Royal Chapman, a fifth-grade student, has spent his whole school life at Meridian, but this year will be his last. When he finishes fifth grade, he and his siblings will be moving to Cape Girardeau to live with their dad.

Family is at the center of Royal Chapman’s story. He has a big one—five sisters and a mix of brothers and stepbrothers. Some live in Cape, some in other towns, and one, his younger sister Genna, is right by his side at Meridian as a third grader. “Her real name is Genesis,” he explained, “but I just call her Genna.” She’ll make the move with him to Cape next year. His older brother Legend goes to school elsewhere, and his stepbrother Jonah lives in Cape already. Between all of them, Royal says, “We’ve known each other since we were little kids. We’re like best friends.”

The move will bring big changes, but Royal has already imagined the opportunities ahead. Sports are at the top of his list. He played basketball and baseball last year, though he gave up baseball after deciding it was too hot. Basketball is where his heart is. He played on the team at Meridian and dreams of doing the same at his new school. “Basketball’s my favorite sport,” he said. “I want to be a point guard.” His favorite team is the Golden State Warriors, and his favorite player is Steph Curry. He still holds Kobe Bryant in high regard, too. “It would be Kobe if he was still alive,” he said.

Royal also enjoys football and soccer, two sports he hasn’t had the chance to play at Meridian but that might be available in Cape. The idea of bigger teams and new competition excites him. “We’re like the best basketball team in Illinois,” he said of his current school with pride, but he knows new challenges will come with his move.

In the classroom, Royal is like many students his age. Math is his favorite subject, while social studies ranks as his least favorite. “I hate social studies,” he admitted, “because I always have to write for so long.” Still, he manages to get through it with the same determination that keeps him practicing layups.

Outside of school, Royal spends time with family, friends, and cousins. Tyree, a cousin on his mom’s side, is in his club at school. Another cousin, Jarquis, is in his class. “We’re connected on both sides of the family,” he said. Those relationships have made Meridian feel like home, full of relatives and familiar faces.

Like a lot of fifth graders, Royal enjoys video games and TV. He especially likes playing with his siblings, often diving into scary games together. When he’s not gaming, he’s watching TV to relax or winding down for sleep. He also talks about food with enthusiasm—tacos top his list of favorites, and cookies-and-cream ice cream is his go-to dessert.

Royal has already thought about the kind of life he wants one day. He dreams of becoming a professional basketball player, and with that dream comes a vision of success. “If I make it,” he said, “I want a Corvette. Baby blue.” The picture he paints is one of simple but vivid goals: a career he loves, a car he admires, and the chance to keep moving forward.

But Royal’s vision goes deeper than sports and cars. When asked what he would do to help the world, his answer was thoughtful: “I’d help the homeless people. I’d give them money, give shelters more help. I’d turn the world good—no pollution, no fighting, no more racism.”

That sense of justice and compassion shows in small ways, too. Royal talked about how he once helped a friend believe in God. The story turned serious as he explained that their pastor had died in a car crash, and another pastor later passed from COVID. Even so, Royal holds on to faith and the role it plays in his life.

As he prepares to leave Meridian, Royal knows he’ll be trading familiar hallways and cousins in class for new teachers, new teammates, and new opportunities. It isn’t easy to let go of one school for another, but Royal seems ready. His dreams of basketball, his care for people around him, and his hope for a better world will travel with him.