When former NBA and ABA star Brian Taylor was still a student at Perth Amboy High School, a guidance counselor called him into the office to present what would end up being a life-changing opportunity.
The counselor told him about a summer enrichment program at Lawrenceville School designed to expose students to the rigor of higher academia. Taylor was torn at first, originally planning to spend the summer playing basketball on the courts in his hometown.
He ultimately decided to pursue the enrichment program, which introduced him to lifelong friends and gave him the confidence to apply to, and eventually attend, Princeton University.
Years later, Taylor is giving back to the community that raised him by offering a similar opportunity to students in Perth Amboy and across New Jersey.
His “Summer of a Lifetime” program, part of the broader Brian Taylor Leadership Initiative, sponsors rising juniors and seniors to spend a week at Princeton University, getting to meet and learn from world-renowned professors and gain hands-on lab experience.
“When I was in high school, I didn’t realize how many amazing opportunities higher education offered,” Taylor said. “It wasn’t until I was exposed to that world that I grow a real appreciation for it. My goal with this program is to expose these students at a young age so they can build the confidence to pursue their own academic dreams.”
This year’s Princeton trip ran from August 4–8 and included 28 total students, seven of which were from Perth Amboy. There were 12 students from Perth Amboy during last year’s trip, though the number was reduced due to budget cuts.
Days ran from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and students were able to attend college-level lectures, meet current undergraduates and even spend time in physics and robotics labs.
Taylor noted the students’ enthusiasm and their ability to ask thought-provoking questions, drawing strong praise from the professors.
Students were selected for the trip through an application process that focused more on drive and desire to learn than on natural ability level.
“It is important to me to look for students who are really looking to expand their horizons,” Taylor said. “In the three years since we started this program, we’ve noticed that the kids who participate end up often returning to school more motivated and focused, inspired by what they were able to experience at one of the world’s best universities.”
Taylor is a lifelong advocate for education, having spent his post-NBA career opening and operating charter schools in the Los Angeles area. He has served more than 4,000 students during his academic career and counting.
He has also been an extraordinarily positive presence in Perth Amboy, according to Mayor Helmin J. Caba, running leadership-oriented basketball camps and taking city students on college tours.
“Mr. Taylor is an inspiration to everyone in our city, and he continues to be very generous in giving back to the community,” the mayor said. “His ‘Summer of a Lifetime’ program accomplishes a very important goal, and I am pleased to hear our students were so eager to learn on the trip. I look forward to working with Mr. Taylor even more in the future and helping him expand his efforts in any way we can.”
Taylor’s contributions have been widely lauded in Perth Amboy. He was awarded the key to the city in 2021, has had a basketball court named for him and is honored with a mural in Washington Park on Lee Street.
He plans on further expanding the Summer of a Lifetime program in the future, giving even more students from Perth Amboy and beyond a chance to expand their academic horizons.
See Images from the Program