After 46 years teaching and coaching at Lafayette High School, Melvin Jones will be honored by a scholarship in his name through the W-JCC Scholarship Fund. Peter Belden (LHS ‘82), created the scholarship and hopes others will help it grow.
“I am very glad that God gave me the opportunity to reach many young people in a positive way that impacted their lives on and off the track and football fields as well as in the classroom,” said Coach Jones. This new scholarship will honor Jones’ legacy, helping pay for college for the next generation of young people.
The first scholarship will be awarded in 2021 to an African-American student who qualifies for financial aid, who is in good academic standing and who is involved in some kind of extracurricular activity such as a club, job, or sport.
“My goal was to help students/athletes to be the best that they could be,” said Coach Jones, “to help them to go on in life being positive and productive citizens, making the world a better place for themselves, their families and their communities.”