Lift for Life Academy Elementary School marks a significant expansion of the school’s mission to serve students from early childhood through graduation. Founded in 2000 as the first charter school in the City of St. Louis to serve grades 6–12, Lift for Life Academy partnered with Trivers in 2017 to develop a comprehensive campus master plan that included an elementary school.
The elementary program opened in 2019 within a former church, thoughtfully adapted into light-filled classrooms and play spaces. The master plan anticipated continued growth, leading to the completion of the Ferring Science & Innovation Wing in Fall 2025. The addition provides much-needed classroom space and a FEMA ICC 500–rated storm shelter, one of the only shelters of its kind in the surrounding neighborhood.
Designed for flexibility, the first-floor storm shelter also functions as an indoor gym and space for after-school programs. Above, the wing includes a science lab, classrooms, and flexible learning spaces, along with an outdoor “perch” that offers elevated learning space and a small roof garden. Despite the shelter’s rigorous safety requirements, the design prioritizes daylight and warmth through storm-rated windows and a vibrant mural façade created in collaboration with students.
Together with the elementary school and subsequent campus improvements—including the 5th and 6th Grade Center opened in 2022—the Ferring Science & Innovation Wing advances Lift for Life Academy’s long-term vision for a connected, resilient, and inspiring urban campus.
