“All we want to do is help you succeed,” says North Penn High School Head of Security Bernie Jones. Students who have heard this statement repeated over and over may think there is no meaning behind that hackneyed sentence but for Jones, that statement is so important today.
Bernie Jones has been a part of the North Penn Security team since 2009. Recently, Jones received the North Penn 4E award for Engaging the Community, and the story of Bernie’s journey here is one to remember.
“I think I got the award because of who I am. It just comes naturally to talk to people. The funny thing is I don’t remember names. But I’ll talk to everybody. From talking to them one time, I know their background and their life story pretty much.” Jones stated.
“So I think that’s why I got the award. Because I’m so outgoing.” Jones claimed.
The kindness and compassion that radiates from Jones is incomparable. He doesn’t do what he does in stride of recognition or an award. He does it because he wants to.
“I was totally shocked. I had no clue it was even coming. It didn’t even hit me until my boss came up on the screen and when he started describing, I knew it was me! It caught me out of left field,” Jones expressed.
After spending 15 years here, talking to thousands of students, the one thing that Jones loves most is the diversity.
“My favorite thing about North Penn is the diversity. Some people complain how big this place is but I think it’s a plus. If you think about it, most colleges are smaller than this school and are not as diverse as this school. Coming from a smaller school, I know that’s one thing that a lot of students struggled with. I really like and enjoy the diversity of this building and the kids are great. The kids that go to this school are really awesome!” Jones explained
Although there are a lot of awesome kids and programs at North Penn, Jones says that if he could, he would change one thing; the attitudes.
“I wish I could change the attitudes of some of the kids. I wish they would understand we’re here to help them, not hurt them. We only want their best interest in life,” Jones explained. “So if they’re out doing something they shouldn’t do and we come down on them, it’s not because we are trying to hurt them. We’re trying to help them and I wish they understood that. I wish they would be a little bit more respectful to adults too. You may think you know everything but again, we’re just trying to help you.”
The 4E awards consist of Engage Community, Exceed Expectations, Elevate Learning, and Ensure Belonging. For North Penn, Bernie Jones was an obvious choice to be a recipient of this honorable award because of his strong and empathetic character.