Today we’d like to introduce you to Annetha Jones.
Hi Annetha, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My family and I relocated to Metro Atlanta in 2021 and we absolutely love it. We truly appreciate the diversity and the vast cultural experiences here. On almost any given day, there is a plethora of activities for us to choose from. Although I was raised in Florida, I was born in Georgia and I am proud to be a Georgia Peach.
I am an author, educator, speaker and an advocate committed to advancing equity and student success. My career as a teacher and former middle and high school principal afforded me the honor of being recognized with numerous accolades, including Teacher of the Year, Assistant Principal of the Year, and a nomination for Principal of the Year. I also designed two highly successful mentoring programs to assist students who needed extra layers of support.
As a retired middle and high school principal, I continue my involvement in activities that align with promoting literacy and educational endeavors. It gives me joy to share inspirational and encouraging messages with students and young adults.
In this chapter of my life, I am thrilled to receive on-going speaking invitations where I can encourage and inspire students from kindergarten to graduate level and beyond. I want my messages to inspire them to be courageous and to align themselves with positive change.
I am excited to announce my newest projects. I recently co-authored a children’s book titled: Nikki Knew She Could Be Courageous with my adult daughter, Jada. Additionally, I co-authored Nate Knew He Would Be A Winner with my adult son, Marcus. Our books were written to promote children’s literacy and to remind children to be brave, dream big and to believe in themselves. We expect to release our books over the next few months.
Recently, we shared our children’s books with local students who provided very positive feedback. The students really liked that our books feature characters who are racially ambiguous. Several students commented that our characters will help everyone to feel included. We want all children to feel seen, valued, and able to identify with the characters. We believe that representation is very important for children.
I have always had an interest in encouraging all students. However, I have a particular interest in underserved students from the lower-socio economic background because, I too, struggled financially as a youth. Hence, my career as an author began and I wrote my first book titled FROM POVERTY TO PRINCIPAL: A Guide to Promote Equity and Student Advocacy. Additionally, I am a featured author in an anthology titled: Women of Courage, Volume V.
My consulting service, NEAT Consulting, LLC (Networking Educational Advocacy and Training) was established to promote educational advocacy and equity initiatives. I provide strategies for students and parents to avoid common pitfalls as they navigate the educational system.
As a life-long learner, it is important for me to encourage others to embrace education and to use their voice for positive change in their lives, and in the lives of others.
I am also a licensed Georgia real estate agent. Currently, I primarily utilize my license to assist my family and close friends. However, I offer referrals to anyone seeking a trusted agent.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The illustrations for our children’s books were a little more challenging than we anticipated. However, we are very pleased with the results. Another stretch area, for me, is that my expertise is secondary education, so diving into the K-3 grade level has been a welcomed learning curve. I have enjoyed sharing my vision with students, parents and educators. As for NEAT Consulting, LLC and my book: FROM POVERTY TO PRINCIPAL, I am certainly moving in the right direction as it relates to promoting equity and student advocacy.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a dedicated educator, author, and advocate. I am determined to promote literacy, encouragement, and inspirational messages for students, parents, and teachers for the advancement of equity and student success. I welcome speaking engagement invitations because I am passionate about inspiring others. I have been invited to numerous speaking engagements, including: several public schools, community events, student mentoring programs, women’s empowerment conferences, etc. and most recently I received an invitation to be the keynote speaker at Florida A&M University’s Apple Pinning Ceremony. This is an induction ceremony for those graduating from the College of Education. This speaking engagement was especially meaningful to me because I graduated from FAMU’S College of Education. I plan to continue speaking, promoting literacy, and providing encouragement and inspirational messages for students and adults.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I love this question! I was a very tall, skinny girl with sandy brown hair. I was also inquisitive and always looking to learn something new. My personality was fun and funny. In my group of friends, I was usually the most outgoing one. I was athletic and because I innately wanted to be smart, I worked hard in school. I did fine in K-12 but in undergrad, I graduated with honors. In graduate school, I earned a 4.0 in both my Master’s and in my Educational Specialist program. The lack of financial and educational support I received as a child, forced me to become an advocate for myself at a very young age. Therefore, I paid close attention to adults and I would emulate some of them for my benefit. So, in summary, just like my children’s books, I am proud to say that I was brave, I dreamed big and I believed in myself.
Pricing:
- FROM POVERTY TO PRINCIPAL: $15.99
- Nikki Knew She Could: $14.99 and $19.99
- Nate Knew He Would: $14.99 and $19.99
- NEAT Consulting: A’La cart Pricing available
Contact Info:
- Website: https://annethajones.com
- Instagram: @annethajones
- Facebook: Annetha Jones, Ed.S.
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/annethajones
- Youtube: @annethajones941
- Website: https://www.annethajones.com
- Children’s Books: https://annethajones.com/books/
