Princeton Young Achievers Program Receives $250,000 Gift

The Princeton Young Achievers program, which recently merged with the Princeton Family YMCA has received $250,000 from the J. Seward Johnson, Sr. 1963 Charitable Trust.

The donation will go to create a special endowment for the Princeton Young Achievers mission. 

Princeton Young Achievers, founded in 1993, provides academic support to children in grades K through 5 in Princeton’s public and affordable housing communities at the Pannell Center, Littlebrook School and the Crimmins Learning Center.  

"The arrival of this Legacy Grant is a tremendous credit to those who have worked so hard to create, sustain and enhance PYA over the past 18 years and to our future with the YMCA, where we have found an enduring home for our continuing service to this community,” remarked Clayton Marsh, the PYA's chairman who now serves who served as a member of the YMCA’s board of directors. 

The Princeton Family YMCA, founded in 1908, focuses on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. In addition to the Princeton Young Achievers program, it offers the Y Scholars group mentoring program for youth in grades 6 to 8. 

“Nurturing the potential of kids and helping them grow and develop is central to the Y’s work locally and around the country,” said David Sandahl, Chairman of the Princeton Family YMCA, “We are very pleased to share what the Y has to offer with our PYA students.”

“This fall, the transition went very smoothly, and our program was up and running without interruption for our students and families, which was our primary goal.” added Ann Vershbow, education director at the Princeton Family YMCA who worked with PYA prior to the merger. 

Before coming to the Princeton area, Vershbow most recently served as principal of the Ethical Culture School in New York and brings more than 30 years of experience as an educator to the role.  “This gift will help us build on a proven and effective program, and we couldn’t be more thrilled.”