Roxbury Prep Principal Honored as MVE by Boston Red Sox

BOSTON - A principal at Roxbury Prep High School was recently recognized as a Most Valuable Educator by the Boston Red Sox.

Ijeoma Duru, the principal of Roxbury Prep’s Lower Campus in Hyde Park, was honored May 29th at the pregame ceremony at Fenway Park. The Red Sox recognize a local educator before each Saturday home game. The honoree receives a pair of tickets and a personalized jersey. The student submitting the nomination also receives a pair of tickets.

“It was an honor for me to represent Roxbury Prep at Fenway Park,” said Duru. “I want to share this recognition with all educators, especially the teachers at my school, who work so hard every day to help our students succeed on their path through high school and to and through college.”

Duru, who grew up in Dorchester, spent six years as a math teacher and as Dean of Students at Uncommon Schools in New York City before returning to her hometown to serve the community of people who helped raise her.

An alumna of one of Roxbury Prep’s middle schools herself, Duru said she is committed to ensuring a quality education for all and a pathway to educational freedom.

“I have dedicated my life to serving the Black and Latinx students and families in the city of Boston,” she said.

Roxbury Prep High School is a free, public high school serving about 800 students across two campuses. The Lower School (9-10 grades) is located in the Hyde Park neighborhood and the Upper School (11-12 grades) is located in Roxbury.

Roxbury Prep prepares each student to enter, succeed in, and graduate from college by developing within them extraordinary academic skills, a life-long passion for learning, and the values that define strong character.

Roxbury Prep encourages all students to take rigorous, college-level Advanced Placement courses. One hundred percent of the high school’s seniors participated in at least one AP class and 51% passed one or more AP exams, earning them college credit. Nationally, only about 24% of students pass at least one AP exam and in Massachusetts, that number is 34%.

Nearly every Roxbury Prep graduate this year is headed to college. Among the noteworthy acceptances this year are: Brandeis University, Bryn Mawr College, Northeastern University, Spelman College, Tufts University and UMass Amherst.