how i kicked high school's butt!
Hello. I'm Eddy (that's Eddie with a y). I know high school is a pretty strange place to have to go every single day, and if you are a parent, or teacher reading this, you may be concerned about the young people you have in your life trying to find there way through school. I won't lie to you high school can be stressful and overwhelming. But, you know what, it doesn't have to be a complete bust. In fact i had a blast in high school!
Before I was 18 years old I had:
• been to europe twice
• toured the country with an internationally acclaimed theatre company
• eaten sting ray
• saved a kid from a burning car
• got a free ride to one of the most expensive colleges in the world
• was valedictorian
• been voted homecoming king
All of this, and i still did my chores everyday! (you can ask my mom).
Fast forward a few years. I am married now with three boys. two of which i inherited when i got married. So all of a sudden i had an instant family. Two teenage boys in high school. There was only one problem--they hated high school. So, I decided to write them a letter explaining how i was able to have such a great time in high school. That letter turned into an essay, and before I knew it I had written an entire guide for high school, almost completely by accident. That's when I decided to share my experience with the world.
As a drama instructor and mentor in Detroit, I am constantly working with young people. It has become a real joy for me to be able see the people I teach grow and develop. One problem that always seemed to come up was not having enough time to answer all the questions that were really important to the young men and women I was working with. so that really made want to write about what I had learned and experienced.
Before I was 18 years old I had:
• been to europe twice
• toured the country with an internationally acclaimed theatre company
• eaten sting ray
• saved a kid from a burning car
• got a free ride to one of the most expensive colleges in the world
• was valedictorian
• been voted homecoming king
All of this, and i still did my chores everyday! (you can ask my mom).
Fast forward a few years. I am married now with three boys. two of which i inherited when i got married. So all of a sudden i had an instant family. Two teenage boys in high school. There was only one problem--they hated high school. So, I decided to write them a letter explaining how i was able to have such a great time in high school. That letter turned into an essay, and before I knew it I had written an entire guide for high school, almost completely by accident. That's when I decided to share my experience with the world.
As a drama instructor and mentor in Detroit, I am constantly working with young people. It has become a real joy for me to be able see the people I teach grow and develop. One problem that always seemed to come up was not having enough time to answer all the questions that were really important to the young men and women I was working with. so that really made want to write about what I had learned and experienced.
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Edmund Alyn Jones was blessed with a fantastic teenage experience. Despite living in a rough neighborhood, and fighting a tough battle with acne, Edmund managed to lead an incredible teen life.
Believing college was his way out of “The Hood”, Edmund had one simple plan: to earn a scholarship to the University of Michigan by becoming the valedictorian. Not only did he accomplish this, but he managed to grow spiritually, have a long-term relationship, and earn an income while in high school. Edmund also learned that “The Hood” was the best learning ground for testing merit and developing personal strength. Edmund strongly believes his faith in The Creator has made all of this possible. Edmund did become the valedictorian with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. And yes, he was the Homecoming King, too. As an adult, Edmund is compelled to help teens master their circumstances. Edmund has been accomplishing this goal primarily as a theatre instructor to young people in the Metro Detroit area for over a decade. As an educator and former Assistant Director of the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, Edmund has worked with many Michigan teens and “tweens” to maximize their potential. Along with Mosaic, Edmund has worked with the YMCA to reach youth on the Eastside of Detroit where he’s from. Edmund has worked with other organizations such as the CRLT Players and the Wild Swan Children’s Theatre to develop various programs that utilize theatre to promote literacy, communication skills, college prep, and team building. He began a dual major in Theatre and Engineering, but eventually chose the path of theatre. Edmund began to explore writing more when he won a year’s worth of movie tickets for an essay he wrote in high school. Since then, Edmund has written several essays, poems, short stories, and plays. As a playwright, Edmund is a two time winner of the Heck-Rabi Playwrighting Festival, and has had his plays produced at various venues around the country. Edmund obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and a Master of Fine Arts from Wayne State University and the Hilberry Theater in Detroit. Edmund is running his entertainment company with his wife, and crew. He continues to teach, speak, and lead workshops on various topics within his expertise. Edmund attributes all success and triumph over struggle to his loving family and The Creator/Presence/Universe, without Whom nothing is possible. |
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