May 20, 2025
On Friday, May 17, an EF-3 tornado with winds exceeding 150 mph tore through St. Louis, leaving a 23-mile path of destruction across the Central West End, Forest Park, and North St. Louis—a neighborhood central to our city’s Civil Rights history. Crossroads College Prep sat squarely in its path. While our campus was spared from catastrophic damage, the storm left a trail of wreckage just beyond our walls.
Inside the building at the time, all students and staff safely sheltered in the lower level. As pressure dropped and the building rattled with energy, no one knew what we would find above ground. Emerging from shelter, we found our school standing, with no power and minor ceiling leaks—but more importantly, a community ready to act.
Crossroadians showed up. Students, staff, and families began organizing clean-up efforts, checking on neighbors, and offering shelter to those displaced. Junior Alex Babusis ’26 cleared debris by bike for days on end, working from dawn to dusk. Our facilities manager, Greg Noble, took immediate action to assess and address repairs, keeping our school safe and stable for a return to learning.
As the region begins a long recovery, Crossroads remains committed to our core values of care, justice, and collective action. We invite our broader community to join in relief efforts, contribute to our Storm Relief Fund, and offer support to local partners like Action St. Louis and the Urban League. The road ahead is long—but like always, we walk it together.