Read Our 2024-2025 Impact Report
REFLECTING ON 20 YEARS
Dear Friends and Supporters,
As we celebrated our 20th anniversary this year, we reflected not only on how far we’ve come, but on the bold new steps we’ve taken to expand our reach and deepen our impact across the St. Louis region.
In 2005, Access launched with just 15 eighth graders in one school. Today, thanks to your generosity, we serve nearly 400 students. Over 20 years, we’ve guided more than 1,400 scholars on a path to success, invested $10.7 million in high school tuition, and helped raise high school acceptance rates from 80% to 98%. This year, 92% of our seniors were accepted to college or another post-secondary program—clear proof that your support changes lives.
This year, we embarked on a strategic process to streamline our programming and focus where we saw the greatest impact. A major outcome was the launch of our new Access 2 High School (A2HS) program at Saint Louis University, opening Access to students from any middle school for the first time in our history. Now with two pathways—beginning at Sister Thea Bowman in sixth grade or joining A2HS in eighth grade—we can reach more students and strengthen high school readiness.
We also expanded our Summer Scholars Academy, created new post-secondary scholarships, and helped secure nearly $1.9 million in financial aid for our seniors. It’s been a year of significant results and remarkable momentum. What remains unchanged, however, is our steadfast commitment: to give every student the tools, support, and confidence they need to succeed. We challenge our youth to dream big—and then walk alongside them with individualized guidance to keep those dreams within reach.
We are proud to share Access Academies’ 2024-2025 impact report—a testament to the extraordinary hard work, commitment, and dedication of our students, families, staff, partners, and supporters like you. And as we look to the next 20 years, thank you for believing in our students and mission. Together, let’s make 2026 our most impactful year yet.
With gratitude,
Tom Wheeland
Chair, Board of Directors
Click here to read the full 2024-2025 Impact Report.
THANK YOU TO OUR 2024-2025 DONORS!
Chris Adelman-Adler
Damen Alexander
Robert & Susan Allen
Emily & John Vatterott, Jr.
Anonymous Donor – 3
Anonymous – 3
Tom & Dale Ann Auffenberg
Dave Baldwin & Summer Hutcheson
Trent Ball
Nancy Barnidge
Bert & Liz Barry
Bayer Fund
Steve & Wendy Bee
Ann Beekman
Arthur & Linda Behrens
Susan Bender
Audrey Bone
Boniface Foundation
Sandra Bowe
Alexandra Boyd
Richard & Jerris Breslin
Benton Brown
Neil & Karen Bruntrager
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, LLP
Denis & Mary Ellen Burns
Angie Carr
Julian & Eileen Carr Family Foundation
Cass Commercial Bank
Image Choices
Christian Brothers College High School
Joe & Janet Ciapciak
Cogan Family Donor-Advised Fund
Tim Collins
Commerce Bancshares Foundation
George & Mary Lou Convy
Cor Jesu Academy
Caitlin Coughlin
James Coughlin
David & Nancy Danis
Janice DaPrato
Tad & Tricia Davies
Edwin & Margaret Dawson
Johnathan & Patricia Dehner
Mary Rose Desloge
Richard & Nancy Desloge
Mike Diehl & Alice Benga
Dave & Karen Dille
Adele Braun Charitable Foundation
Dale & Angie Doerr
Michael & Claudia Dooley
Fr. Mitch Doyen
Joe & Donna Drozda
Carolyn Dubuque
Sarah & Robert Dunn
Charlie & Penny Durban
Justin Durel
Christina Eisenbeis
ELCO Chevrolet
Elizabeth Douglass
Emerson Charitable Trust
Stan & Pat Erb
Charlie & Patty Erker
Joseph & Colleen Erker
Thomas & Cheryl Erman
Ruth Ezell
Mark & Marilyn Feldman
Michael & Mia Fitzgerald
John & Peggy Fonke
Food Service Consultants
Jim & Melissa Fox
Scott & Jennifer Frakes
Brent & Andrea Gallagher
Gus & Kelly Gast
Dan George & Cassie Strom
Philip & Penny George
Jim & Mary Pat Glauber
Chris & Meg Griesedieck
John Gunther
John & Teresa Hanichak
Mary Harris
Paul & Kelly Harris
Tom & Mary Hastings
Susan Hayman
James P. Tobin & Virginia E. Heagney
Jerry & Susan Herber Family
Tom & Anne Herrmann
Tom Hilton
Hoffman Bricker & Adams, PC
Matthew Holborow
Sid & Julie Holthaus
Tom & Suzanne Hough
Michael Hundelt
Claire Hundelt
Kirk & Mary Hunsaker
Incarnate Word Academy
Jean & Mark Jackson
Daniel & Jamie Welborn
James Eyre
Joe & Melissa Jedlicka
Joan & John Vatterott Family Foundation
Nicole Jobe
Michael & Kelly Johnson
Gordon Johnston
Robert Johnston
The Mary Ranken Jordan and Ettie A. Jordan Charitable Foundation
Kevin & Susan Journagan
Tom & Marilyn Keeline
Joe Kelley
Katrice Kendle
Jimmy & Beth Kerley
Jim & Peg Kiley
Lisa Kohler
Peter Krombach
Lara Krpata
Mark & Mary Jo Labarge
Mike & Gretchen LaBelle
Bill & Jan Lane
Harry & Nina Langenberg
Patrick & Susan Lawlor
Tim & Mary Leahy
Lawrence & Dorothy LeGrand
Lewis Rice, L.L.C.
Paul & Betsy Liberatore
Anne Lord
Claire Lord
John & Peg Lord
Laverne Lorenzini
Tom Mackowiak
Tom & Kelly Malon
Marillac Mission Fund
Bob & Chris Mathias
Fr. McDevitt
Sara McLellan
Bo Mehan
Pat & Joan MiIler
Lynda Morrison & Steve Morrison
Mick Mullen
Michael & Terry Mulligan
Birch & Cathie Mullins
Jim & Mimi Murphy
Frank & Jane Myers
Nerinx Hall
Michael & Mary Noetzel
W.T. & Christine Nolan
Pat & Linda Notestine
Notre Dame High School
Jay and Lisa Nouss
Elizabeth O’Connor
Bridget O’Flynn
Bhavik & Priyal Patel
Tiffany Patton
Pershing Charitable Trust
Stephen & Patricia Peterson
Joel & Alliyah Pettus
Joel & Cheryl Pettus
Chuck & Cathy Phillips
Bud Purcell
Thomas & Ginger Purcell
Chad & Constance Reis
Larry & Carmellia Richardson
Barbara Richter
Charles Riley
Peggy Ritter
Stephanie Rogers
John & Nancy Rohlfing
The Schuster Family
Dennis & Joyce Saffa
Saigh Foundation
Saint Louis University – School Of Education
Salt+Smoke
Frank Sant
Tom & Mary Pat Cadice-Santel
Molly Schaller & Chris Duncan
Catherine Schlick
Jay & Anja Schmelter
Chris Schmidt & Silvia Ledesma Ortiz
Bill & Kate Schoenhard
John Sheahan, Jr.
John & Marge Simon
Patrick & Mary Sly
Steve & Martha Smith
St. John Vianney High School
St. Joseph’s Academy
St. Louis University High School
Winniefred Stennis
John Stiles
William & Margaret Stude
Mike & Jennifer Sudekum
Tim & Mary Sullivan
Regan Tadrus
The Simon Law Firm
John & Julie Theobald
Jerome & Margaret Thomasson
Thompson Coburn
Rita Thoopul
Kevin & Julia Thorpe
Today and Tomorrow Educational Foundation
Ray & Laurie Van De Riet
Ellen Vatterott
Vatterott Foundation
Glenn & Cathy Vatterott
Kathleen Vatterott
Joan Vatterott
Pierce & Teresa Vatterott Family Foundation
Bob & Martha Vatterott
David Walentik
Ronnie & Thaedra Weiss
John & Priscilla Welter
Tom & Chris Wheeland
Shelly Williams
Bill & Carol Wittenberg
Jim & Nancy Wolfe
Frank Magiera
Jeff & Michele Zimmerman
John & Debbie Zipfel
In Honor Of
Birch and Cathie Mullins
Bo Mehan
Cheryl Pettus
Joslyn Bland
Peg Lord
Shelly Williams
Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School
In MEMORY OF
Helen L. Durban
John C. Vatterott
John Francis Duffy
Minerva Williams
Terrence J. Mehan (Terry)
William Stude
*Bold designates donors who contributed $1,000 or more.