2021 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 78
BY SENATOR HARRIS
A RESOLUTION
To commend and congratulate Dr. Kenneth St. Charles on his leadership and contributions
as president and CEO of St. Augustine High School.
WHEREAS, since 2016, Dr. Kenneth St. Charles has served St. Augustine High
School in New Orleans, Louisiana, as president and CEO, responsible for ensuring that the
school fulfills its mission of providing a quality, well-rounded education to nearly six
hundred young men in the traditions of the Catholic Church; and
WHEREAS, in this role, he supervises sixty-six faculty and staff members and
manages an eight million dollar budget; and
WHEREAS, under his leadership the school has made important strides in the areas
of development and fundraising, academics, board and alumni relations, student enrollment,
financial management, public relations, and in teacher and staff recruitment and retention;
and
WHEREAS, the school has raised a remarkable eleven million dollars, created fifteen
new permanently endowed funds and seventy-two annual donor named funds; experienced
a five percent enrollment increase for two consecutive years and is on track for a third
student enrollment increase; increased the total contributions made on the popular one-day
online giving event "Give Purple Day" from $38,000 in 2016 to $500,000 in 2020, and most
importantly, continued to ensure that one hundred percent of all graduating seniors were
eligible and received acceptance offers to the nation's colleges and universities, or to the
military or service academies; and
WHEREAS, addressing affordability has been a priority for St. Charles and during
his tenure the amount of scholarship support and financial aid awarded to students has
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doubled, and in 2021, one hundred percent of the student body received tuition assistance
totaling nearly $1.6 million; and
WHEREAS, new academic initiatives include the very popular Chinese Mandarin
language program and the Gifted Academy, a community outreach initiative that serves
middle-school age boys; and
WHEREAS, the school is also embarking on several new major construction and
renovation projects that will soon lead to the total redesign and renovation of all existing
science labs, classrooms, athletic facilities, and the creation of innovative academic STEM
curriculum initiatives; and
WHEREAS, the school's music program has experienced tremendous growth and
improvements in recent years, most notably a one hundred percent renovation of all music
and performance facilities, the funding of student band performance scholarships, a
fundraising effort that led to the purchase of one hundred new Marching band uniforms, and
a four-year effort that resulted in the complete replacement of all percussion and large brass
instruments, with the music program recently receiving national exposure on the acclaimed
60 Minutes news program; and
WHEREAS, the school continues to flourish athletically and in its many
extracurricular endeavors as evidenced by its 2021 State Championship basketball team, its
numerous outstanding initiatives in major team sports, and recent championship
performances in track and field and tennis; and
WHEREAS, the school also boasts an award-winning Film and Media program, as
well as Speech and Debate, STEM and Future Business Leaders of America clubs, and a
very active and popular Campus Ministry program that pre-COVID led an international trip
through the United States and Canada that retraced the historic journey for freedom of the
Underground Railroad; and
WHEREAS, Dr. St. Charles is married to Lori Robinson St. Charles and has two
daughters, Taylor and Kennedy St. Charles; and
WHEREAS, at the end of the current school term, Kenneth St. Charles will leave St.
Augustine High School to accept a newly created position of vice president for philanthropy
with the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the region's leading philanthropic organization.
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend and congratulate Dr. Kenneth St. Charles for his outstanding service
to St. Augustine High School as president and CEO and does wish him well in his new
position as vice president for philanthropy with the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that at a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Dr. Kenneth St. Charles.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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