About Aunty Abby
Aunty Abby is a warm, dynamic, and passionate educator with a lifelong commitment to nurturing children and transforming lives through education. She blends a rich cultural heritage, growing up between California and Nigeria, with a unique perspective that informs her innovative approaches to learning and development.
Her journey reflects resilience and adaptability, having transitioned from a premed focus to becoming a trailblazer in education. Aunty Abby’s hands-on experiences with children, coupled with her leadership roles in curriculum development and educational training, make her a respected figure in the field.
Her journey reflects resilience and adaptability, having transitioned from a premed focus to becoming a trailblazer in education. Aunty Abby’s hands-on experiences with children, coupled with her leadership roles in curriculum development and educational training, make her a respected figure in the field.
As the founder of PlayLearn and Lawrence Prentice Academy in Asaba, Nigeria, she has built a legacy of excellence, fostering holistic growth in students from nursery through high school. Through Aunty Abby’s Consult, she extends her expertise, guiding schools and organizations to adopt impactful educational strategies.
As the founder of PlayLearn and Lawrence Prentice Academy in Asaba, Nigeria, she has built a legacy of excellence, fostering holistic growth in students from nursery through high school. Through Aunty Abby’s Consult, she extends her expertise, guiding schools and organizations to adopt impactful educational strategies.
At her core, Aunty Abby is driven by compassion, creativity, and a steadfast belief in the transformative power of education. Her journey exemplifies a blend of visionary leadership and an unwavering dedication to empowering the next generation.
At her core, Aunty Abby is driven by compassion, creativity, and a steadfast belief in the transformative power of education. Her journey exemplifies a blend of visionary leadership and an unwavering dedication to empowering the next generation.
Born in California in 1970 to a mother from Port Arthur, Texas, and a Nigerian father, her childhood was shaped by experiences in both countries. Her parents met when her father came to the United States to attend college. From a young age, she developed a natural love for children and dreamed of starting a school.
Tragically, she lost her father early to a preventable illness caused by the lack of an adequate medical system in Nigeria. This loss inspired her to pursue a career in medicine, with the intention of returning to Nigeria to help improve its healthcare system. During this period, her focus shifted from founding a school to building a hospital.
She attended Mills College in Oakland, where she majored in premed biology. Alongside her studies, she worked and volunteered in nursery schools, day centers, and various summer and after-school programs, deepening her passion for education. She graduated in 1994.
After graduation, she joined the National Freedom School program under the Children’s Defense Fund, serving as a Site Coordinator and National Trainer. Her dedication and leadership eventually earned her the position of National Curriculum Writer.
Despite her commitment to a medical career, she faced challenges during medical school interviews at Georgetown University. Her accolades in education and creative writing stood out more prominently than her premedical achievements, leading her to reconsider her path.
This pivotal moment reignited her childhood dream of starting a school. She prepared for and took the GREs, applying to Columbia Teachers College and Harvard Graduate School of Education. After being accepted by both institutions, she chose to attend Harvard, where she was later awarded a Fetzer Fellowship.
At Harvard, she worked on dual projects: researching the effects of slavery on children and their connection to God, and securing funding to launch her school.
In 1999, she founded PlayLearn, a nursery and primary school in Asaba, Nigeria. The school flourished, and she continued participating in advanced educational training programs in the United States.
By 2016, PlayLearn expanded to include Lawrence Prentice Academy, a middle and high school. This milestone solidified her commitment to providing comprehensive education for children in Nigeria.
In addition to her work in education, she recently launched Aunty Abby’s Consult, an educational consulting firm dedicated to supporting innovative approaches and sharing expertise to improve learning experiences.