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KeJuan was a student intern at the Emily K Center during the summers of 2006-2009, supporting the first few years of the Pioneer Scholars program.

Looking back, the most meaningful part of KeJuan’s time at the Center wasn’t a single program or event, but the people and the conversations. Daily interactions with mentors and staff members left a lasting impression.

“All they did was keep sowing seeds of comfort and openness through quality conversations with a group of high school kids trying to figure out life,” KeJuan reflects. Those seeds took hold. Once quieter and more reserved, KeJuan gradually stepped out of his comfort zone, building confidence and forming meaningful connections, which continue to this day.

In 2007, through an opportunity made possible by the Emily K Center and the generosity of donors, KeJuan boarded a plane for the very first time and traveled to Australia as part of the People to People Student Ambassadors program. When he returned home, KeJuan shared that journey with younger scholars, passing along inspiration and perspective gained abroad. It’s an experience KeJuan says he will never forget.

KeJuan went on to become a classroom teacher for many years and, in 2015, moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex to help found a new KIPP charter school. After leaving the formal classroom, he transitioned into a role as a leadership development facilitator, an opportunity to give back the guidance, wisdom, and encouragement he received growing up. He describes himself as a connector, a listener, and always a student.

Outside of work, KeJuan embraces being a “big kid”—traveling with family, playing basketball (Go Duke!), trying new restaurants, and staying connected to students through shared interests like video games, young adult books, and anime.

He has built a full and joyful life with his wife and two young children. Though he misses North Carolina, his work continues to reflect the lessons learned years ago at the Emily K Center.

Read more stories at emilyk.org/20-years