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CHS Welcomes New Director Kim Allen; CHS Students Enjoy Full Day of School Orientation   

To enter the building, there was no escaping it – the hip-hop tunes playing from the speaker, amplified personal messages, supporters lined up cheering, shaking pom-poms and holding signs and finally – the long red carpet. On Monday, Aug. 18, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) welcomed its scholars to the first day of classes with exhilaration. 

The powerful tradition known as "Red Carpet Day” at the SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School is designed to welcome students with enthusiasm, recognition and a sense of belonging, as they walk into a new school year, according to new CHS Director Kim Allen. 

“This tradition sends a clear message: ‘You are seen. You are valued. You belong here,’” said Allen. “The red-carpet experience immediately immerses students in a school-wide culture of encouragement and excitement. It also helps build that culture while making students feel part of something bigger from the moment they arrive.” 

Lined up on either side of the red carpet were CHS faculty and staff, parents, SIUE Police Sgt. Kasey Hoyd and Patrol Officer Levi Nellis, CHS Resource Officers; CHS Board Members Willis Young and Starr Gibson, members of the SIUE Professional Staff Association, SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start staff, Black Faculty and Staff Association President Dominic Dorsey, SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior Dean Robin Hughes, PhD; and newly elected East St. Louis City Councilwoman Lisa Woodhouse. 

“There’s nothing quite like the start of a new school year—the energy, the anticipation, and the joy of welcoming both familiar faces and new members of our school community,” said Hughes. “At Charter High School, we’re thrilled to begin another year filled with promise and potential.” 

“Students and their families arrive full of excitement and hope, and nothing sets the tone better than a warm welcome from our dedicated teachers, supportive parents, and committed school leaders—all standing together to greet them,” added Hughes. “It’s a powerful reminder that education is a shared journey, and we’re all in this together. Here’s to a year of growth, learning, and community!” 

“I am excited to be here to join in with Charter High School staff, teachers and parents in welcoming the students to a new school year,” said Woodhouse. “I look forward to finding ways to support and work with the Charter High School.” 

CHS junior Adrianne Marchbanks was all smiles on the first day and said she is expecting good things this school year. 

“I’m looking forward to learning more from the teachers. We have great teachers here,” said Marchbanks, who has an interest in studying astro biology. 

School events like homecoming and sporting games are something that CHS junior Jordan Adams is anticipating. But he has his eyes set on his senior year and beyond. 

“I am definitely excited to get another year of high school over with,” said Adams. “But I enjoy most of the things here. The staff, the teachers and the resource officers are very helpful and kind and genuine people. The students are good students. They’ll be good friends to you. I had a bunch of friends from the Class of 2025, and I am still missing some of those friendships.”   

Adams has many plans including enrolling in the Air Force to pay for college, joining the French Foreign Legion or engaging in off-shore welding. 

Expressing nervousness, along with excitement, was Lakendra Rogers, mother of CHS sophomore Alexis Rogers. 

“I’m hoping that Alexis will come out of her shell some. This is her first year at Charter High School,” said Rogers. Alexis transferred from Belleville West High School. “I heard good things about the Charter High School, and I had two cousins who graduated from here and enjoyed it.” 

After walking the Red Carpet and having breakfast, CHS students gathered for an all-school assembly in the Multipurpose Building, Building D, on the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus. Allen welcomed the scholars and introduced CHS faculty and staff. Students then rotated throughout the day to various rooms to participate in activities centered on “Getting to Know CHS.” 

“The success of our Charter High School scholars matters to us,” said Allen. “Whether it’s college, a career or personal growth, CHS staff aim to make scholars realize the importance of their futures.” 

The SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School is a school-of-choice for families in the East St. Louis School District 189. The mission of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School is to prepare students who are career- and college-ready upon graduation. To achieve this mission, the school and its staff will positively impact the educational and economic lives of East St. Louis, Illinois youth through individualized instruction in core academic subjects, exploration of career interests and aptitudes, assistance in realizing students’ talents, high academic goals, and expectations that graduates will become competitive employees for the 21st century.  

The SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior prepares students in a wide range of fields including public health, exercise science, nutrition, instructional technology, psychology, speech-language pathology and audiology, educational administration, and teaching. Faculty members engage in leading-edge research, which enhances teaching and enriches the educational experience. The School supports the community through on-campus clinics, outreach to children and families, and a focused commitment to enhancing individual lives across the region.  

Photos:
SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School students receive enthusiastic welcomes to their first day of school.