WKU News

Jonesville Academy is molding the next generation of scholars while also honoring a once thriving community.

WKU’s Amy Bingham has more on this extended learning opportunity in this week’s View from the Hill.

The mission of the Jonesville Academy is to equip underrepresented minority males with the tools necessary to succeed in school.

“Jonesville Academy is a community where scholars excel”

“It’s just fun.”

Eleven-year-old Ja’caurie Woodard doesn’t even mind going to class every other Saturday.

“You learn how to like become a good man and become a role model for other people.”

JaCaurie is one of 56 students in grades third through eighth enrolled at the recently opened Jonesville Academy which meets at Gary Ransdell Hall.

“All the students go to either reading and writing, history, language and culture and STEM.”

Jonesville Academy resulted from the two co-founders merging their youth service non-profits for a virtual conference last fall.

“With that collaboration we just kept our friendship and partnership and expanded and here we are today with Jonesville Academy.”

It took less than a year to open the academy where scholars are being supported by educators, mentors and a leadership team.

“Jonesville Academy creates a space where they can learn about material that’s created with them in mind.”

“I love for black and brown boys to know that they can achieve things.  I don’t think they get that enough from society in general.”

Named for a community founded after the Civil War, Jonesville Academy held a ribbon cutting earlier this month at the site of the marker.

“Being able to create a program like the Jonesville Academy that can honor that community will really show how we are creating a new legacy. “

And encouraging scholars like Ja’caurie to reach for their dreams.

“You’ve got the opportunity to be like a doctor, a lawyer, really anything that you want to be.”

Jonesville Academy will be in session every other Saturday through May. The co-founders are hopeful Jonesville Academy will expand in the future.

To learn more, visit www.jonesvilleacademy.org