Politics
Shev Jones: Mayor's Son Tackling Education, Justice for Wrongly Incarcerated
Around the State
Rep. Shev Jones, D-West Park
Date of Birth: Oct. 12, 1983
Birthplace: Hollywood
Residence: West Park
Education: Florida Atlantic University, Master of Science in Higher Education
Occupation: Vice president of community afairs for McKinley-Alston Financial
Previous Public Office: None
Family: Wife
Did you know? Is a lead singer in his church choir, where he has sang since middle school. Mom and dad are in the choir, too. ("My brothers can't sing a lick; they sound terrible.")Very few 29 year-olds can truthfully boast of having founded and chaired a successful nonprofit for seven years, mentoring hundreds of students in the process. But then, few 29 year-olds can boast election to their state legislatures, especially when they have no prior political experience.
Of course, "experience" is in the eye of the beholder. Freshman Rep. Shev Jones, D-West Park, may not have held public office before his election to the Florida House in November, but he's no stranger to politics. His father, Eric Jones, has been the mayor of West Park since the city's incorporation in 2005.
"Both mom and dad influenced me; as we were growing up, my parents believed in community engagement," Rep. Jones tells Sunshine State News. "And they really believed in my brothers and I taking an active approach to the process, whatever that entailed, whether it meant being on a commission or being an active volunteer."
Jones is chairman and CEO of Leaders by Empowerment-Activists by Development (LEAD Nation), a charity he co-founded in 2006 to assist underprivileged schoolchildren to stay out of trouble, obtain and maintain high academic achievement, and become positive role models to their peers. He proudly relates that some 400 students have been mentored through the program and 100 percent of them have graduated high school; he considers LEAD his proudest community service accomplishment.
That passion for youth education and development is reflected in several pieces of legislation he has introduced over the last several weeks.
HB 161 ("Volunteers for Organized Youth Sports and Recreation Programs") would expand already-existing provisions in state law that require athletic coaches to undergo criminal background checks if they use publicly owned facilities.
"These individuals are coaching our children, who are our most prized possession and they're on the field with these kids in close proximity and we're not paying attention to them," says Jones, who explains that he was motivated to introduce the bill after hearing numerous complaints of coaches and volunteers who were encouraging fighting, gambling, and other vices on the playing field.
HB 161 requires that all volunteers making use of public facilities, and not just designated "coaches," undergo background checks on a yearly basis, and that local governments maintain documentation of these checks for at least five years after they are conducted.
A second bill, HB 213 ("College and Career Readiness"), would require that public schools make college and career preparatory courses available to 11th and 12th graders. Jones says the classes are needed in order to better prepare students for their post-graduate lives.
"What the college professors are telling us is that students are coming to their classes without having transitioned from [writing and math] formulas they have learned in high school," he explains. "We need to get regular students, not just honors students, ready to make this transition."
A third bill particularly close to Jones' heart is HB 549 ("Relief for James Joseph Richardson"), which would award $3 million to James Richardson, a migrant who spent 22 years in prison, after having been wrongly accused of murdering his seven children and been denied a fair trial (prosecutors withheld exonerating evidence from Richardson's lawyers). The kids' babysitter, one Betsy Reese, eventually confessed to poisoning the children.
"To this day, he has not been to the grave-site to visit his children because it continues to haunt him," Jones relates. "And all he's asking for from the state is that he be compensated for the life that we took away from him.
"I am in full support of this man."
Reach Eric Giunta at egiunta@sunshinestatenews.com or at (954) 235-9116.
Birthplace: Hollywood
Residence: West Park
Education: Florida Atlantic University, Master of Science in Higher Education
Occupation: Vice president of community afairs for McKinley-Alston Financial
Previous Public Office: None
Family: Wife
Did you know? Is a lead singer in his church choir, where he has sang since middle school. Mom and dad are in the choir, too. ("My brothers can't sing a lick; they sound terrible.")
Of course, "experience" is in the eye of the beholder. Freshman Rep. Shev Jones, D-West Park, may not have held public office before his election to the Florida House in November, but he's no stranger to politics. His father, Eric Jones, has been the mayor of West Park since the city's incorporation in 2005.
"Both mom and dad influenced me; as we were growing up, my parents believed in community engagement," Rep. Jones tells Sunshine State News. "And they really believed in my brothers and I taking an active approach to the process, whatever that entailed, whether it meant being on a commission or being an active volunteer."
Jones is chairman and CEO of Leaders by Empowerment-Activists by Development (LEAD Nation), a charity he co-founded in 2006 to assist underprivileged schoolchildren to stay out of trouble, obtain and maintain high academic achievement, and become positive role models to their peers. He proudly relates that some 400 students have been mentored through the program and 100 percent of them have graduated high school; he considers LEAD his proudest community service accomplishment.
That passion for youth education and development is reflected in several pieces of legislation he has introduced over the last several weeks.
HB 161 ("Volunteers for Organized Youth Sports and Recreation Programs") would expand already-existing provisions in state law that require athletic coaches to undergo criminal background checks if they use publicly owned facilities.
"These individuals are coaching our children, who are our most prized possession and they're on the field with these kids in close proximity and we're not paying attention to them," says Jones, who explains that he was motivated to introduce the bill after hearing numerous complaints of coaches and volunteers who were encouraging fighting, gambling, and other vices on the playing field.
HB 161 requires that all volunteers making use of public facilities, and not just designated "coaches," undergo background checks on a yearly basis, and that local governments maintain documentation of these checks for at least five years after they are conducted.
A second bill, HB 213 ("College and Career Readiness"), would require that public schools make college and career preparatory courses available to 11th and 12th graders. Jones says the classes are needed in order to better prepare students for their post-graduate lives.
"What the college professors are telling us is that students are coming to their classes without having transitioned from [writing and math] formulas they have learned in high school," he explains. "We need to get regular students, not just honors students, ready to make this transition."
A third bill particularly close to Jones' heart is HB 549 ("Relief for James Joseph Richardson"), which would award $3 million to James Richardson, a migrant who spent 22 years in prison, after having been wrongly accused of murdering his seven children and been denied a fair trial (prosecutors withheld exonerating evidence from Richardson's lawyers). The kids' babysitter, one Betsy Reese, eventually confessed to poisoning the children.
"To this day, he has not been to the grave-site to visit his children because it continues to haunt him," Jones relates. "And all he's asking for from the state is that he be compensated for the life that we took away from him.
"I am in full support of this man."
Reach Eric Giunta at egiunta@sunshinestatenews.com or at (954) 235-9116.
Comments (1)
While I sat waiting for my flight, I was touched very deeply in his group of young students that was going to Washington DC for the first time. Rep Jones had other team leaders to help him organize this fine group. As they were waiting for the plane, the team leaders went over the itinerary and how to expect on the flight.
One of the leaders asked the group, if anyone in attendance was experiencing their first airplane flight. Almost 90% of these students raised their hands. This was soo beautiful to watch...
When I first noticed this group of young folks, I was expecting the worse flight of out of control kids ever.. Was I sure WRONG, I'm sure based on the guidance from Rep Jones and his team leaders, these were the most well behaved bunch of young "adults" that I wanted to witness. They sat on that plane with dignity, manners and class.
With that said, After the flight, I reached out to one of the leaders that introduced me to Rep Shevrin Jones. I was so proud of his work to raise the money, to take the time and to give these wonderful students an experience on how our political system works. That I wanted to find out how I could donate to his organization of LEAD.
Since then we stay in touch, he's a friend of mine on facebook and am privileged to experience his own personal growth to being our Representative for our area in Tallahassee.
Keep it up Shevrin, keep that nose clean, you're going places my friend.
Always,
Jim Theckston
Hallandale Beach, Fl
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