Emily K Center Celebrates 20 Years of Empowering Students

0:00It's March 7 in Durham, let's get into the news. The Emily K's Center in Durham, North Carolina, is marking 20 years of helping students and families. Founded in 2006 by former Duke basketball coach, Mike Krzyszewski, and named for his mother Emily, it started with just 38 young. People. Today, it serves more than 2,000 students every year. Krzyszewski drew from his own story as a first-generation college student to create the center. These programs guide kids from elementary school all the way through high school, college, and early jobs. Staff helped them build goals, gain confidence, and find clear paths ahead. Leaders like Chief Executive Officer Dr. Valerie Anderson's stress support for those facing the biggest hurdles to education and careers. Alumni often come back to mentor, sharing how they grew from young participants into college grads and professionals. That cycle keeps everyone inspired. For two decades, more than 12,500 students have joined the programs.

1:01Strong community backing has fueled steady growth in leadership training, career prep, and long-term guidance. For its anniversary, the center launched a drive to raise $25,000. Newna Baby will match every gift up to that amount, doubling the boost for future work. A message from our sponsor supports today's story. Some people meditate, I just lay down and press play, S-O-L-I-S-O-L-P-L-O.com.