Student's essay, courage yield trip to D.C.

Girl overcomes difficult past, looks to future

BY ANNA HERKAMP

DANVILLE — Not every freshman begins high school intent on going on to college. Many don’t even consider career choices or post-graduation plans because they don’t know it’s possible to dream big.

Evony Jackson, a Danville High School senior, overcame a childhood that didn’t exactly cultivate significant future plans.

“Things that happened to me in my past made me think I wouldn’t be anybody,” she said.

Her life as a foster child who changed homes frequently, coupled with abuse and unfair treatment by others, made her believe she wasn’t destined to achieve.

But several resources and caring individuals in her life made her change that mindset.

Jackson is a student in the Jobs for Illinois Graduates class, which helps students with barriers overcome their odds.

B.J. Luke, the high school’s varsity football coach, teaches the class. The class helps open up possibilities many kids didn’t know existed.

Jackson is an example of a student who began to see what college could offer her. Her cousin took the class last year, and is now a Bill Gates Millennium scholar, attending the University of Illinois.

Through her encouragement, Jackson signed up for the class.

The class focuses on life-planning activities, team-building and the college application process.

Her classmates make Jackson feel at home. Many of them have overcome the same types of adversity.

“We’re trying to get kids to take chances and see what’s out there,” Luke said.

Jackson’s efforts have paid off.

Beyond Danville

This fall, she won an essay contest that got her and Luke places at the Jobs for America’s Graduates National Student Leadership Conference last week in Washington, D.C.

Jackson was one of four students chosen from Illinois to attend.

Luke is proud of Jackson’s courage for simply entering the contest.

“She really put herself on the line,” he said.

The same day Jackson left for Washington, D.C., she received her acceptance letter to Indiana State University, where she will study accounting and music performance.

But that was only the beginning of a life-changing week.

Jackson hasn’t traveled much farther than Louisville, Ky., before the trip.

Seeing the city was eye-opening.

“It was beautiful,” she said.

She also used the phrase to describe the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian.

Jackson attended all the leadership training sessions, but the trip was equal parts pleasure and play.

She met several friends from all over the U.S., and toured the city, visiting the Washington Monument, the Pentagon, Ford’s Theater and other D.C. tourist spots.

Her teacher says Jackson has a new passion for her dreams since she’s been back from the trip.

“She’s got some energy to her,” he said. “She’s going to be successful.”

Jackson met one girl who loves basketball, music and dancing as much as she does. She plans to travel to South Carolina to visit her.

But she’s also thinking even more long-term.

The leadership classes made participants consider where they’ll be in the next five or 10 years.

“It was a great opportunity for her,” Luke said.

“She spent the whole week with a big smile on her face.”

Jackson carried herself with such confidence that other conference participants commented to Luke how well she represented both Danville and Illinois.

“Not every kid will put themselves out there like Evony did,” he said. “

A leader

Jackson was adopted nine years ago, and credits her mom and cousin for encouraging her to pursue dreams she didn’t know she could have.

She credits Luke for his encouragement.

“I can have the roughest day ever, but when I stop into Mr. Luke’s door, he always seems to make me smile,” she wrote in her essay.

Luke thinks Jackson will be the inspiration for next year’s JILG class.

He hopes her story will encourage others to take chances.

“You have to take chances to do things that might help you,” he said.

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