Gwendolyn Jones

At the age of 18, Gwendolyn Jones has devoted more than 230 hours of her time to her community as a leader, a tutor and a mentor. Gwendolyn has inspired and motivated many citizens in her community to volunteer.

Gwendolyn volunteers 2-3 hours per day. She teaches dance to a cheerleading squad of forty young girls, providing them with a productive after school activity and a positive role model. Gwendolyn is also part of the Study Buddy program. Through this program, she volunteers her time two days per week to tutor a child at Coleman Middle School. The Study Buddy program connects students with a mentor who will provide encouragement, guidance, support, and academic assistance when needed. One of her most outstanding contributions thus far is her work as chairperson of the community wide United Way "Youth Day of Caring" effort. Last year, not only did she orchestrate the events of the entire day, but more importantly, she led more than 600 youth in performing a full day of community service. The service activities included feeding the homeless, playing with children, painting a building, visiting the elderly, and working with animals. Through her actions and countless hours of work, she has inspired many teens to continue to volunteer. Additionally, she serves on the Dwayne Wallace Youth Venture committee, which reviews grants for youth progress, and she is active at the United Way in several ongoing youth related efforts.