Kambria Jones

Definitely the way I was raised. I was raised by my grandmother and my mother, and so I had two influential women just raising me to be the best that I can be. Another thing that really drove me was grief. My success is tied to my grief. I turn my grief into purpose. I lost my oldest sister in a car accident in 2008. I lost my dad in 2017 to a car accident, and a month later I lost a friend to a car accident. I always tell people, so if you see me pushing, it looks easy, but it's not easy, because those things has turned me into the woman I am today. I couldn't let grief stop me from being the woman that I am today, and so grief has pushed me. My grandmother raised me to the day she died, and I was here when she took her last breath, and so that pushes me, it keeps me going. I can't let it defeat me. It's always the good grief. I will not let grief defeat me. I still have room to grow, and I have life. It does not stop, and so I just keep going. Having two influential women in my life has made me the woman I am today. I always tell people, keep going. Grief does not shrink, it grows with you, so the more you go, the more it grows, but the more you stop, the more you shrink. So you just have to keep going.

My grandmother dedicated more than three decades of service to a rural healthcare clinic, working as a medical assistant and remaining committed to her community throughout her life. She worked at least half of my lifetime, about 30 years. My mom has also worked for 30 to 32 years in the state, and she just recently retired. The day that she submitted her retirement papers is the day that my grandmother passed, which is her mom, and so her initial retirement was to take care of her. That is my motivation. My family is also my motivation, just taking care of those who have taken care of me. I also had a dear friend that has drove me into ministry. Her name is Denise Calhoun. She is also, we call her the praying principal, and so now she is the principal at a middle school. She has drawn me more into the ministry. I also have Dr. Eddie McCord. She is the woman that has made me who I am in the education today. She was one of my biggest mentors, just working in the district. I also would like to give a shout out to Teach Plus Mississippi. Stanford Johnson and Lauren Huddleston, if it weren't for them continuing to pour into me, I don't know where I would be without Teach Plus Mississippi. Those two people are the reason that my voice was able to be heard in the state of Mississippi for education. Dr. Eddie McCord, she's the reason why I am the one that I am today, that still being able to work in the district. She motivated me, even during tough times. She told me, don't ever let them see you sweat. Those people, my mom and my grandmother, my dear friend Denise Calhoun, Teach Plus Mississippi with Laura Huddleston and Stanford Johnson, and Dr. Eddie McCord, they molded me to take over her legacy. She retired, and so I picked up where she left off.

I believe in setting short-term goals, and I always say pick three, because anything after those 3 top goals, you're not gonna do it. If you set 3, you prioritize. So, what is your expectation? I always believe in expectation. What is your goal? What is your expectation? The next thing is finding a mentor, finding somebody that is aligned with you. Not just anybody, because there are many people out here, but you have to find someone that is at least aligned to you getting out into the field. The third, as I always believe, is just planning. If you plan, you have to plan. So, expectation - number one is you set your expectations. Number two, you find a mentor that is aligned with your expectation. Number three, you plan and you go with it. Nobody stops you from your plan, don't let nobody stop you from detouring your plan. It is your plan, and this is your future. Nobody can execute your plan but you. They can support you, but you go with your plan, and you put your plan into action. I'm an advocate, so I believe in advocating and doing what's right, doing what's best for the student. I always say that it's student-centered, just doing what is best for them.

In the next 5 years, I have been consulting with other educational companies to be an advocate and a consultant, to partner with other companies and go into different school districts, working in different states, and kind of pour out and do what I'm doing now, but not just actually being tied to a district. Rather than being an independent worker, to go into other school districts, not just in the state of Mississippi, but other states, and help their districts, pour into the students, pour into education. Education is hard now, and we're losing people because of what the media says, what it looks like now, and from experience. My goal is to drive people back into it and pour into them. As an academic coach and as an instructional coach, I want to help them, to guide them in their passion, in their career. My five years is to be a consultant and expand my business into educational consultation.

God definitely first. My family, and then my career is always last. I believe in family first. God most definitely is my priority at the top of the list, and then it's my family, and then it's my career. I always believe in having a superb reputation and character. Character will carry you a long way. I was having a meeting at work, and I told them, I said, although I may come off aggressive, and it's positive aggressive, I said, it's because I'm passionate about what I do. I do not have to do anything. When I do things, when I pour into students, it's wholeheartedly. It's never half-stepping. I just believe in integrity, integrity in doing what's right. I'm passionate. I'm very, very, very passionate about what I do. It's not like an angry aggressive, it's a firm aggressive. When I speak, I mean it. My passion has been integrity and character and reputation. I believe that has carried me a long way. I always tell people, I'm now in education, but if I could go back to my first job, I could, because I left a reputation that no one could take away from me. Outside of my professional responsibilities, I am constantly seeking opportunities for personal growth and exploration. I believe that learning should never stop and that expanding one's experiences creates new opportunities to inspire and support others. One of my greatest passions is baking. I am a baker, I will try anything, and even in my spare time, I am always trying to find other avenues. Right now I have obtained my CDL permit, and so now I'm working on getting into quick training, a quick 20-day training to obtain my CDL licensure. In order to help other people, I like to get into the field myself. I like to navigate through it, so in my spare time, I am always finding growth so I can help other people, even young men, even women, to get into it, to mentor them and say, although I'm in education, I can go out into the other field. I always have something to look back on. Right now, I just like exploring. I'm an opportunist. I love baking, I love shopping. My biggest thing is, I am a baker, and I'm an opportunist, so in my spare time, I'm always navigating, trying to find things. I always believe in getting into the field so I can motivate other people and show them, this is what I did, even when I had a job, I still took the initiative to do something else. Don't let what you're currently in stop you from doing something else. Be optimistic. There are so many opportunities out here for women. That's what I do in my spare time. I find opportunities to grow, just navigate it. And I bake, and I'm just out encouraging people.