Authentic Guts

by April Jones, Cynthia Jones (Editor), Faatymah Kitt (Foreword)

This informational guide not only will give you strategies to use in the classroom, at home or in the community to achieve student success, but you will learn about African-centered pedagogy and how to use culturally relevant best practices to enhance your self-awareness enabling you to reach student success; holistically. April Jones is the Executive Director of the Sankofa Achievement Center, Inc. Jones has a long history supporting both social and emotional well-being of children, teens and adults in the Nashville and Chicago area. Her work in the field of leadership and community partnerships makes her uniquely qualified to teach parents, educators, children and community stakeholders to overcome challenges facing urban and rural families. Jones's work in Family and Community Partnerships is part of the National Standard practices for local schools. Jones holds a Bachelors of Science from Chicago State University. She received her teaching certification from Trinity Christian College. Jones has a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction, an Education Specialist in Administration and Supervision. She holds a Doctorate Degree in School Leadership from Tennessee State University.

102 pages, Hardcover

Published October 11, 2021

About the author

Dr. April Jones is a speaker, author, and owner of The Drifted Drum. As an Oncology Medical Director she holds an MBA and B.S. in Chemistry and doctorate in Pharmacy. Along with her many professional credentials, it's her personal journey that makes her an authority on transforming pain into purpose and struggle into strength.
Dr. Jones is the mother of three boys and lives near Nashville, TN. Her oldest son is a cancer survivor, amputee and internationally competitive adaptive athlete. Through love, faith, hope and inner discovery, Dr. Jones's story helps others heal while finding comfort and courage during the most difficult times.
Her passion for teaching others how to build resilience, embrace faith and find connection is apparent in her work for charities including: Amputee Blade Runners, Challenged Athletes Foundation, Make-a-Wish, Wesley's Warriors Foundation, and Nashville Uprise. Together with her son, Tyler, she founded The Drifted Drum Company, LLC - an organization dedicated to bringing encouragement through motivation, personal development, and the grace of God. Their community event, The No Pity Party, is a Christian concert and non-profit vendor fair, all about finding support and turning your pain into purpose.
Dr. Jones and her family have been featured by Tennessee Uncharted, FOX News, and DSUSA. They are the subjects for the upcoming docu-series, Living Out Loud. Dr. Jones is a frequent speaker on resilience and has appeared for groups like St. Jude, the Oncology Women's Leadership Group, and the Tennessee Oncology Pharmacy Association.