St. Louis High School has taken on another staff member, the 6’7” Keno Hills, hall monitor and former National Football League player.

Mr. Hills was born and raised in Tampa, Florida, along with five siblings by his widowed mother Eartha Hills. He attended Tampa Bay Vocational Tech High School and went on to the former University of South West Louisiana College, now referred to as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he studied Behavioral Science and made a name for himself on the football field. Mr. Hills continued on to the NFL where he played for five years. Over his professional football career he played for the New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, and the Miami Dolphins.  

So what brings this native Flordian out of the Sunshine State to the frigid Midwest? After Mr. Hill’s Football career came to an end, he began to a nomadic lifestyle, living in Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Miami, and Denver and exploring a career in large-scale event security. 

Eventually, Mr. Hills settled in Saginaw, Michigan, where he attended the Mid-Michigan Teen Challenge. There he met Pastor Ryan Tice, Lead Pastor of Parkside Assembly of God. The two quickly became close friends. As time moved on, distance separated the two. In a time of transition  Mr. Hills made a call to Tice, which is how he came to Saint Louis. In Tices’ own words, “I knew that Keno would do well here. Before the job at the school, I knew that coming to a place like Saint Louis would be a place he would thrive. As Keno got involved in the community at Parkside, the doors at the school naturally began to open for him.”

As every person should, Mr. Hills has a why. Hills firmly believes that regardless of where you are from everybody has a future. He doesn’t just want to be just another person yelling, “get to class,” but something so much more. Hills further emphasises, “I’m here as a hall monitor, but foremost as a friendly ear to those in need.” In just his first few days here, Mr. Hills has proven to be that and so much more.