Mehlville School District’s Trautwein Elementary was recently named one of the winners at the inaugural Gateway to Success Foundation’s Louie Awards for its growth in English language arts (ELA) during the 2024-2025 school year.

The awards were created to recognize high-performing public and public charter schools in the St. Louis area, focusing on improvement from students in third through eighth grade. Results are based on the Missouri Growth Model, which takes into consideration standardized test scores and student mobility.

Of the top five winners for both ELA and math, Trautwein alone represented South County. The four other ELA finalist schools include Reed Elementary (Ladue School District), Betty Wheeler Classical Jr. Academy (St. Louis City School District), Froebel Elementary (St. Louis City School District) and Glasgow Elementary (Riverview Gardens City School District). On the math side, Wedgwood 6th Grade Center (Ferguson-Florissant R-II School District), Reed Elementary (Ladue School District), Lexington Elementary (St. Louis City School District), Spoede Elementary (Ladue School District) and Dewey International Studies School (St. Louis City School District) took home the prize.

Each of “The Louies” awardees will receive $15,000.

Additional schools were selected as “finalist schools” for demonstrating the strongest improvement in either math or ELA over a three-year period — from 2022–2025. On top of securing a “Louie,” Trautwein was selected as an ELA finalist school; other South County ELA finalist schools include Mehlville School District’s Washington Middle School and MOSAIC Elementary School. Betty Wheeler Classical Jr. Academy, Froebel Elementary School, Glasgow Elementary School, Herzog Elementary Academy, Parkway West Middle School, Reed Elementary School and Mallinckrodt Academy of Gifted Instruction were also honored as ELA finalist schools.

Hancock Place Middle School was the lone math finalist school from South County. The other math finalist schools include: Dewey International Studies School, Keeven Elementary School, Kehrs Mill Elementary School, Lexington Elementary Academy, Mallinckrodt Academy of Gifted Instruction, Pershing Elementary School, Reed Elementary School, Spoede Elementary School and Wedgwood Sixth Grade Center.

All finalist schools will be awarded $5,000 for their achievement.