Alliance native, now a doctor, honored with Pathfinder Award

Alliance High School celebrated a member of its Class of 2003 with this year’s Pathfinder Award.

Dr. Stephen Jones, now a general surgeon in Florida, was honored Feb. 2 during a ceremony at the school. In honoring Jones, the school district hailed his “service and dedication to helping others and inspiring AHS students to reach their full potential.”

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Jones attended the event at the school, and engaged students in discussions as he shared his pathway to success.

Jones told students he was part of the National Honor Society and was in the Top 10% of his class at Alliance High School. He attended Youngstown State University and graduated magna cum laude after just two years. In Fall 2006, he enrolled at Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine. While attending medical school, he served as the president of the college's chapter of the Student National Medical Association. He also served on the diversity council. He graduated with his degree in medicine in 2010.

Jones told students that it’s not always easy to achieve your dreams on the first try.

“As you know, everybody has obstacles, everyone has hurdles, everyone has difficulties that they have to overcome,” Jones said. “We can either let that obstacle overcome us, or we can overcome that obstacle.”

He said he didn’t pass the entrance exam for medical school on his first two tries. He was only able to begin his studies after his third try. Even though he had studied and worked hard, he didn’t pass. He said he was heartbroken and feeling like a failure. But, he said he knew he was meant to be a doctor and that he’d overcome the hurdle.

“Overcoming obstacles is a true, true practice,” Jones said. “It’s what I like to call the art of turning adversity into opportunity. Obstacles come in failure, come in doubt, adversity, uncertainty. I’m sure all of you have experienced at least one, if not all of these, at one point in your life. Each one is a true test of our spirit and in every challenge lies the opportunity to learn and redefine what is actually possible. We are presented with a choice and we can either rise or we can fall. It is in these moments that we can discover the extraordinary strength that resides in us and that shouldn’t be taken lightly.”

Jones encouraged the students to have a positive mindset that will enable them to believe in themselves and to know that they can overcome any obstacle in their path to achieve their goals.

Following Jones’ speech, he took part in a question-and-answer session moderated by members of the 99th Squadron, a student success, character, leadership and life skills development program aimed at improving Black students' academic and social achievement at Alliance High School. The program also places a particular focus on college and career readiness.

Each year, Alliance City Schools hosts a series of Pathfinder Awards assemblies during Black History Month to recognize individuals who have been trailblazers for success. The recipients are recognized in five areas: arts and science, education, humanitarianism, citizenship/government and business. All honorees are alumni who have been an inspiration to minorities in one of the above areas either locally or out of the area, or non-ACS alumni who has been an inspiration to the local area.

This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Alliance graduate Dr. Stephen Jones wins Pathfinder Award as trailblazer for success