Bowden Georgia is known as The Friendly City. It is a community that is serious about the it-takes-a-village concept. A slice of Americana with the beauty of nature and the gracious attitude of the South. However, this quiet environment is shaken on a daily basis with the Jonesville Middle School Red Devils Basketball games. In Bowden, basketball is part of their tradition.
Jonesville Middle School might have an outward appearance of any other middle school, but looks can be deceiving. While they pride themselves on the balance of academics and sportsmanship, they also encourage and enlighten. A walk through the halls will show you everything from winners of the regional technology fair to pictures of the latest basketball game phenomena. The gym is perpetually filled with practicing team members and the addition of yet new sponsors to the basketball scoreboards.
Game attendance is a must around Jonesville Middle School. Teachers, staff, fans and businesspeople all show up to cheer their favorite team. This Carroll County school has an incredible ability to instill pride in both kids and adults. The Red Devils are a true tradition at Jonesville Middle School. They are an incredible group of students and athletes. Joining in the “Hoops for Hope” project, the school and team participated in this non profit organization that donates one dollar for each successful hoop for the orphan children of Zambia, Africa. Kids and teams around the country have added their names to an organization that was started by a thirteen year old boy in Arizona. With this single participation, the Red Devils have shown that they are true angels for children all the way around the globe who have lost their parents. In this game, the basketball scoreboards display a ray of hope for kids that the players don’t even know. The project donates one hundred percent towards clean water, healthcare, schools and sustainable business in three different cities in the Zambia area. Donating their time and their hearts has taken the Jonesville Middle School over the top.
The Red Devil tradition is giving your best in all that you do….academics, extracurricular and athletics. While this might seem to be a huge hurtle for a small Georgia town middle school, the kids at Jonesville Middle School make this look like a walk in the park. Their success is shown with the smiles of fellow students, parents, school staff and local sponsors. The kids themselves have established a grounded network of team playing, sportsmanship and excellence. This pervades throughout the town and is incredibly apparent when attending any basketball game.
The kids at Jonesville Middle School have set themselves apart from the rest. The lessons they have learned are many, but the lessons that they have shared are even greater. They are destined to take learning and the pride of the game with them as they continue into adulthood. They are an incredible group of kids and no one will be surprised if they achieve even more in the future.