Meet Princess Sarafina Box

We recently connected with Princess Sarafina Box and have shared our conversation below.

Princess Sarafina, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

Early on in childhood I watched my parents overcome adversity and challenges. I watched my mom navigate a difficult marriage and push through and endure even when it didn’t benefit herself. I watched my father overcome adversity in the community when his personal struggles impacted his image in the spotlight. It showed me that no matter what you’re going through you have to show up and showing up looks different each day.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am the oldest of four of my parents children. I learned early on of my knowledge and how to adapt to environments. I was doing administrative work due to my mother having dyslexia and she wasn’t confident in her writing. I shadowed my father in the community working with others of all backgrounds and speaking up for injustice. So teaching became like a normal part of my identity. I was exceptional in school academically.

I had very special experiences in grade school. I was valedictorian in middle school (straight A’s all year), graduated high school at 16, and overcoming adversity of my own in college graduating with my bachelors degree.

Becoming an educator was a major dream of mine. I wanted to be impactful to the youth and help them acquire knowledge. I overcame every obstacle that stood in my way when growing up and I know I could help others in and out of the classroom.

I am currently going into my fourth year teaching fourth grade. I began my entrepreneurial career in 2023 with after school programming/tutoring. Not only do I enjoy teaching my students but I love providing them with an educational experience that involves play and learning. Playground Enrichment Learning Center was founded in April 2023 and provides academic support to children grades Kindergarten through Eighth grade in mathematics and literacy. I specifically work with the urban school district to increase the students’ desire for higher learning.

This summer I incorporated a summer tutoring camp where we keep students minds growing over the summer but most importantly eliminate that summer learning loss. I hired my first employee Mrs. Minniefield who played a major role in the beginning and my transition! We include STEM and creative art projects that keep them learning about the world around them. This includes outdoor learning at the metro parks, weekly themes that target the environment and how to be eco-friendly, and family outings.

Going towards the future I am devoted to expand the Playground experience to more schools.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The three quality skills that were most essential for me in my journey were having those hard conversations, budget, and continued education.

Having those hard conversations with others, such as parents, students, and staff. As much as I want to have fun there are things that require limits and letting others know what those are were golden to my experience. I didn’t want to feel ran over or mistaken so it came with boundaries. Big thank you to Mrs. Minniefield who was a major help in my summer tutoring camp, it was sad to see her go.

Budget, Budget, Budget. I enjoy fun but it can get costly. So I found many ways for free and resourceful fun that still maximized our experiences. This also got our program attention when attending events that were open to the public.

The world of education is changing. In my everyday role as an educator we are constantly learning professionally how to adapt and be flexible with education. Having ongoing training keeps me informed on new curriculum and updates with implementation.

For those who are early in their journey like myself, I would continue to study my craft even when you think you’ve mastered it. Budget your expenses, there are a lot of programs and services that can cater to your business to help it thrive financially. Have staff that you can trust!

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

The answer is Yes!
I am always available to a collaboration that is tailored to my students’ experiences. We are open to ASL, foreign languages, child friendly opportunities, and much more!
We can be reached via email @ [email protected]

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Playgroundenrichment.com
• Instagram: Playgroundenrichment

Image Credits

Mrs. Minniefield & Princess Sarafina