Sky is the Limit

For More Information:
Barbara A. Washington, (314) 382-5952, ext. 234 or (314) 308-7435

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 15, 2008

MATHEWS-DICKEY GIVES YOUNG WOMEN
A WAKE-UP CALL TO CAREER-READINESS

Community-minded business women give young women a wake-up call at the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club’s 14th Annual “The Sky is the Limit” Women in Careers Workshop. Nearly 300 young women converge upon the campus of St. Charles Community College’s Daniel J. Conoyer’s Social Sciences Building, 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Dr., from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, April 19, to learn all about careers. United States Attorney Catherine Hanaway headlines the all-star cast with her lunch-time presentation.
In a refreshing start to the morning, the girls gather in their lime green T-shirts to network with their peers and explore the business of the day. The program kicks off with opening remarks by workshop sponsor Melanie DiLeo, Missouri state director, community relations, Global Consumer Group — Citi, and KTVI Fox 2 General Assignment Reporter Summer Knowles handles the emcee duties. The afternoon session features “Board Room Chic: Successful Career Styles” by Pam Younger, fashion events director, Macy’s Midwest, and closing remarks by Phakisha Horne, vice president, account management, Allsup Inc.
“Amidst the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, it only takes a few hours of our time and a modest financial commitment to make a difference,” said Barbara A. Washington, the program’s founder and vice president of public relations and special events, Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club. “We’re grateful to the many talented, accomplished professionals, who step up to the plate to show our young women that ‘The Sky is the Limit,’ if they follow the right path.”
Each student attends three, 45-minute breakout sessions, from 9 a.m. to noon. Workshop presenters are:
Careers in Conservation & Zoology
Denise Hunsaker, conservation agent, Missouri Department of Conservation

The Cost of Cool
Denise D’Mae, retail lending trainer, Citigroup

Engineering: A Successful Career Path
Teresa Price, transit/planning/traffic section manager, Jacobs

Hospitality Plus: The Meetings & Events Industry
Emilie Fink, director of catering, Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark

Mathews-Dickey “The Sky is the Limit” — Add One

Keep Them Flying: A Career in Aircraft Training Systems
Christine Brumfield, electrical engineer — The Boeing Company

Money Talk: A Career Spreadsheet
Carletha Rogers, investment representative, Edward Jones

Paging Doctor You
Jennifer Irvin, school/community health coordinator, BJC HealthCare

Real Estate: A Career All Your Own
Tracy Howren, commercial banking officer, Enterprise Bank & Trust

The Communication Professional
Gloria Ross, owner, Okara Communications, and Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis board member

The Scientific Path: Imagination & Innovation
Dannette Ward, senior scientist, The Monsanto Co.

The Verdict: A View of the Legal Profession
Vanessa Keith, attorney at law, Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, PC

Volunteers are needed for an episodic mentorship experience at part two, the career-readiness luncheon. Author and retired United States Senator Jean Carnahan provides the keynote address at 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 7, at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, One S. Broadway. Emceed by KTVI Fox 2 Reporter Shirley Washington, the luncheon gives young women an opportunity to meet and network with outstanding female business owners and executives. Each professional woman sponsors lunch for a student and herself. Geared for the busy schedules of today’s businesswoman on the move, the mentorship link is formed by a ceremonial business card exchange and future activities are voluntary.
The participating young women represent the following school districts: Clayton, East St. Louis, Ferguson-Florissant, Francis Howell, Hazelwood, Kirkwood, Ladue, Lindbergh, Normandy, Parkway, Pattonville, Ritenour, Riverview Gardens, Rockwood, St. Louis Public Schools and Webster Groves. Graduating seniors receive $1,000 college scholarships, including a student from each district and Mathews-Dickey members. The scholarships are based upon community service, extra-curricular participation and academic excellence.
The program reaches an impressive milestone in 2008: the $325,000 mark in college scholarships and 3,250th mentor-student pairing. The honorary chairwomen are Barbara Brack, wife of Time Inc. chairman emeritus Reginald Brack, Jr.; Virginia Busch, partner, Busch & Conard; Debra Denham, vice president, community affairs, BJC HealthCare, DiLeo, and Deborah Patterson, president, The Monsanto Fund.
To sign-up call Bill Fronczak at (314) 382-5952, ext. 228, or Washington at (314) 382-5952, ext. 234.

— FACT SHEET—

In its 14th year, “The Sky Is The Limit” career-readiness program has reached an impressive milestone:
pairing over 3,250 young women with career-building mentors and awarding over $325,000 in college scholarships. The success story is a testament to the support of corporations, prominent women’s organizations and female business. The honorary chairwomen are Barbara Brack, wife of Time Inc. chairman emeritus Reginald Brack, Jr.,
Virginia Busch, partner,Busch & Conard; Debra Denham, vice president, community affairs, BJC HealthCare,
Melanie DiLeo, Missouri state director, community relations, Global Consumer Group, Citi,
and Deborah Patterson, president, The Monsanto Fund.

DESCRIPTION: A career-readiness luncheon for 250 young women from the St. Louis and Metro East areas, involving junior-high and high-school participants from Mathews-Dickey and the following area school districts: Clayton, East St. Louis, Ferguson-Florissant, Francis Howell, Hazelwood, Kirkwood, Ladue, Lindbergh, Normandy, Parkway, Pattonville, Ritenour, Riverview Gardens, Rockwood, St. Louis Public Schools and Webster Groves. The two-part program comprises:

• Women in Careers Workshop — 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, April 19, St. Charles Community College’s Daniel J. Conoyers Social Sciences Building, 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Dr., St. Charles, MO 63376. Notable Fortune 500 executives will present seminars on a variety of career-related topics (see page two for listing).
• Career-Readiness Luncheon — 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 7, at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, One S. Broadway. The luncheon will give young women an opportunity to meet and network with outstanding female business owners and executives. The keynote address is presented by author and retired United States Senator Jean Carnahan, and KTVI Fox 2 Reporter Shirley Washington handles the emcee duties.

GOAL: To provide young women with positive role models, college scholarship funds and the skills needed
to become productive and responsible citizens in the workforce of tomorrow.

WHY:                     Young women face many problems, including teen pregnancy, child abuse and neglect, causing them to drop out of high school. Professional role models and networking opportunities for young women are lacking in the current employment environment. The program addresses these areas by emphasizing the importance of education, mentoring and career-readiness for future success.

AWARDS:              College scholarships are presented to 18 graduating seniors (one from each participating district) and Mathews-Dickey members.

SPONSORS:           Citi, Anheuser-Busch Companies; Barbara and Reginald Brack; Macy’s, and The Monsanto Fund.

TICKETS:              Each professional woman will sponsor lunch for herself and a student at $50 a ticket, for a total of $100 per sponsor.

QUESTIONS:         Contact Barbara A. Washington or Bill Fronczak at (314) 382-5952, ext. 234.

“Women in Careers Workshop”

DESCRIPTION: As a prelude to “The Sky Is The Limit” luncheon 250 young women will participate in the Women in Careers Workshop. Professional women will present informative workshop sessions to young women, focusing on different issues surrounding career-readiness and workplace preparedness.

Workshop speakers include: Opening Remarks — Melanie DiLeo, Missouri state director, community relations, Global Consumer Group; Career Presentation — Catherine Hanaway, United States attorney — Eastern District of Missouri; “Board Room Chic: Successful Career Styles” — Pam Younger, fashion events director, Macy’s Midwest; and Closing Remarks — Phakisha Horne, vice president, account management, Allsup Inc. The program is emceed by KTVI Fox 2 General Assignment Reporter Summer Knowles.

PRESENTERS: Students will attend 45-minute breakout sessions, in groups of 30, from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. and 11 a.m. to noon. The following is a list of the professional women and workshop topics:

Careers in Conservation & Zoology
Denise Hunsaker, conservation agent, Missouri Department of Conservation

The Communication Professional
Gloria Ross, owner, Okara Communications

The Cost of Cool
Desere D’Mae, training specialist — Citi