Mark Jones, Hickory High School, Chesapeake, VA
Named as the 2018 Virginia Outstanding Economic Educator of the Year
Richmond, VA — Mark Jones, a teacher at Hickory High School in Chesapeake, was recognized as the 2018 Virginia Outstanding Economic Educator of the Year.
The Virginia Council on Economic Education (VCEE) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond recognized Mr. Jones and 15 additional Virginia educators who have demonstrated exceptional delivery of personal finance and economic education in their Virginia K-12 classrooms. The award ceremony was held today at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
After 10 years at Bank of America, in 2005 Mr. Jones changed professions and became an educator with a special passion for economics education.
In 2011-2012, after several years of development, Mr. Jones established and taught the first Advanced Placement (AP) Micro and Macroeconomics course in Chesapeake Public Schools. In 2017-2018, Mr. Jones incorporated Virginia’s required Economics and Personal Finance course into his AP economics course, which enhanced student learning while also meeting graduation requirements. Since 2012, nearly 300 Hickory High School students have passed the AP economics national exams.
Mr. Jones recently chartered the Economics Club at Hickory High School and helps support students who participate in a myriad of projects and competitions. He consistently has student teams earn an invitation to participate in the Governor’s Challenge in Economics and Personal Finance. Mr. Jones was recognized as the 2018 Outstanding Economic Educator by the ODU Center for Economic Education.
To view the classroom lessons developed by the award winners and to learn how to nominate an educator for the 2019 Economic Educator Awards, visit vcee.org.
Virginia Credit Union and Virginia Housing Development Authority provided financial support for the 2018 awards program. The Virginia Lottery, which has contributed more than $9 billion to Virginia’s K-12 public schools since 1999, provided gift boxes for each awardee.
Established in 1970, the Virginia Council on Economic Education (VCEE), a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity, seeks to ensure that Virginia’s K-12 students obtain the economic knowledge and financial skills needed to thrive in our dynamic economy. VCEE and its network of nine university-based Centers for Economic Education provide professional development and classroom programs for K-12 educators. The Centers are located at Christopher Newport University; George Mason University; James Madison University; Old Dominion University; University of Lynchburg; University of Mary Washington; University of Virginia’s College at Wise; Virginia Commonwealth University; and, Virginia Tech. VCEE is affiliated with the national Council for Economic Education.