Fifth Third Bank Orlando Magic Maker Dr. Bridget Williams
Orlando, FL-- Every month Fifth Third Bank and the Orlando Magic come together to name one individual who has shown his or her dedication to the community as the Fifth Third Bank Orlando Magic Maker. This month Dr. Bridget Williams, Principal of Jones High School, is being recognized for revamping the entire education system of Jones High School by implementing a rigorous academic curriculum that will help the faculty, staff and students “Pave their way to an ‘A.’”
Dr. Williams started her 19-year venture with the Orange County Public School system teaching mathematics for three years at an alternative school. She later went on to serve as a guidance counselor at Gotha Middle School, assistant principal of instruction at Edgewater High School, administrative dean at Maitland Middle school and principal at Robinswood Middle School before transferring to her current position as principal of Jones High School.
Her accomplishments as an educator have simply been profound. While at Gotha Middle School, she was named Teacher of the Year due to her dedication to students and implementation of such programs as Women of Integrity, which encouraged at-risk students to work harder at developing more positive attitudes toward school and academic achievement, and the College Bound Program, which exposed middle-school children to Florida colleges while also aiding them in the selection of a four-year high school plan.
One of her most prestigious accomplishments came when she was nominated as the Board Of Education’s Outstanding Middle School Principal of the Year.
After working at Robinswood Middle School for three years, she was then transferred to Jones High School with hopes of transforming the school’s education system.
Jones High School is one of the oldest African-American high schools still in existence today. Located in the downtown district of Parramore, the school’s population is made up of 96 percent African-Americans and nearly 76 percent of its students are on free and reduced lunch. Immediately after taking over as principal, she implemented a new curriculum and drove home her “Pave Their Way to an ‘A’” philosophy.
Dr. Williams has a number of motivational banners around the school and quality incentives that are spurring the children forward – and the message has caught on. Because of Dr. Williams’ commitment, the students, along with help from their parents and faculty, are reaching higher than they ever have before, which shows in the more than 10 percent increase of students that graduated from high school in 2007 compared to 2006. Jones High School is now No. 1 in its district for improving graduation rates, with 175 graduating seniors earning over 2.1 million dollars in scholarships. The school was also recently honored as a semi-finalist for the College Board’s Inspiration High School Award and was named to “Newsweek” Magazine’s prestigious Top 1000 Schools in the Country list.
In recognition of all her countless hours of hard work to improve Jones High School, Mayor Buddy Dyer and Constituent Service Director of the City of Orlando Mr. Reginald McGill proclaimed August 18, 2008 as Dr. Bridget Williams Day.
“I have been with Orange County Public Schools for 20 years and I am honored and humbled to be named a Fifth Third Bank Orlando Magic Maker,” said Dr. Williams. “This award validates that we are making a difference at Jones High School.”
On behalf of all the Orlando Magic and the Central Florida community, we salute Dr. Bridget Williams as the November Fifth Third Bank Orlando Magic Maker!
To nominate someone for the Fifth Third Bank Orlando Magic Maker award, log onto www.nba.com/magic/community/magicmakers.html.
Ali Kicklighter is a communications intern for the Orlando Magic.
Dr. Williams started her 19-year venture with the Orange County Public School system teaching mathematics for three years at an alternative school. She later went on to serve as a guidance counselor at Gotha Middle School, assistant principal of instruction at Edgewater High School, administrative dean at Maitland Middle school and principal at Robinswood Middle School before transferring to her current position as principal of Jones High School.
Her accomplishments as an educator have simply been profound. While at Gotha Middle School, she was named Teacher of the Year due to her dedication to students and implementation of such programs as Women of Integrity, which encouraged at-risk students to work harder at developing more positive attitudes toward school and academic achievement, and the College Bound Program, which exposed middle-school children to Florida colleges while also aiding them in the selection of a four-year high school plan.
One of her most prestigious accomplishments came when she was nominated as the Board Of Education’s Outstanding Middle School Principal of the Year.
After working at Robinswood Middle School for three years, she was then transferred to Jones High School with hopes of transforming the school’s education system.
Jones High School is one of the oldest African-American high schools still in existence today. Located in the downtown district of Parramore, the school’s population is made up of 96 percent African-Americans and nearly 76 percent of its students are on free and reduced lunch. Immediately after taking over as principal, she implemented a new curriculum and drove home her “Pave Their Way to an ‘A’” philosophy.
Dr. Williams has a number of motivational banners around the school and quality incentives that are spurring the children forward – and the message has caught on. Because of Dr. Williams’ commitment, the students, along with help from their parents and faculty, are reaching higher than they ever have before, which shows in the more than 10 percent increase of students that graduated from high school in 2007 compared to 2006. Jones High School is now No. 1 in its district for improving graduation rates, with 175 graduating seniors earning over 2.1 million dollars in scholarships. The school was also recently honored as a semi-finalist for the College Board’s Inspiration High School Award and was named to “Newsweek” Magazine’s prestigious Top 1000 Schools in the Country list.
In recognition of all her countless hours of hard work to improve Jones High School, Mayor Buddy Dyer and Constituent Service Director of the City of Orlando Mr. Reginald McGill proclaimed August 18, 2008 as Dr. Bridget Williams Day.
“I have been with Orange County Public Schools for 20 years and I am honored and humbled to be named a Fifth Third Bank Orlando Magic Maker,” said Dr. Williams. “This award validates that we are making a difference at Jones High School.”
On behalf of all the Orlando Magic and the Central Florida community, we salute Dr. Bridget Williams as the November Fifth Third Bank Orlando Magic Maker!
To nominate someone for the Fifth Third Bank Orlando Magic Maker award, log onto www.nba.com/magic/community/magicmakers.html.
Ali Kicklighter is a communications intern for the Orlando Magic.
