Growing nonprofit charter school caters to educationally underserved communities

Celebrating it’s 10th anniversary, KIPP St. Louis is the public charter school network in the city of St. Louis, which continues its mission to provide free, quality education.

The school typically serves students from educationally underserved neighborhoods in the city of St. Louis. It opened in 2009 with a single class of 72 fifth graders and has grown to six schools with more than 2,300 K-11 students. With the addition of KIPP Wonder Academy elementary school that opened in August, the organization is on track to provide a college preparatory education to 3,300 students by 2023.

From left, founding board chair Greg Wendt and KIPP supporter Walter Metcalfe greeting a KIPP Wisdom Academy STEP Team member

“When we opened our first KIPP school, we offered families an opportunity unlike any other in the city: a high-quality education that helps students on their climb to and through college,” said KIPP St. Louis executive director, Kelly Garrett. “Our ability to open new schools and accomplish so much in a short period of time is thanks to the local and national support of individuals, corporations and foundations.”

De’Ja Wood, a KIPP St. Louis alumna and current junior at Duke University, provides the keynote address at a recent anniversary celebration

“Our enrollment numbers prove families throughout the city of St. Louis care deeply about the quality of their children’s education, and we look forward to continuing our journey for many years to come,” Garrett added.

KIPP, which stands for The Knowledge is Power Program, operates in 32 regions and serves nearly 100,000 students in grades pre-K through 12. Learn more at kippstl.org.