MOUNT VERNON — Darin Prince has served 18 years in the Ohio Army National Guard.
He’s been deployed stateside for disaster relief following Hurricane Katrina, and in support of Operation Steady Resolve during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s been deployed overseas in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, during times of war and tension in Afghanistan.
Now, he’s leaving home to serve his country again. This time, however, he’ll leave behind an entire community of teachers and students – as well as family and friends – during his mission.
Prince, who has served as the principal of Mount Vernon Middle School for the last four years, announced Tuesday he’s been called to service once again. The 37-year-old will be deployed overseas following two months of stateside training, he said, as part of an international effort to defeat ISIS.
“Recently, I was informed that the time has come once more for me to answer the call to service, as I’m being ordered to federal active duty to mobilize with the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, known as the ‘Buckeye Brigade,’ ” Prince said in a video published to the district’s YouTube page Tuesday.
He will miss the 2022-23 school year as a result.
“Missing a year with my staff and students – and most importantly my family – is going to be one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,” Prince said.
“I love being a husband, dad and serving as your principal. But one thing that’ll bring me comfort is knowing I have such an amazing team of staff members at the middle school to serve our students.”
Rob Gross will fill in for Prince during the 2022-23 school year, serving as Mount Vernon Middle School’s interim principal. Gross has served as the school’s assistant principal for the last nine years. His 27-year career in education includes teaching experience at the intermediate, middle and high school levels.
“I’m very, very excited to be the principal this year at Mount Vernon Middle School,” Gross said during Tuesday’s video announcement, after thanking Prince for his service to the community and country.
Both Prince and Superintendent Bill Seder expressed their support for Gross in Tuesday’s video.
“It has been a blessing that we did not have to look far to find an interim principal for the year, as we had the best person for the job already at Mount Vernon Middle School,” Prince said.
“Mr. Gross has earned the respect of his colleagues and students in his role as assistant principal at MVMS for the past nine years,” Seder added. “Mr. Gross is incredibly well-qualified to accept these new responsibilities, and he’ll be assisted and supported by assistant principals (Robin) Elliott and (Jim) Rader.”
Seder also expressed his support for Prince’s decision in the video. He said Thursday the district would be “holding a place for him when he returns.”
“As an educator, I’ve always believed that we’re here to serve the students in our community. Our calling is to nurture, teach and prepare students from kindergarten through graduation to be independent and successful adults in the future,” Seder said in the video.
“I know that Mr. Prince shares this calling, as he’s devoted his career to middle school education and serving you right here at Mount Vernon Middle School. Fortunately for us, Mr. Prince and his family have also accepted another calling – a very noble calling.
“Mr. Prince serves our country as an officer of the Army National Guard. Mr. Prince informed the district that his Buckeye Brigade has been called to active duty to serve and protect us abroad. This noble calling will mean that Mr. Prince will be unable to serve as the principal for Mount Vernon Middle School for the 2022-23 school year.
“We extend our thoughts and prayers to Mr. Prince and his family while he serves our country and pray for his safe return next year.”
Called to serve
Prince, a Cincinnati native, joined the military at the age of 19.
The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks occurred during his senior year at Kings High School, and after two semesters at the University of Cincinnati, Prince said he felt compelled to change course and join the Armed Forces.
“It was one of those things where I just felt the calling. You know, if good men – my good friends – were going overseas, then I feel like I’d be doing disservice by not doing the same thing,” Prince told Knox Pages during a 2018 interview.
“So I went ahead and put my name on the dotted line and no more than a month and a half later, I was going through basic training.”
Prince served as an infantryman for five years before going into the ‘Green to Gold’ program and becoming a lieutenant.
He eventually worked his way up to becoming commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 134th Field Artillery Regiment (out of Delaware, Ohio) as a captain.
Prince said in 2018 that his military experience changed his life. It was there where he realized his passion for leadership.
“Heading up to that point, I felt that leadership was more about your economic standing and more about who you knew and who you were friends with,” Prince said.
“It wasn’t until I was put into a position where nobody really knows each other and it’s more than just personal skills and abilities that stand out. It was at that time, going through that, when I was like, ‘You know what, people are following me and I’m not really sure why, but they seem to be gravitating towards me.'”
While serving in the Ohio Army National Guard, Prince also managed to earn a degree in Middle Childhood Education, Math and Science from Miami University, and pursue teaching jobs at Utica, Big Walnut, and Central Ohio Technical College.
He served as Big Walnut Middle School’s assistant principal before taking the job at Mount Vernon in 2018.
Since then, Prince has remained an active member of the Ohio Army National Guard, but has not deployed overseas. That will change later this year, when the husband and father of three children does so in response to a federal call.
The mission ahead
Prince’s next deployment will be in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, which is part of a global effort to militarily defeat ISIS. He will be one of 1,800 soldiers to deploy overseas and serve in a variety of roles, missions and locations.
Training for the deployment began in early August, Prince said, and will continue through September. It will include stops in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, before wrapping up in Fort Bliss, Texas later this fall.
“Our professional fighting force has been training for the last three years in order to prepare to meet the challenges of the upcoming deployment,” Prince said in Tuesday’s video.
Seder said Prince notified him “toward the end of summer” that he’d need to step away this school year to serve overseas.
The superintendent – as well as the Mount Vernon Board of Education and MVMS staff – were immediately supportive of the decision, Prince said, and allowed him to take whatever measures were necessary to prepare for the mission ahead.
“(Their support) has allowed me to fully focus on preparing mentally and physically for the task at-hand, as well as maximize time with my family before I leave,” Prince said in the video.
“I’m very grateful to be part of such an amazing school district and community that supports those that serve.”
Staying in touch
Prince said he plans to stay in touch “as much as possible during the deployment.”
“I plan to Zoom with staff and students on a regular basis and continue to monitor my school email throughout the year,” he said in the video.
“Once I find out the address of where I will be overseas, I’ll be sure to share it with you. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time, and I will get back to you as soon as I am able.”
The school district will assist in establishing and maintaining these communication channels, Seder added, in an effort to “keep (Prince) updated and informed on the many exciting things that will happen at Mount Vernon Middle School this year, and keep this a great place for his return.”
Prince said he’ll miss in particular seeing Mount Vernon Middle School students back at school this week, having returned after three months of summer vacation.
“It’s my favorite part of being a principal,” an emotional Prince said in the video. “Getting to see the smiles on our students’ faces after opening events is an awesome feeling.”
But Prince also said he’s proud to serve his country, and he’s grateful the school district and community are supportive of him doing so.
Prince said he is confident his staff will be able to adapt and thrive in his absence, noting their resilience over the last two years during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am confident in the abilities of the teachers, support staff and administration at MVMS to provide an amazing learning experience for your students,” the principal said.
“The past several years have shown that the staff at Mount Vernon Middle School can handle any challenge that is thrown at them. Not only that, they have strived for excellence, regardless of the circumstances.”
