Mr. Frank A. Jones Jr.

I am a native of Newark, NJ. where I attended Arts High School where I concentrated on the Fine Arts Curriculum. I graduated to the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport RI and was appointed to the USNA.  I spent three years at The United States Naval Academy in Annapolis and my final year of college at Prairie View A&M in Texas  as the first of two candidates to form the Marine ROTC . I graduated with an Applied Mathematics Degree and a Regular Commission as a 2nd LT in the USMC. I became an Artillery Officer after The Basic School. I was stationed in Okinawa and was deployed in operations to Korea, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Camp Fuji.   I also visited Tokyo and Iwakuni Japan. While in Okinawa I played on the inter-service rugby team as a weak side wing against Australian, Korean and other teams. 

After my time in the Marine Corp, I took a position as Asst. General Warehouse Supervisor (all logistical and plant support) at a Natural Gas utilities plant in Ohio. There I was on the Canton United Way Board and first learned about Parliamentary Procedure. I also volunteered to teach 4H in the Middle School and GED Curriculum to adults at the Canton Urban League.

During this time, I began my own graphic design company and created the Georgia Mascot, Officer Peachtree, which was used during the 1995 Olympics in Georgia.

Later, I decided to try my hand at full time teaching and walked in unannounced to meet with Mr. Beasley, the Principal of Swansboro High School. I was in the classroom within two weeks teaching Math and Algebra. Mr. Beasley allowed me to start the Technical Drafting/Architectural Drafting Curriculum and I continued with that for about 13 years.  Later, I moved to teaching Scientific Visualization and Game Art & Design.

Along the way I created a weekly feature in the Globe & Anchor called KIDSWANNAKNOW featuring the Do Right Crew and Star Patrol. During this time I also created The NC State Bus Safety workbook featuring my original creation mascot character Stop-Kat, with over 400 thousand copies being given to 3rd graders throughout the years in NC.

I took time off to gain my Masters in Instructional Technology from Eastern Carolina University and successfully complete my first National Boards Certification. I was only the second Trade & Industrial Teacher in NC and the first Minority to successfully gain it the first time and consequently the first CTE T&I instructor in NC to do it a second time in 2016. I am contemplating doing it for my 3rd Certification.

I have also been an Adjunct Professor at Coastal Carolina Community College teaching Business Technology.

I am honored to be one of the first instructors to staff the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center in 2019 teaching Digital Design and Animation I, II, Game Art & Design and Advanced Game Art & Design.

After 25+ years of teaching, it is still exhilarating to see the lights come on when students learn a new concept with skills not known to them before entering my class...