“Venti iced coffee with two pumps of sweetener?” The barista at Starbucks may know his drink, but she has little insight into the complicated mind of Haydn Jones.
While the vast majority of the teenage population is spending brainpower on new ways to stand out and make a social statement, Jones and his bright green pants and perfectly centered faux-hawk have them beat.
Jones’s sense of fashion isn’t the only eccentricity to his personality. It doesn’t take much time spent with Jones to see that the wheels in his head are turning so fast they’re spinning. “He thinks he’s smarter than everybody else,” says fellow Senior Malik Grant, “because he is.” Whether it is after school or in the classroom, Jones is recognized as an athletic thinker and critic of his surroundings. Jeanne Hackman, Jones’s English teacher of three years, says, “He is a curious young fellow who can think analytically and voice his opinions tactfully.”
Jones doesn’t limit the application of his mental brilliance to academics, but it has presented him the opportunity to collect A’s in classes and be a National Merit finalist. “Now that I made the finals I’m going to start focusing on my sideburns.”
A champion thinker, Jones never misses a beat when it comes to his strong sense of irony, and his humor isn’t the only intriguing thing he possesses. Jones also own a guitar, “I feel kinda bad. It’s a really pretty guitar.” Jones could possibly one day become a rock star.
Upon hearing that he would later be featured in the Ocksheperida, Haydn simply said, “‘unadulterated raw sex appeal should probably make its way in there somewhere.” His original photo shoot was to be his posing as a rider of the Bronc statue in the front of the building. But, due to the fact that it was a gift to the school years ago, the statue, much to Haydn’s disappointment, was left out of the photo-shoot.
His sense of humor creates a fruitful social life. “He is super-duper great,” says Senior Nick Estes.
“He is a scholar both in school and out, always soaking in new information and what not… Haydn is one of the smartest and kindest kids I know; I can’t say enough about the way he carries himself… great kid,” says Senior and friend Anthony Newlon.
For the years to come, Jones looks forward to college and taking classes of art and science. His exploration of what he chooses to do will be limitless. Hackman says she sees him going “off into the college world with wonder and goals. He could be the next Ray Bradbury.”
Jones and his massive personality will provide him with abundant opportunities. “I run the streets like it’s my job.”
Haydn is the son of Chris and Kevin Jones.
