Play It Smart Student Athlete of the Month: Andrew Jones

Again this year, www.NFLHS.com will be featuring a different "Play It Smart" program participant each month. To find out more about the Play It Smart program, visit the Play It Smart web site.

Midway through his sophomore year at Jefferson Davis High School in Houston, Andrew Jones faced an unenviable situation rarely confronted by teenagers in their high school years. Texas age eligibility requirements for high school sports would have prevented him from playing football during his senior year.

His choice was simple: stay the course and sit the sidelines during his senior year, waiting until college to play football again in the fall of 2006, or accelerate his academic workload, gaining enough credits to graduate this spring. Andrew, determined to stay off the sideline for even a year, took the requisite classes last year and over the summer to be on track to graduate this spring and head directly to the college gridiron. For his dedication and commitment to overcoming an unexpected challenge, Andrew has been selected as the October PLAY IT SMART student-athlete of the month from more than 10,000 student-athletes nationwide.

"Andrew has been nothing but an exceptional student since hes come to the PLAY IT SMART program," said Angie Henderson, academic coach at Jefferson Davis. "I had no doubt that he would be able to succeed with the transition to an increased workload."

The transition required Andrew to take four classes during this past summer while adding credits to his regular load throughout his junior year. He has thrived both athletically and academically, maintaining a 3.4 GPA while leading the Panthers into contention for a playoff berth. He is on pace to graduate in June, crediting PLAY IT SMART and his academic coach with helping him to be in position to finish high school in just three years.

"Angie keeps me going and has made sure Im prepared for the SATs and college applications," Jones said. "The whole program has given me and the entire team a better grasp of what it takes to get into college."

Although Henderson claims that Jones had a firm grasp on his academics after transferring from Smiley High School before his sophomore year, she says PLAY IT SMART has had a noticeable impact on Jones, and vice versa.

"Andrew has become more of leader in his two years with the program, but he has also inspired his classmates and created an academic challenge for the other players that has become a serious competition," she said. "Everyone is beginning to take a lot of pride in their success in the classroom, and Andrew deserves credit for helping to create that."

Joness creativity, both on and off the field, has not gone unnoticed. He was named rookie of the year for the Jefferson Davis football squad in 2003, and he has rushed for over 1,000 yards already in what will be his last high school football season. He is also being recruited by both Texas State and North Dakota State to play football next year, no small feat considering his situation just a few months ago.

"Andrews come a long way in such a short time, and theres no doubt that Angie and the PLAY IT SMART program helped guide him and kept him focused on what he needed to do," said Chuck Arnold, head football coach at Jefferson Davis. "He sets an example by getting it done, and has helped our football team by giving the younger guys something to shoot for."

"The other kids are fortunate to have Andrew in the program," said Henderson. "Hes made tremendous strides the last couple of years and is a great example for what PLAY IT SMART can help accomplish."