When Prince was in fourth grade, he wanted to go to Every Child Valued. Unfortunately, he did not know how to register for the program, but he did know which bus went there from Lawrence Intermediate School. One day, instead of getting on his regular bus to go home, he got on that bus to the after-school program and registered himself. He remembers getting into trouble for doing that. Looking back, it was the best trouble he ever got into. That bus ride helped him arrive at a full academic scholarship at the University of Richmond.
Prince was three years old when he moved from Trenton to Eggert’s Crossing Village. In the early years he attended the preschool program at the Lawrence Neighborhood Service Center on Eggert’s Crossing Road. When he got older the after-school program at Eggert’s Crossing Village was the place to get help with school work.
He recalls that he was a “shy kid” and one of the things the ECV program provided was the chance to make new friends. He remembers the people who helped him, including Ms. Courtney, Mr. Dillard, and Mr. Vereen, among many others.
He also remembers that the program was not only good for him, it was also good for his mom. He said, “She was still at work when I got home from school so I would have been at home alone. So being at ECV took a lot of stress off of her. I liked it, too, because I got lots of help with my homework and met new friends.”
But the after-school program was just one of the offerings at Every Child Valued. Prince especially remembers the Walkabout Program. “We got to see areas around our community that we would not normally have seen. We explored the trails and woods in our area with a teacher. I still have my 'Nature Book' from those days.” He also recalled his favorite teachers at Lawrence Intermediate School from those days, including Mr. Bowman and Mrs. Stubbs.
After LIS, Prince continued to perform well at Lawrence Middle School and Lawrence High School. At LHS, he enrolled in Advanced Placement classes, recalling the level of work being significantly more challenging than what he had previously encountered. When he wanted help, he utilized the tutoring program that was offered at LHS. His efforts and dedication resulted in a full academic scholarship to the University of Richmond at the end of his senior year at Lawrence High School.
After four years at the University of Richmond, Prince graduated in 2020 with a Major in Business Administration and a concentration in Economics. During the summers, he continued to return to Every Child Valued as a counselor for younger children and as a tutor giving back what others have given to him.
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