About Access
Our Vision
Access envisions a vibrant St. Louis community where equity in education allows every child to think, dream, and achieve big.
Our Mission
Access propels middle school students who have been historically underserved through high school and on to college and career success with enrichment, counseling, and scholarships.
Our History
Access was founded in 2005 by a small group of St. Louisans convinced that education was the most enduring path out of poverty. Embracing an innovative model that emphasized extended school days, a challenging enrichment curriculum, scholarships to private high schools, and 11+ years of counseling, they started the first Academy with 15 students in a single South City middle school. Today, Access partners with three middle schools and 26 private high schools, and it serves over 500 students across the St. Louis metropolitan area.
Our Students
97% of Access students represent minority populations.
94% qualify for free/reduced lunch.
66% live in single-parent households.
Our Impact
Due to the generosity of our donors, our students’ academic drive, and an 11-year commitment to enrichment, guidance counseling, and scholarships, our program works:
98% of our Academy graduates have been accepted to private, college-prep high schools
97% of our Academy graduates graduate high school on-time
93% of our Academy graduates have been accepted to colleges, universities, or other post-secondary institutions.