Jadee Jones is a cultural advocate for District 196. He goes from school to school in the 196 district working with students who have struggles and needs inside and outside of school. He said growing up that was not his aspiration. When he was in college, he took a class where he had to work with kids and has loved it ever since.

He experienced an ankle injury five days before he was heading to college. He played through it, but it would never be the same. As his college career went on the coach at Furman University was fired. The new coach and Jadee weren’t seeing eye to eye, so he decided to transfer to Mankato State. His two brothers have made a big impact in Apple Valley Basketball. Tyus became a NBA player for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Tre is one of the four freshmen phenoms at Duke University. Jadee decided after graduation that he would rest his ankle for 6 months, and if it felt better, he would go play basketball overseas. After six months of no improvement, he decided to watch his little brother, Tyus, become a star. Jadee decided to work with Tyus, to see him reach his full potential.

Jadee now coaches the Apple Valley High School JV team(Junior Varsity). The JV team is off to a hot start with a 10-3 record this season. Jadee also helps with Team Tyus. This is his brother’s AAU(Amauteur Athletic Union) team, and they are one of the top teams in the state. Jadee will coach in the absence of the other coaches. He runs events and schedules practices.

He holds an after school program for African Americans where they go after school and talk about issues in their day to day life. They often go on field trips, and volunteer around the state. They go to soup kitchens and places like Feed My Starving Children. Students at Valley Middle School are trying to create one of those groups at the Valley Middle school. This group would volunteer at places to help people in need, and talk about things they go through in their daily lives. Some may come to make themselves feel like something, or give them the confidence to put themselves out there for what they believe in.