40 Under 40: A Never-Ending Learner

Florissant Patch's 40 under 40 speaks to the business and community leaders within Florissant. This week, we speak to Darrell Strong, 40. The Kansas City native has held the reins of principal for the past three years and serves as an active educator, volunteer and father of two college-aged children. He's got a number of educational

Florissant Patch: What attracted you to a career in education?

Darrell Strong: The way I grew up, and the challenges that I faced in school. Growing up in the inner city and not understanding that there was more that we could do. It's like going down a train track crooked, going down sideways. You know you could do more and something is wrong, you just don't know what it is. Looking at very talented young people around me that went to college and dropped out. I wanted to level the playing field.

Florissant Patch: How did you get into the administrative side of education?

Strong: I enjoy working with kids. Sometimes you're called to do certain things, and you go forward. I had an interesting internship opportunity in Kansas City. As I talked with the administrators and people who wanted to go into administration, I tell them one of the most important is the training that you receive, learning how to be [an administrator]. And I left the school I was at for two years to go train under a principal, and I learned quite a bit from her, and I moved forward from there to my first position as an administrator.

Florissant Patch: Now, you're currently seeking your doctoral degree. What is your drive or passion to continue your education?

Strong: A lot of it was to become a true professional. I think educators and all people in leadership positions need to be learning leaders. And when you stop learning, and you have it all figured out, that begins the ruin of an organization. As long as I keep learning and growing, I believe the organization I work with will continue learning and growing. I don't believe in stopping, even after my doctoral work, I'll be learning. You always have to be in a position of learning.

Florissant Patch: What are your goals for Hazelwood Central?

Strong: I see for Hazelwood Central, I see us becoming a gold star school within four years, it's a real process to get there.  I see our students meeting and exceeding exam standards. I see our students continuing to excel in gaining scholarship dollars for college. That's a major, major point of emphasis for myself; I want our students to have every opportunity and utilize what's in front of them … My goal is for every year our students to increase the scholarship dollars by half a million, and they can do it. My first year was $2.9, last year was $3.5, so this year, we're looking at $4 million.

Florissant Patch: What kind of volunteer work do you do within the Florissant area?

Strong: I just joined the Jaycees (Missouri Junior Chamber of Commerce). I just became a member of them. I work with my fraternity (Alpha Phi Alpha) doing many things in this community and the St. Louis City.  I work with them. I do volunteer work with young men in the community who are working to get GEDs. I work with them in official and unofficial capacities to make sure they're moving forward. I have done presentations and workshops in the community regarding Internet safety and security with people. I've also done those programs in the school district as well. There are many things I do in the community to help out. Whatever I'm called to do, I pretty much do.

Florissant Patch: What are your thoughts on the young business and community leaders in the area?

Strong: I've met quite a few young people who are very bright and very ambitious and want to move forward in different arenas. I think that they're ready to move forward, ready for a chance to prove themselves. I think that you really have to pay your dues and also as I mentioned earlier, choosing who you will learn from is vitally important to your development because if you're mentored by someone who might not be as credible you may take some of those habits as well.

Florissant Patch: What advice would you give to future leaders?

Strong: I think the most important thing is to look how you can help as opposed what you can get from it. The more you keep, the more that's going to die with you. The more that you give away, the more your legacy lives on.