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FEBRUARY 4 – 10, 2016
Microsoft sparks youth at Harris-Stowe Teen entrepreneur Jaylen Bledsoe helps kick off national program in St. Louis By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American Jaylen Bledsoe, a 17-year-old owner of a multi-million dollar global IT services enterprise, looked out into more than 100 faces of high-school students who live in North St. Louis County just like him. “My parents had me when they were 16,” said Bledsoe, who is a senior at Hazelwood West High School and owns the North Countybased global companies The Flare Digital Agency and Jaylen D. Bledsoe Productions. According to society’s expectations of a black teen with young parents, he said, “I shouldn’t be here right now talking to you. I shouldn’t own my own business.” Bledsoe was the keynote speaker at Microsoft’s “YouthSpark Live” program – which launched at Harris-Stowe State University on January 29. About 100 students from Riverview Garden and Jennings high schools participated in the day-long workshop to learn how to create and develop an innovative project. Each team of about seven students n “YouthSpark was presented with a community problem Live goes – including lagging beyond the regional economic traditional STEM growth, community/ platform and police relations, underperforming meets urban public schools and youngsters on homelessness – and their terms, on asked to create a their turf, in their business idea or invention to help tackle language.” the issue. Immediately, the – Trice Johnson students realized that the workshop would be hands on, even during the keynote presentation. Bledsoe told the students how they needed to use a “GPS app” to accomplish their goals and dreams. They should set their dreams as their destinations and then create their paths. And if they make a wrong turn, they need to “re-route” just like the phone app does. “I’ve never heard a GPS tell someone to go home, there’s no way they are going to make it there,” Bledsoe said. Bledsoe created his business with only $100 when he was 12. Early on, he remembers going into a bank to open an account and being turned away. That bank now is begging for his business, he said. “You’re going to be told ‘no,’” he said. “Make them wish that they hadn’t turned you away.” Afterward his presentation, Microsoft’s Trice Johnson asked six students about what they gleaned from Bledsoe’s advice. Bernnie Allen, a Riverview Garden senior, said Bledsoe’s advice about rerouting struck home to her. “I have son,” she said. “I had to reroute.” Then she broke off in tears, which invited calls of encouragement from the crowd. Jennings junior Rajae Johnson said that he is constantly being told that he “can’t do it.” And he often waits for people to give him an opportunity, he said. “He made me realize that I need to do what I need to do to get where I need to be,” Johnson said. Jennings sophomore Taj Robinson said he already owns an embroidery and sewing
Dr. Marsha Fisher has been named medical operations director at Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Missouri. She will be clinical lead for the medical management team, providing priority Marsha and complex Fisher medical case reviews and contributing as a consultant in other areas of the company. She has served as a medical and specialty reviewer and a consultant for the company’s Healthy Moms/High-Risk Maternity Program.
The Rev. B.T. Rice was elected to the Board of Directors of The Concordance Academy of Leadership. In partnership with the Concordance Institute for Advancing Social B.T. Rice Justice, the academy is a public, private and academic initiative focused on lowering incarceration rates in the country. He is pastor of New Horizon 7th Day Christian Church.
Photo by Wiley Price
Jaylen Bledsoe, a 17-year-old entrepreneur, was the keynote speaker at Microsoft’s “YouthSpark Live” program, which launched at Harris-Stowe State University on January 29. About 100 students from Riverview Garden and Jennings high schools participated in the day-long workshop to learn how to create and develop an innovative project. company with his grandmother, and they make creations for people. They are currently turning a profit. Bledsoe’s advice of “Don’t let your setback cause you to step back. Prepare for your comeback” was inspiring and helpful as a
business owner, Robinson said. At the end of the day, the students presented their ideas to a team of Microsoft and HarrisStowe volunteers/mentors. The idea was to See MICROSOFT, B2
Also files to open branch at Lindenwood University Locally-owned Midwest BankCentre has filed applications with the Missouri Division of Finance and the Federal Reserve Bank to open new branches this year in North St. Louis and the City of St. Charles. Pending required approvals, the North City branch will open in mid-summer on the campus of Friendly Temple Mission Baptist Church in the 5500 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Drive in the Wells-Goodfellow neighborhood. “We are pleased to partner with Midwest
Rev. Traci D. Blackmon was appointed by President Obama to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. She is Rev. Traci D. the acting executive minister of Justice Blackmon and Witness Ministries for The United Church of Christ and pastor at Christ the King United Church of Christ in Florissant. She served on The Ferguson Commission.
Travis Capers is the new president of St. Mary’s Hospital. He will be responsible for the establishment, maintenance and enhancement of quality health care services at the 492bed hospital. Most Travis recently he served Capers as chief executive officer for Ochsner Medical Center, part of Ochsner Health System, a not for-profit health care system in New Orleans.
Midwest BankCentre applies to open branch at Friendly Temple By Chris King Of The St. Louis American
People On The Move
BankCentre to provide financial services to residents and businesses in the Martin Luther King Corridor, a community that has struggled to regain its prominence and realize its potential,” said Senior Pastor Michael Jones. “This groundbreaking collaboration underscores Friendly Temple’s community focus by empowering Corridor families with financial resources and education, and equipping local retail partners with tools to help them succeed.” Since 1996, the 12,000-member Friendly Temple has invested more than $100 million in some of St. Louis’ most underserved communities.
The North St. Louis location will mark the bank’s fifth branch within the City of St. Louis. The St. Charles branch, its second in St. Charles County, will open later in 2016 at 1820 First Capitol Dr. within Lindenwood University’s new University Commons mixeduse development across the street from its main campus. “Our partnerships with Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church and Lindenwood University are modeled after the mutual success and community gains achieved in partnership See MIDWEST, B6
Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Lydia Rudigier was selected as Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Atlanta’s 2015 Bluejacket of the Year. She is assigned to the NOSC Atlanta Lydia medical department, Rudigier which is responsible for the medical and dental readiness of more than 1,200 active and reserve sailors. A native of Spanish Lake, Missouri, she graduated from Francis Howell Central High School in 2010.
Randy Hayman joined Beveridge & Diamond, P.C. as a principal in the firm’s Washington office. Most recently he served as the general counsel of DC Water, the municipal Randy water agency for Hayman Washington, D.C. Previously he served as general counsel of the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District and in the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. He attended John Burroughs School. On the move? Congratulations! Send your good professional news and a color headshot to cking@stlamerican. com