Encouragement from a LFLA Teacher Leads a Student Abroad!

Lift For Life Academy encourages students to find their path to success in the way that works best for their personal dreams. One student, Tracy Vilsaint (Class of 2019), found her path to success took her overseas to Ghana and Germany with help and encouragement from her LFLA English teacher, Sara Redel.  Check out this inspirational video on how the influence of Lift For Life Academy, and one teacher, can change the trajectory of life for our students.

“I feel like you could ask any teacher at Lift For Life and they’ll say they love teaching here because teaching your content feels like the second job, and it’s important, but more so you get to be in a position to be a mentor...It’s the best gift I have.”


- Sara Redel, LFLA High School English teacher

Just Keep Swimming!

Just Keep Swimming!


Drowning is preventable, yet it is one of the leading causes of unintentional injury death in people under the age of 29. In swimming pools, Black children ages 10-14 years drown at rates 7.6 times higher than White children. This year at Lift For Life Academy, Julie Brophy, middle school English teacher, has started our first-ever swim club, the seaHAWKS, to teach basic swimming and water safety skills to middle school students in an effort to make sure our students are equipped with this essential life skill.

The seaHAWKS practice at 12th & Park Rec Center on Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons with Ms. Brophy and other coaches. Ms. Brophy swam competitively throughout her youth, and says “swimming has always been a very special and joyful part of my life, and it's something I love to share.”

 Most of our students, like many Black American families, don’t know how to swim or don’t know how to swim well. Millions of Americans regardless of race don’t, either. On average, 11 people die by drowning every day in the United States.

Through this program, our students not only get a life-saving skill, but also a boost to their confidence and so much more. “Their willingness to try has been inspiring!” said Ms. Brophy, “I am passionate that everyone deserves to learn to swim.” 

Ms. Brophy is building the team from the ground up, starting with multiple sessions of “learn to swim,” and then beginning intramural competitions, leading up to, hopefully, competition leagues. “My dream is to be able to offer swim lessons to all students K-12 at LFLA,” said Ms. Brophy.


SeaHAWKS are off to a strong start. LFLA students are patient, hardworking, and excited to learn in the water. “As someone with competitive swim experience, I am blown away by the progress our students have made so far in the pool. They are exceptional athletes,” said Ms.Brophy.


SeaHAWKS continues to grow and progress and LFLA is thrilled about this program and its potential. 

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/facts/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7024a1.htm?s_cid=mm7024a1_w#contribAff

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/27/opinion/drowning-public-pools-america.html

Click here to Read Our Academy News Annual Report!

Fall Fun at Elementary!

Red Ribbon Week!

At the end of October, our students celebrated Red Ribbon Week, a week dedicated to educating students on being drug, alcohol, and tobacco free and not using any forms of violence.

Our amazing student support team, Ms. Portlyn Ware and Ms. Jennifer Watt, led our students in daily activities and games to discover healthy habits and recognize unhealthy ones.


LFLA students protest plans for a dispensary.

Click here to read the students’ op-ed from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see more of what our students are doing!

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!! LFLA ALUMNI !!


Our Alumni Facebook group is now live! Please visit Lift For Life Academy Alumni to stay connected on all alumni updates! Also, to keep up with Lift For Life Academy, please visit our website, Instagram, and Linkedin pages!


Click Here to Join!

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Scott R. Dolan

President 

Tami Fernandez

Vice President

Kate Hatfield 

Secretary

Brian Liberman

Treasurer

Ernest K. (Ernie) Banks

Dennis Cope

Sheila Gurley, Ed.S.

Beau Herndon

Mary Jo Liberstein, Ph.D. 

Mark Schweiss

Debbie Champion Snyder

Steven M. Stone

Gina Wischmeyer

FOUNDATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Tami Fernandez

President  

Todd Taylor

Vice President

Scott Dolan

Secretary

Erich Thurmann

Treasurer

Marshall Cohen

Susan Goldberg

Marylen Mann

Dr. Katrice Noble

Carol Staenberg


HONORARY

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Marshall Faulk

Carla Scissors-Cohen

(Co-Founder)


In Memory of John Mann

(1965-2011)

Marshall Cohen

Co-founder/Exec.Director


Charter sponsored by:

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