TOLEDO, Ohio — Working in education can be a thankless job, but students and Toledo Public Schools employees said the effort does make a difference if you put in the time. One Scott High School employee has left a lasting impression on students for decades.
Clarence Price Jr. is a Campus Protection Officer at Scott High School, located in central Toledo. School leaders call Price "the face of high school" who has mentored students for 40 years. He got his start at the school when his wife died of cancer at just 37 years old.
Price spoke to WTOL 11 about her death and the legacy she left behind.
"She said, 'Raise my kids and pay the bills.' I told her, 'You aren't going nowhere,' and she passed away in my arms," Price said.
With his wife's request and four young children, Price said he turned to Toledo Public Schools for support.
"You can get an education at Scott High School or a Toledo Public School if the parent is behind you like they supposed to be," Price said. "But it takes a whole village and your parents to do what you got to do, and that's the whole thing."
When his own children went on to graduate college, Clearance said his job wasn't quite finished.
"I done had a whole lot of kids," said Price.
Price said the students of Scott High School adopted him - as a father, a grandfather, a coach and confidant. He said it has been a pleasure watching each child succeed. This includes school leadership.
Dr. Carnell Smith is the principal of Scott High School. He said Price had mentored him as a young teen.
"He's mentored me since I was a kid so about 14 years old," Smith said. "He gave me wisdom, I get knowledge and understanding, so I still listen to Coach because he's just that valuable."
This community said they value Clearance's push for education, discipline and support. But to this day, Price said he's just a husband with a very happy wife.
"I feel that she's satisfied," Price said of his late wife. "Each one of my kids got their own job, and doing their own thing, different situations. I can't ask for no better than that."
Clearance Price Jr. plans to work for as long as he can. But when it's his time to go, he said the legacy of Mr. and Mrs. Price isn't going anywhere.
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