January Student of the Month: Daniel Jones commits to doing what's right

Daniel Jones is known around school as someone who cares about others.

"Daniel Jones is the kind of guy who makes the day of each person he comes in contact with a little bit better," said Josh Stowe, principal at Dewey High School. "There isn’t a day that goes by where Daniel doesn’t come in with a smile and a great attitude, ready to attack the day."

The Dewey High School senior is one of two students chosen as January Student of the Month in the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise and Patriot Auto Group student recognition program.

In the classroom, Daniel excels academically, ranking first in his class and excelling in his engineering courses at Tri-County Tech. Additionally, he is an active leader on the cross country and track teams and is always willing to help and support his teammates, Stowe says.

This same dedication is evident in his involvement as a youth leader at his church, where he organizes weekly activities and service projects for the community.

"The most important part about service is that I get to help people who maybe don't have others who can help them," said Jones. "I like seeing how happy people are after we're done with a project."

Daniel's selfless character is further demonstrated by his acts of service at home, including taking care of livestock, helping with yard work and assisting with chores.

He and his father have a small business raising cattle for beef, but he hasn't really made any money yet.

"We are supposed to split the profit 50/50," said Jones."But really, all the money goes to my dad because he pays for everything."

But he doesn't mind letting the profits go because he gets a fair share of this favorite cut of beef − ribeye steak.

He says his parents are the most significant influence in his life and he wants to be wise as his father and as compassionate as his mother.

With school, sports, church and home activities, Jones still finds the time to visit homebound members of his church and volunteers with the Lions Club of Bartlesville and the National Honor Society.

What sets Daniel apart is his unwavering commitment to doing what is right, even in difficult situations. He always goes above and beyond, whether by explaining homework assignments to others or making the unpopular choice to leave friends who act in ways that go against his values.

"He’s bright, pleasant, friendly, and coachable," Stowe said. "He wants to get better, he wants to learn, and he wants to positively contribute to his school and to those around him."

In his downtime, Jones loves any book by Brandon Sanderson and any board game involving bluffing and deduction.

"No matter who you are, you can argue your way through anything. You just have to be the most convincing person in the room, and then you win," said Jones.

He plans to attend Brigham Young University but will first be on a two-year mission. He hopes for Europe but would be happy to go anywhere.

"It would be interesting to understand how people from a different culture view religion," said Jones.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: January Student of the Month: Daniel Jones commits to doing what's right