With the ongoing renovation of CHS, there are also plans to design an entrance garden on the circle at the front of the high school. For the building of Centene Centennial Plaza, the PTO allocated funds from several sources, including Clayton community members, former Clayton alumni, and corporations.

Controversy has arisen concerning the list of donors, as Centene Corporation, a global corporation headquartered in Clayton agreed to donate $63,000 to fill the original fundraising gap for Centene Centennial Plaza, with the agreement that the new garden would be named after them. The preliminary cost for Centene Centennial Plaza was estimated at $115,000, but the estimate has grown with added elements such as lighting.

The fundraising effort has been carried out for almost a year, with the PTO being responsible for attaining the funds for the Plaza. No district money will be spent on Centene Centennial Plaza.

“The first thing that we did was that we contacted all the Clayton families that had a student attending CHS, or had a Clayton student graduate since 2005,” Cindy Rappanotti, a PTO member who has helped in the fundraising effort for Centennial Plaza, said. “In spring and summer of 2010, that was our focus. We also sent out a press release in the spring. There was also a visual and literature for the planned plaza at the Clayton Hall of Fame dinner. We made personal efforts to some donors, and also had others that have donated, who have bought bricks, such as the Clayton water polo team, and Boy Scout Troop 21—groups that have connections with CHS. The Plaza is going to recognize these donors.”

Although Centene Corporation contributed a significant gift for the construction of Centene Centennial Plaza, much of the Clayton community has been involved in the fundraising for the Plaza.

“Most of our participation has come from families who bought one or more bricks for $250 each,” Rappanotti said. “There have been about 200 families that supported the effort. Michael and Carol Staenberg provided a significant gift for the Centene Centennial Plaza. Centene also helped provide funding for Centennial Plaza.”

PTO member Sue Hodapp, who has conducted the negotiations with Centene Corporation, believes that Centene’s donation shows what Clayton is all about.

“Businesses, school, and the community part of Clayton is a loosely knit relationship that works well,” Hodapp said. “We are fortunate to have Centene in our community. We would not be able to do this upgrade without them.”

Centene’s donation creates conflict for some students, as they think having an entranceway to a public school named after a business entity would basically be a “corporate sponsorship” of a school.
However, sophomore William Bitting feels grateful for the allocation of funds given to the PTO, as the entrance garden now can be completed.

“This is not a sponsorship, but a public donor-ship from the community,” Bitting said. “Centene is providing a new facility for students.”

Although Bitting is appreciative for Centene’s willingness to support the community, he still has concern for the kind of situation that could be created when a public high school agrees to name a part of their school after a corporation.

“This could be taken as a selfish thing, as this might create a situation where [Centene] would want something in [return], as they are a business,” Bitting said. “As long as we are not forced to do anything other than giving them recognition, we are just giving them credit where it belongs.”

The district has supported the efforts of the PTO to raise money through the use of naming rights.

“The district has always supported the efforts of individuals of raising extra money for projects that will enhance the school,” Chief Communications Officer Chris Tennill said. “We support the PTO in whatever way we can. The PTO is going and soliciting families or corporations to help out the schools, and we are simply giving them appropriate recognition for their donation. This is perfectly ok. Many districts are going in this direction. There is a distinct difference between corporate sponsorship and using naming rights to help fundraise.”

On Dec. 1, 2010, the Clayton Board of Education voted to give naming rights to the PTO. According to the Donor Recognition Resolution for the Clayton Board of Education, the BOE acknowledged that the PTO could attain more funds, through cooperation with Centene Corporation, if the planned garden was going to be named after them. Centene’s name will be placed on the base of the globe sculpture, in honor of Centene’s donation.

The Donor Recognition Resolution concludes: “Therefore, be it resolved, that the Board of Education of the School District of Clayton will allow the CHS PTO to provide the donor recognition via a name for the Centennial Plaza as follows: ‘Centene Centennial Plaza.’ Naming rights for the plaza are contingent on the successful execution of a ‘Naming Rights Agreement’ between the District and Centene.”

The Clayton Board of Education passed the Donor Recognition Resolution with four members in favor and three members voting against it. President Sonny Buttar, Treasurer Susan Bradley Buse, Secretary Lily Raymond, and Director Steve Singer voted in favor. Director Brad Bernstein, Director Omri Praiss, and Vice President Jane Klamer voted against it. At a future time another vote will be held to finalize the issue, as Centene and the PTO are still working out the specifics to get legal agreement.

“Centene is very important to Clayton business,” Singer said. “They were very generous to Clayton in their support for the football field. In having the Centene Corporation donate money, it is resources that the community does not have to spend. The Centennial Plaza will be a lovely addition to CHS.”

Klamer voted against giving the PTO the naming rights.

“This is an emotional issue,” Klamer said. “It is an issue of where the name is going to the base of the Globe sculpture, as opposed to wall or brick in the area. The globe is original to the school, a symbol for the school, where the globe represented CHS students looking outward to the world. I did not want Centene on that Globe.”

Centene was given three different choices to display their name at Centene Centennial Plaza, with one their name being shown on the flat surface of the ground, to be placed on the back wall of the garden, and to be placed on the base of the globe.

“By putting the name of Centene on the base of the Globe, we are not spending additional money,” Hodapp said. “This is a positive choice for the school.”

Although Klamer is against having the plaza named after Centene, she is thankful to Centene Corporation for their donation to the community.

“I am grateful to Centene, as this is the second gift they have given after Centene Stadium,” Klamer said. “This is a gift in which Centene will not get the same amount of commercial benefit that they would see elsewhere.”

Bernstein, who also voted against giving PTO the naming rights, agrees with Klamer that it is not appropriate for Centene’s name to be on the globe.

“If the Board of Education does accept money from Centene, I think it is inappropriate for their name to be so prominently displayed, as proposed, at the entrance to CHS and in such large print at the base of the CHS globe,” Bernstein said.

Bernstein also feels that it is important to note that although Centene did donate money to the community, it is minimal contribution in comparison to the millions of dollars of tax breaks that Centene Corporation has received from the City of Clayton and will continue to have.

“This amount is a drop in the bucket for a Fortune 500 company that saved millions in dollars in property taxes—money that would have otherwise gone to our school district for our kids, if Centene had not received the controversial tax credits to encourage them to build in Clayton instead of as earlier planned as part of the Ballpark Village Complex in downtown St. Louis,” Bernstein said.

Regardless of the source of financial support for Centennial Plaza, the Clayton community agrees overall that the plaza will provide a safe and convenient place for people to assemble and will be a pleasant addition to the CHS campus.

“It will be a nice place for students to gather,” Rappanotti said. “Currently, it seems that the Greyhound entrance is the main entrance to school, not the commons entrance. With the Centennial Plaza, it will add more definition to the commons entrance, the main entrance. Currently, the commons entrance is not very inviting. The Centennial Plaza will also incorporate the green space that is currently part of the field in front of the school.”

The situation of Centene’s donation, with the pretense of the CHS entrance garden, creates a questioning of values for some. To some it contradicts the idea of having a public school being independent from the business community. But others feel that a local business that also happens to be a Fortune 500 company is simply trying to give back to the community. Although Centene did provide a substantial gift, there were other donors that provided considerable funds for the Centene Centennial Plaza.

“The purpose of the Centennial Plaza is to celebrate the hundred years of Clayton High School,” said Rappanotti. “The Centennial Plaza will be very long-lasting.”

To see the CHS Globe Staff’s editorial concerning the Centene Centennial Plaza, click here.