MLK Media Center Dedication Honors Ruth Jones
Grand Rapids Public Schools officials held a special dedication ceremony for the Ruth Jones Media Center at Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Academy, Monday, March 9, 2021.
Ruth Jones Ruth Jones - Hairston was a native of Grand Rapids where she spent most of her life.
She was a beloved principal, counselor and teacher in Grand Rapids Public Schools for nearly 20 years. She was principal of Henry Paideia Academy, which was located on the same site as the current Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Academy.
Mrs. Jones was also a nationally recognized educational consultant, and a motivational and inspirational speaker.
She passed away on June 28, 2019 at the age of 71. In honor of her remarkable service to the children, families, and staff of Grand Rapids Public Schools, the media center at Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Academy is named the Ruth Jones Media Center in her honor.
The ceremony had been scheduled to take place last year but was delayed due to COVID - 19.
Speakers for the dedication included: GRPS Superintendent, Leadriane Roby, Ph.D.; Board members: Kimberley Williams, Kristian Grant; Harvey Crawley; Skot Welch, son of Ruth Jones; Zsanara Hoskins and Zsana Hoskins, daughter and granddaughter of Ruth Jones; Theresa Dudley; Kathy Stapert; Jessica and Monique Carter; both former Students at Henry Paideia Academy and Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Academy.
An advocate for all children, Ruth Jones - Hairston, created a culture of outreach and community service, facilitating and overseeing the integration of programs such as scouting into the schools. She was instrumental in integrating scouting as a traditional program with parental involvement.
One of her passions was making sure that all families could enjoy the Grand Rapids John Ball Zoo together. The program served families living in Kent and Ottawa Area Intermediate School Districts, that have children five to fourteen years of age present in the household, and that met the income guidelines as defined by the U.S. Department of Education's National School Lunch Program. Each JUMP pass provided admission for up to five family members. During the dedication ceremony, two of Mrs. Jones – Hairston's former students spoke.
"Miss Jones taught me to enunciate and to make sure that each word that I use has a purpose and that it packs a powerful punch," said former student Monique Carter. It is truly an honor to use my voice and speak about the woman who taught me to speak and gave me a voice and a platform."
To know Miss Jones was spectacular, and to be apart of her life was indescribable," said Monique's sister, Jessica Carter. "Miss Jones would spend the entire lunch time speaking life into us. She would tell us that we were great, awesome and that we were meant to do so much in this world."
When the school's executive secretary, Theresa Dudley, moved back to Grand Rapids from California, she was introduced to Ruth Jones.
"I started working at this school but it was called Henry Paideia Academy. Since the day I met Ruth Jones, I held on to everything that came out of her mouth that became her legacy and her vision which I was glad to jump aboard with."
Zsanara Hoskins and Skot Welch thanked all for honoring their mother's legacy.
"I really appreciate it because people go on with life and they don't stop to say thank you for your service and all that you poured into the community, so I really appreciate you all for honoring my mother," said Zsanara.
Skot noted, "One of the things that I was thinking is that it takes a village to raise a child and it takes a community to raise a school. I love all of the kindness that you have shown while honoring our mother's legacy. In our household it the question wasn't were you going to volunteer, but where you were going to volunteer, because my mother believed in giving back to the community."
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