From Challenge to Success

At our staff meeting today we talked a bit about some of the people we know who have passed through our doors on their way to wonderful successes, people who have overcome major challenges in their journey, and who credit SouthSide for giving them the foundation they needed to get where they are. We count Tim Burke, our intrepid Board member who is running a 146-mile ultra-marathon to benefit SouthSide, as part of our family of people working through big challenges!

There’s the 1950s alum whose family crises meant SouthSide was the one place he felt safe and where he received therapy from a licensed social worker. Against all odds he made it through school and had a successful career at a major St. Louis corporation. He still comes back to visit and volunteer.

In the 1980s, three children of a single mom who supported her family on a housekeeper’s income graduated from SouthSide. Today, two are in college and the oldest is working toward a master’s degree in education – she wants to be a school principal.

Next week, a 17-year old SouthSide alum earning his Eagle Scout badge returns to SouthSide to install his project – benches and a compost bin for our preschool garden.

SouthSide alumni are everywhere across the St. Louis region, achieving school and life success, working and contributing to our community. Looking back over 126 years, we have thousands of success stories just like these. I asked our teachers to go back and think about their students, our beautiful children, with unlimited potential, battling challenges most of us can’t even imagine coming up against. When they come back and visit in 2030, what wonderful news will they share about their lives?

SouthSide is here for the long haul – as long as we have the resources we need to support children and families most in need. Tim, aka @1inspiredidiot, is running his ultra-marathon for SouthSide – to help us continue our legacy for next year’s children and next decade’s and next quarter-century’s…

Our new school is key to that successful future, for SouthSide and our children. Thank you for supporting Tim and his incredible personal effort to help us build that future. 

See Tim’s blog at www.1inspiredidiot.comto see how he views a challenge!