Remembering Kourtney Jones

Last month, YouthQuest lost one of its own: Kourtney Jones. During his eight years with the organization, Jones made a huge impact on students, parents, school faculty and his fellow employees.

“Kourtney made a big splash in a small pond during his time on earth,” says Cheryl Adkins, program director for YouthQuest. “He made a big impact on his students and his family. I hope that impact ripples through the lives of others.”

Jones originally started as a learning guide at Washington Elementary School. He then worked at Mt. Morris, followed by New Standard Academy and Potter Elementary, before being promoted to lead learning guide at Doyle Ryder Elementary. There, he became a site team leader, where he stayed for three years.

The commitment Jones had to his students was clear to anyone who knew him. As detailed in his obituary:

“Kourtney’s passion for children was without comparison. He was the Site Team Leader at Doyle Ryder for the YouthQuest program. His students affectionately called him ‘Mr. Kourtney or Mr. K’; he would light up when he was around his students. He changed the lives of many children he worked with. He helped them gain confidence and encouraged them to focus on school and to learn how to manage their behavior in a positive manner. He was infamous for laying the law down, but he did it in love and kindness and his students, as well as parents, appreciated him for that. Kourtney was often seen outside of program hours supporting his students. He accompanied many students to their track meets, basketball games, and softball games.”

To read his full obituary, visit https://bit.ly/2HLtHSA.