SoKY’s Choice: Ties symbolize growth for Jonesville Academy students

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) – One by one, young men stepped onto the stage as mentors placed ties around their necks, each knot marking not just an accomplishment, but a promise.

The annual tie ceremony hosted by Jonesville Academy recognized students for their commitment to leadership, academic growth and personal development. The program brings students together regularly with mentors to focus on discipline, service and preparing for their future.

As families and mentors watched, students reflected on what they said the experience had taught them.

“Real change starts with how I think, how I act, and how I treat other people every single day,” one student said during a speech at the ceremony.

Another student told the audience the program had reshaped his understanding of leadership and possibility.

“Jonesville has taught me that leaders can look like me,” the student said. “Because of Jonesville, I know what being a leader means to me.”

For some students, the ceremony marked their first tie. For others, it represented years of steady progress.

Alan Galloway, a seventh-grade student, said receiving recognition after multiple years in the program meant more than when he first joined.

“This is my fifth tie ceremony, and I’m proud of it,” Galloway said. “At first it meant like, ‘Oh, I’m in Jonesville now,’ but now it means like this is how far I’ve come, and I’m not going to stop.”

Students said the program has helped create a supportive environment where they encourage one another and build confidence.

Aiden Ellis-Griffin, a ninth-grade student, said being surrounded by peers with similar goals has made a difference.

“This large group, they’re all aspiring individuals,” Ellis-Griffin said. “They all have their own hopes and dreams, and we all want somewhere to go. The environment is very nurturing.”

Mentors said the ceremony reflects the work students have put in throughout the year and the lessons they carry forward.

Jaden Marshall, vice president of the Why Not Us Black Male Initiative and a mentor involved in the program, said watching students reach this moment is meaningful.

“These students have embraced opportunity,” Marshall said. “They come every single Saturday ready to learn. We give them the tools to succeed and to go out into the world and make something of themselves.”

For students, the tie serves as both recognition and responsibility.

One student described earning the tie as a commitment to his future and his community.

“By being here today and earning this tie, I’m committing to being a positive force in Bowling Green,” the student said.

Jonesville Academy continues to build community for their students and are hosting their annual Ties for Change Gala in a couple weeks on March 7 at the National Corvette Museum.