A Jupiter after-school center kept going after its beloved founder died. Thank her nephew.
JUPITER — Travis Conway greets each child at the Edna W. Runner Education Center with a wide smile, a generous pump of hand sanitizer and a question: 'How are you doing today?'
Conway is the executive director of the Jupiter-area nonprofit after-school center that his aunt, Edna Runner, founded nearly 40 years ago. He started leading it just a few months before she died in 2023.
He wants to carry on Runner's legacy of transforming the lives of at-risk kids for good. He will always treasure the day he visited the center for the first time at 9 years old.
'I didn't know what my aunt did before that. I thought she ran a prison,' recalled Conway, 32, of North Palm Beach with a chuckle. 'She was hardcore, but a loving hardcore.'
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There, he discovered that learning could be fun and that the world was much bigger than just Hobe Sound, where he grew up. Life felt lighter at the center. His mom was recovering from a brain aneurysm at the time, which rocked his family.
Since then, Conway dreamed of becoming a teacher like Runner. But he didn't think he would get the chance to work at her job.
'She loved children,' Conway said. 'There was a lot of poverty in this neighborhood, and she wanted to make sure the children had 10 times more than what she ever had.'
Conway sees his younger self in some of the kids who show up hungry, wishing for newer clothes and upset that the electricity is shut off at home.
'That's what keeps me here,' Conway said. 'I like to see growth. I like to see kids in their 20s now, in their careers, come back to the center.'
Conway grew up in Banner Lake, a historically Black neighborhood. It was a place where neighbors looked out for each other, but drugs were a problem. His parents taught him the importance of education and hard work to move forward in life.
Nearly everybody in his family has worked with children in some way, whether as a teacher, a nanny or a school administrator. His heroes growing up were the Black teachers at his school.
'I always wanted to work with children,' Conway said. "There was no doubt in my mind that it was going to be my path.'
He got a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Indian River State College and planned to move to Atlanta after that. Instead, he took a job at the center when his aunt unexpectedly offered him one. He never left.
Conway describes his teaching style as firm but fair. He teaches kids the core values of honesty, kindness and respect, which all were priorities for Runner.
The biggest challenge he has faced at the center has been navigating the effects that COVID-19 shutdowns have had on the kids who were in kindergarten at the time. They have faced setbacks in reading, staying focused and being sociable, Conway said.
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The center has capacity for 110 kids during the school year and 127 kids at its summer camp. There is almost always a waiting list and most students attend on scholarship. The center serves Jupiter-area students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It provides pickups from school over to the center, snacks, tutoring and classes in music, gardening, STEM and more.
Students can receive scholarships through the Early Learning Coalition nonprofit assistance program. The center also works with parents to offer scholarships on a sliding scale. The program costs $240 per month without financial aid.
In the future, Conway wants to renovate the center's building with more storage space and an upgraded kitchen. He is also considering starting a school there at some point. Ultimately, he wants to make his aunt — and mom — proud.
'It makes me feel good that Travis stepped in his auntie's shoes,' said his mother, Annie Conway, 64, of Jupiter. 'She molded and shaped him to do this. Travis loves every child out there.'
Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Edna Runner's nephew leads Jupiter after-school center after her death
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