Jones Scholars prepare to leave for college
‘endowed with a wealth of knowledge’

It’s nearly time for the inaugural group of Jones Scholars to leave for college. In addition to laptops and ballpoint pens, these six special students will carry with them an experience that is guaranteed to give each a head start on success.

According to Dr. Sonya Jones and Cheryl Godsey Love, the two graduates of Somerset High School who designed and facilitated the Jones Scholars Program, the sessions held at Slate Branch Retreat House in June can be best described by the participants themselves.

In their final, written evaluations, the Jones Scholars had some sterling comments to make about their week at Slate Branch Retreat. All said they had “no objection” to seeing their remarks made public.

According to Emily Anderson, a graduate of Pulaski County High School who will soon head for Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, “Mrs. Love was spectacular with all her lessons.”

“I felt like I just kept learning something new,” Anderson said, adding that she especially liked having two Honors Program students from the University of Kentucky come to Slate Branch Retreat House as guests of The Jones Foundation to “help me get a real grasp on what to expect at college.”

Anderson said she thought that novelist Melissa Newman, also director of Alumni Affairs at Union College, was “inspirational.” She found Dr. Jones’ input on “every subject” to be “amazing.”

“If I grow up to be half the teacher Dr. Jones is, I will be happy,” Anderson said. “I hope I can change kids’ lives the way she has changed mine.”

Michael Bruner, who graduated this year from Pulaski County High School with a GPA of 3.9, spoke eloquently about his tendency to be a deer in the headlights sometimes. Bruner is planning to attend KCTCS in London before going on to pursue a career in music.

“I’ve always predicted that I would freeze up in college, or something bad would happen because I stress over everything,” Bruner said. “I’ve been told that I’d need to change so much about myself if I ever wanted to make it in college.”

The Jones Scholars Program was designed to show students that success is directly related to the way we think about ourselves. According to Bruner, it was eye-opening to learn during the Jones Scholars Program that he had a measure of control over his life – and that he could change the things that he found to be obstacles to success.

Caitlin Flynn, valedictorian at Southwestern High School, is planning to matriculate at the University of Louisville later this month. She was awarded a number of scholarships in addition to The Jones Foundation Scholarship, given to each of the six Jones Scholars in the amount of $500 at the end of the program.

“It has been such an honor and blessing to be chosen and allowed to take part in this innovative workshop,” Flynn said. “I now know that there is no reason to stand back and let myself become self-conscious about my imperfections.”

Flynn added that she will “always remember” Dr. Jones’ comment in a session entitled, “How to Deal with Professors,” that “even the most intimidating college professors are still human beings.”

“Everyone has something special to offer the world,” Flynn wrote in her evaluation of the program. “I now want to help others, as well as myself, uncover their true potential.”

Eric Price, Flynn’s colleague at Southwestern High School, is planning to attend the University of Kentucky. Salutatorian of the class of 2010, Price said he “learned a ton” during the Jones Scholars Program.

“We can learn still more throughout our lives if we make sure to continue to open doors, which can be done by keeping an open mind,” Price wrote in his final evaluation.

He continued to say that “it was fun learning about etiquette” from Orieda Whitaker whom he found to be “well prepared and very enjoyable.”

“I really enjoyed reading the seven habits” of a successful student,” Price said. “I loved the parts about being proactive not reactive,” about “keeping the end in mind, and making a winwin situation” for everyone.

According to Eric Price, the Jones Scholars Program was “fantastic.”

“I’ll never forget this,” Price said. Lendee Sanchez, a graduate of Somerset High School who plans to join Emily Anderson at Western Kentucky University, said the week at Slate Branch was filled with “life lessons.”

“My favorite presenter this week was Jenny Watkins,” Sanchez said. “I think after this week, I’m going to take up yoga.”

After Jenny Watkins introduced the Scholars to yoga, Dr. Jones lead the group in a short meditation.

“The meditation was phenomenal,” Sanchez said. “I absolutely plan to do that from now on.”

“I will leave here with much more than a scholarship,” Sanchez said. “I have been endowed with a wealth of knowledge.”

Noah Polk, also a graduate of Somerset High School who is headed for Morehead State University, said the Jones Scholars Program “has been one of the most positive experiences of my entire life.”

“I have loved waking up everyday and coming to the retreat house,” Polk wrote in his final evaluation. “And that’s big, because I really enjoy sleeping in.”

Polk said he had learned so much about being successful in life. He recounted the “beautiful love story” of the marriage of Professors Laura and Leo Weddle and the “tree pose” he was taught by Jenny Watkins.

As for Dr. Jones, who founded The Jones Educational Foundation and established the Jones Scholars Program: “I know I have made a life-long friend in you,” Noah Polk wrote to Dr. Jones.

The Jones Scholars found the sessions conducted by all the presenters including Gail Derryberry, Charlie Fox, and Jason Scott as well as Pastors Allen Brimer and Terry Reffett to be “beneficial,” to use Lendee Sanchez’s word.

Nothing was “wasteful and pointless,” according to Michael Bruner.

Most said they found yoga and meditation to be the most helpful activities featured during the week-long program which culminated with an opportunity to offer service to the Somerset community on the most successful ever Healthy Foods Day, June 25.

All said they would like to return to Slate Branch for a reunion following their first year in college.

“Just as Eric Price said that he would never forget his week at Slate Branch, it’s safe to say that Cheryl Love and I will hold these wonderful young scholars in our dearest thoughts as they leave Somerset for their respective college campuses,” said Dr. Jones, president and CEO of The Jones Educational Foundation Inc.

Dr. Jones is scheduled to begin her classes soon, too, in the Honors Program at the University of Kentucky.

“They have given us every reason to believe that we have the right to expect great successes from each of them,” Dr. Jones added.

Dr. Jones said she was pleased to announce that Cheryl Godsey Love is planning to return to Somerset next summer to assist with the second Jones Scholars Program at Slate Branch Retreat House.

“In many ways, I was sorry to see Cheryl Love retire from the Marietta, Ga., school system after 43 years of service,” Dr. Jones said. “As she demonstrated throughout the Jones Scholars Program, Cheryl has been a force for good in secondary education.”

The Marietta Schools Foundation recently acknowledged a donation from The Jones Educational Foundation Inc. in the amount of $500 to the Cheryl Godsey Love Endowment to honor the Somerset native’s years of service.

Reprinted from The Somerset Commonwealth Journaly, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2010