo: (314) 917-3871
📞 Verónica Guerrero: (314) 371-5113

🔗 Resource: Merriam-Webster Definition

A goal is something you work toward achieving.

SCHOLAR CHALLENGE: Write down one goal you want to accomplish this school year.