West Central Michigan News

A much-deserved reward for a deserving educator and a bit of a financial boost for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe Tribal School and Recreation Center, Wii Maajiikwad.

Corey Jones, a physical education teacher at the Tribal School, received the Extra Yard for Teachers Award from the College Football Playoff Foundation in conjunction with Central Michigan University Athletics.

Jones was presented with a $1,000 check by Zyzelewski Family Director of Athletics Amy Folan in the Tribal School gym – Jones' office, if you will – earlier this week as part of the Extra Yard for Teachers Week.

"Obviously very surprised – I didn't know it was coming," said Jones, who has taught at the SCIT Tribal School for nearly a decade. "Sometimes you don't think people realize what you're doing, but they do. They see the impact that you're having in the community and this acknowledgement's pretty cool."

Jones received the award from Folan amidst a gathering of Tribal Council leaders, school officials and CMU Athletics personnel.

"He makes an impact every day on all the students' lives and they love coming to school to be around him," Folan said. "His joy in being around the kids is evident and he exudes energy."

SCIT Public Relations Erik Rodriguez said not only is it an honor for Jones to receive the award, but also for the school and the tribe.

"For us and having Mr. Jones receive this award is a tremendous honor," he said. "He's a very humble man and for him to be awarded today it means a lot.

"He is somebody who is so passionate about the work he does day in and day out; he looks forward to coming to work looks forward to engaging with students; he wants to make sure that the experiences that (the students) have here help teach them the values to be contributing members of society moving forward.

"I think it goes back to the partnership and when we look at it we are truly honored that Central Michigan University looked to the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and picked Mr. Jones. It is humbling and for that we say, 'chi miigwech.'"

Jones teaches all grade levels at the school, from toddlers to fifth-graders. He said he emphasizes activities that the students can carry on well into adulthood.

"I was raised by a gym teacher," said Jones, who, in his mid-40s, remains quite active as a runner and hockey player who also plays racquetball and pickleball, among other sports. "My dad was a gym teacher, a football coach. I was raised in the gym, so this is a natural setting for me. I like the smells and sounds, everything about that.

"Everything we do in my phys ed class is something they're going to do when they're older. We're going to play pickleball or lacrosse or soccer; we're going to do some yoga; we're going to get their endurance up so they can run – we just want them to have these activities, this lifestyle, continue after they leave here."

Jones, in a nod to the history and traditions of SCIT, makes a personalized lacrosse stick for each of his students and presents it annually when they leave school. As an undergrad, he wrote a paper on lacrosse which helped spark his interest in and appreciation of its history.

"I knew the importance of lacrosse and how Ojibwe—the Anishinaabae—were first to play lacrosse," he said. "So that's why I make Anishinaabae/Ojibwe lacrosse sticks," adding he began making them about seven years ago.

He cuts lumber and splits it himself but gets help from students as well. He said it's an important connection between students and their culture.

"It's a craft," he said. "It takes about 15 hours to make one stick; I've probably made over 200 now. Now I call myself a stick-maker. I'm proud of what they take home now."

"When I see kids now after graduation," he continued, "I ask 'where's your stick?' And they'll say 'Oh it's on my wall Mr. Jones!' I love that."

The goal of College Football Foundation's Extra Yard for Teachers program is supporting educators nationwide while improving student outcomes through partnerships with higher education institutions, sports organizations, corporations, nonprofits aiming at resources recognition professional development recruitment retention.