Simon Handmaker

Shaare Zedek Synagogue

“I have always been a believer in education for everyone,” said Simon Handmaker, son of Betul Ozmat and Billy Handmaker of the Skinker/DeBaliviere community. That is why Simon decided to work with KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) Inspire Academy to improve the education of those who are both fortunate and unfortunate enough to be in a charter school.

“While the kids are fortunate to have the choice of a charter school, it is often due to the unfortunate circumstance of having poor public school options,” Simon said.

On most Saturday mornings for the past year, Simon could be found at KIPP tutoring the children and helping them with whatever they needed. “I really enjoyed the project. I thought that it was one of the things in my life so far that made me feel truly happy, with no ‘catch’ involved,” he said. “Education is important to me because an educated person is able to have better life opportunities. It is the best path to a better life.”

In lieu of bar mitzvah gifts, Simon, a student at Crossroads College Prep, requested that donations be made to the KIPP Inspire Academy. “I think the happiest day of my life so far was when I learned that I had raised $4,000 for KIPP St. Louis’s library,” he said.

KIPP is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life. There are currently 99 KIPP schools in 20 states serving more than 27,000 students.

KIPP Inspire Academy in St. Louis opened in the summer of 2009 to serve its first class of 90 fifth-grade students. Its mission is to inspire all students to develop the character and academic skills necessary to succeed in high school and college so that they can build a better tomorrow for themselves and us all.

For more information about KIPP, please visit their web site at http://www.kipp.org/school-content/kipp-inspire-academy.