Blake Youde Named Executive Director
Blake Youde Named Executive Director of Access Academies in St. Louis
ST. LOUIS – Blake Youde has been named executive director of Access Academies, a highly successful middle school program in three urban St. Louis Archdiocesan schools. Youde succeeds Tom Nolan, who retired at the end of
Youde comes to Access from the St. Louis Public School District where he served as deputy superintendent of institutional advancement since 2009. He has also served as a public affairs consultant for the St. Louis Public Schools, the Regional Business Council, Civic Progress and the Danforth Foundation, and served as director of public policy and special projects for St. Louis 2004, a nonprofit community revitalization organization.
Blake’s experience in public education will be a tremendous asset to Access Academies as we look to build on our strong record of success and expand to serve more children in creative ways, helping them realize their full potential,†said John Vatterott, chairman of the Access board of directors. Access’ seven-year commitment to each student is a unique and effective approach to breaking the cycle of poverty.
Focusing on low-income students, Access Academies supports a rigorous academic program in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades of three catholic schools: Most Holy Trinity Academy, St. Cecilia Academy and St. Louis the King School at the Cathedral. The approach includes an extended school day, extended school year and a demanding curriculum. Key to its success is a graduate support program that monitors and assists middle school graduates in high school. Providing tutoring, counseling and high school scholarships, graduate support ensures that students complete high school and move on to college.
To date, Access has served more than 560 students. Ninety-six percent of its graduates have been accepted to college-prep high schools, 92 percent graduate on time and 80 percent are accepted to
Youde earned his master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Texas. He also earned a degree in political science from the University of Arizona. He is a 2004 graduate of Leadership St. Louis.