Founded in 1849 as a children’s orphanage, Stella Maris Child Center is the oldest child learning center in St. Louis. The school had been located in the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood since 1983, but needed a larger facility to accommodate its waiting list.

With true dedication to remaining in the City, the center purchased and renovated a vacant St. Louis Public School – former Clark School – at 5183 Raymond. The center made $1.3 million in improvements, including age-appropriately designed classrooms, new roofing, fencing, and utility systems, and an exterior facelift.

Stella Maris offers year-round educational programs for children ages six weeks to six years and a summer program for school-aged children. Stella Maris has been a United Way agency since 1944 and is licensed by the Missouri Dept. of Health, accredited by the Missouri Board of Voluntary Accreditation, and is a member of the Child Day Care Association of Greater St. Louis.

The Mayor’s Spirit of St. Louis Award recognizes businesses that make major expansions or improvements to their existing locations, open or relocate to the City, and certain major City projects.

# # #