A Slidell high school student dedicated to working with the youth in her community has been named Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Louisiana.

Ahnyel Jones, a senior at Northshore High School, received the honor last month. Given to those who exemplify what the club stands for, it is the highest honor that can be bestowed on a member. Selection is based on moral character, a willingness to give back to the community, and an ability to be a positive influence on younger children.

Jones has been a member of the Slidell club since she was in the seventh grade. She joined the group after her family moved to the Eden Isles area from New Orleans.

Ahnyel Jones

“There just weren’t a lot of kids in my neighborhood,” she said. “I started getting more and more involved, and now everyone there is like a second family to me.”

She became a staff member a couple of years later, working summers at the club from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day, then staying to volunteer for two more hours from 4 to 6 p.m. A self-described “jack of all trades,” Jones filled in wherever she was needed, checking in youngsters, taking them to the park, and more.

In fact, she’s become like a second mom herself to some of them. It was her recommendation that helped 11-year-old Dalvin Populist land the choice job of introducing “His Airness” Michael Jordan in February when the NBA superstar presented a $500,000 donation to the Slidell club.

“I love that kid,” said Jones. “That was a big occasion, and it was funny to see him so nervous, because he’s normally really outgoing.”

Jones was thrilled that Jordan’s donation will allow her club to build a new gym, but she said she was disappointed the club director, Marla Meadors, was not acknowledged publicly during the event. She considers the woman a role model and mentor and feels Meadors does not always get enough recognition for her tireless work on the Slidell club’s behalf.

Jones’ award made her eligible to compete for the state title of Youth of the Year. She placed second, which means she would step in the event the first-place winner, a boy from Hammond, could not fulfill his duties.

She wasn’t too disappointed about the second-place finish.

“The boy who won, he had been through a lot,” said Jones. “He was homeless for awhile, so I think he really earned it.”

Jones also made her debut with the Delta Sigma Theta sorority in 2007 and said the group’s December cotillion was an eye-opening experience.

“I had to learn to waltz and do all the manners and etiquette,” she said. “I also had to wear this big white wedding cake dress, but it was a lot of fun.”

Her affiliation with the service sorority has led her to other volunteer opportunities, including a recent walk for battered women. Jones has also volunteered with the SPCA.

She’s currently taken a leave of absence from the Boys & Girls Club to focus on her college and scholarship plans. She plans to attend Dillard University for an undergraduate degree in mass communications and hopes to pursue a graduate degree at Southern University. Eventually she’d like to end up in New York to pursue a doctorate.

Scholastic achievement played a significant role in her award. Jones maintains a 3.0 grade point average and felt compelled to retake the ACT recently, even after scoring a quite respectable 23 the first time.

“I told her that was pretty good,” said Jones’ mom, Ann Marie. “Most of her friends scored somewhere between 15 and 17, but she really wanted to see if she could do better.”

The teenager hopes to pursue a career in public relations and said she’d sincerely love to change the world someday. She points out that even the smallest effort can have an impact and points to individuals such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., whose legacies have continued even after their deaths.

“I think everyone should try really hard not to just ‘blend in’,” said Jones. “There are lots of ways to make a difference. You just have to go for it.”