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William J. Simmons

Biography

William Simmons, 21, abandoned by his birth parents but later adopted by a loving couple, has had a lifelong interest in helping other children with their schooling and personal problems. Mr. Simmons was a star pupil himself, finishing first in his high school class, and earned a 3.97 GPA at Lafayette College. He won a coveted award for four years of excellence in English studies and also received Lafayette's highest scholarship. His internships at county prosecutor's offices made him acutely aware of child abuse and measures to minimize it, ideas he hopes one day to put into practice. William will attend the Rutgers University School of Law.

One of William's mentors said it would be hard for someone to surpass his student's intellectual power, originality, and probity of thought, clarity of expression, and maturity of mind. Mr. Simmons has been getting that caliber of praise for years. When an admiring but puzzled junior high counselor asked what drove him, whether he was determined to be "the best," he tossed off the question with a laugh. "No, actually I just try to do MY best. That's what drives me in whatever I do."

Nurtured toward this determination by his parents, William tested his will when he was four years old and tried out for a flag football team. He was the tiniest and youngest player on the team and got knocked down a lot. Even now, he points out, he's only 5' 5" and weighs 130 pounds. But he recalls that even at that young age, many tumbles later, "I made the all-star team, earning the nickname 'mighty-mini,' and even played a few years of tackle football."

William also learned early on that he wanted to help others, in the same way his adoptive parents had helped him. William recalls that as a counselor in Lafayette's Kids in the Community summer camp, he met a student who "began camp with the belief that he would amount to nothing in life." William spent days talking to him, encouraging the student to "explore his interests the way my parents had done for me." When camp ended, the boy was setting goals for himself and helping other children, and for years afterward continued to do well in school. "These experiences taught me that if a person is devoted to 'adopting' children's interests, he can have a tremendously positive impact on their lives," William says. "That lesson is now firmly embedded in my heart."

Today, William is focused on the law and on strengthening Child Advocacy Centers. The interest grew out of his role as a prosecutor in a mock trial in high school, and an internship with a sexual assault unit of a county prosecutor's office, which worked closely with Child Advocacy Centers to minimize the trauma for child victims. He remembers, "I saw how the center truly helped children in the same way I had helped children through KIC, by treating them with compassion, respect, and sincere attention."

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