Our Guest Tuesday, November 12: Van Jones

Mr. Jones is a native of Moorhead, which sits in the heart of the Mississippi Delta in Sunflower County. The middle child of five brothers, his mother affectionately called him the "Knee Baby" and by his own admission, gave her the most trouble. Van's father was a man who suffered no foolishness in church so, after hearing that he'd been cutting up in church his father gave him an ultimatum - he could act right or not go at all. Van chose the latter.

 

Over the next 10-11 years with very little, if any, discipline in his life, Van struggled with drugs and alcohol. Van recalls, "I thought I was going to be the first 6'8" drug dealer who never got caught." He arrived at USM in 1996 on a basketball scholarship. It was here that he not only found male figure who would provide the guidance and discipline he'd been missing in James Green, but it was also where he rediscovered Christianity.

 

After four successful years playing basketball at USM, Van had aspirations of turning professional. However, those dreams were dashed by a severe high ankle sprain. It was at this point in 2001 that he was offered a coaching position at Hattiesburg High. After coaching teams which took 5th and 1st place in the state respectively, he went on to coach at R. H. Watkins (Laurel) High School, Lumberton High, and concluded his coaching career at Oak Grove High School in 2010.

 

Van has served as Asst. Principal at Woodley Elem. for 2 yrs and also has served as principal of the Earl Travillion Attendance Center. He also served as the first president of the Pine Belt 360 board of directors for nearly 2 yrs before resigning in 2013 as Principal of the Earl Travillion Attendance Center, therefore assuming his current role of Pine Belt 360 Executive Director.

 

Van has a beautiful wife of 12 years, Nicole and 2 beautiful daughters, Vanessa, 9, & Sydni, 5. Van worships primarily at West Point Baptist Church, but weekly visits other churches in the Pine Belt, seeking to unify Christ's body.

 

Van and Nicole are the proud owners of the After School Academics and Arts Program, where they serve over 70 boys and girls from 8 Pine Belt elementary schools. A.S.A.A.P. seeks for ALL after school participants & employees to experience Jesus' love DAILY!