ST. LOUIS — A new competition for alumni of local high schools will launch next year from one of St. Louis’ most famous graduates.
Nelly said he came up with the idea for the High School Alumni Games after meeting St. Louis natives wherever he performs around the globe. High schools are always the first topic to come up, he said, starting with the quintessential St. Louis question, “Where did you go to high school?”
“That’s a big part of who we are in this city, is where we went to school, and I think that’s also where we tend to put a lot of our pride,” Nelly said.
Honors students at Harris-Stowe State University were invited to the announcement at the school on Tuesday, known as 314 Day to celebrate the region on the date matching its area code. The 314 Day Foundation, a co-sponsor of the event, also awarded a $31,400 donation for Harris-Stowe to President LaTonia Collins-Smith.
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The High School Alumni Games are scheduled for March 14, 2024, and will feature athletic, academic and social contests to “instill the pride back into the city and bring us together again,” Nelly said.
Any public or private high school in the region can form a team or combine with other schools depending on size. Alumni who graduated in 2014 or earlier will be eligible for the inaugural games that will include cash prizes for the winning high schools. The event is still in the early planning stages, and organizers are looking for corporate sponsors and volunteers.
During the press conference, some college students in the audience shouted out their high schools from across St. Louis city and county that they plan to cheer for in the tournament.
And as for Nelly’s alma mater, University City High School?
“I love the high school I graduated from,” he said. “U. City will be in the building.”
St. Louis rapper Nelly surprised Missouri educators May 19, 2021, during an end-of-the-year Zoom meeting.
"Teachers are our real heroes, and this year, virtual teachers went beyond anything they could have imagined," Nelly said in a statement provided to the Post-Dispatch. "I was happy to show them appreciation for all they do for our families and our kids!"
His video appearance was in partnership with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Alive & Well Communities.
“I wanted to go the extra mile to show them how much they are respected, valued and admired," said Alive & Well Communities program director Sheila Branch. "My peers thought that I was crazy when I mentioned attempting to contact Nelly. I knew that Nelly would have no problem putting a smile on their faces. He has that kind of impact."
