Class of 2017
Academy
Williamsburg
Tannen Keh Jones
Wow…I cannot believe graduation is actually upon me… seriously, doesn’t feel like it should be here! Despite the sudden rush of reality, oh my goodness has Williamsburg been fun! I’ve loved my time here and will cherish every memory and lesson I’ve been given at Williamsburg.
So I guess then we should get to know me a little more. Hi, I’m Tannen Keh Jones. I think I have pretty unique names, and I like to tell the stories of where they come from/what they mean. “Tannen” is a German word meaning “fir”, it’s normally used as “Tannenbaum” which means “fir tree” or “Christmas tree”, so yes, I have a holiday where, literally, I am decorated with color, lights, and ornaments all over the world—be jealous. “Keh” (pronounced “kay”) are the first letters of my grandmother’s name, Kehaulani, which is a Hawaiian name. “Jones” is a
common Welsh name. So yes, I have a German first name, Hawaiian middle name, and a Welsh last name; kind of fun, right?!
I was born and raised in beautiful Utah, Salt Lake area, and this really is where my heart lies. I love the arches, the seasons (even though they can be nuts sometimes), the history, the people, and the gorgeous mountains! I could spend all day, every day, up in my beautiful mountains. I am, and always have been a nature junky. When I was little, people used to say I was a blonde and blue eyed Indian because I was outside so much, I had beautifully tanned skin (such a sad thing to grow out of…) when I was even
younger – 3-5 – I was known as the “Wild Baby” because I refused to wear a shirt and was always out on adventures and getting into all sorts of trouble.
I have been homeschooled all my life up until 8th grade, where I went to Williamsburg Intermediate and then the Academy for the last 4 years. While homeschooling, my family was a part of many homeschool groups and communities where we read history books and went on many fun and educational fieldtrips. While in Jr. High and High School, I participated in 8 different political simulations where I have started wars, rebellions, led countries, defeated others, and even found a cure to a devastating illness, oh and I’ve saved humanity a few times. (not a bad resume, yeah?)
I have an incredible family that are the absolute most wonderful blessing I could ever be given. My parents are Busch and Annette Jones, I have an older sister, Cedar Winters, a brand new brother-in-law, Ben, and a little brother named Ash. I am definitely a homebody, but home for me is practically anywhere my family is. We love to go on amazing adventures and I am so grateful for my dad’s wonderful job at JetBlue Airways, which allows us to travel internationally as well. I am in love with Europe; I have had the opportunity to travel there on two separate occasions. We’ve been to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, England, Scotland and Wales. Everyone in my
family is a party animal. We love to put on fun events and parties, dress up for celebrations and even movie premiers! I love each of them to death and cannot even express how grateful I am for their love, support, guidance, and the pure joy they bring me.
I also love to dance. I have been dancing since I was 2 years old and still going strong at 17. I’ve mainly studied in Modern-Contemporary, but have also dabbled in lots of other styles: Hip-Hop, Jazz, Ballroom, Ballet, Broadway, Lyrical, Animation, African, and Bollywood. I also enjoy reading (thanks to my dad reading me the Hobbit when I was 7) and sketching.
I have always been an outgoing and pretty go-with-the-flow person. I try to never turn down an awesome adventure and have always loved to try new things. But all this said and done, being me hasn’t always been easy. If you haven’t noticed, I am a very different and unique individual. Granted, my awesomeness is just too amazing for some, but in other cases it has sometimes set me a
part from others. I’ve had insecurities about this and in my early teen years, I struggled with being happy about who I was and my place in the world. That all changed, however, when I entered Williamsburg Academy. Williamsburg Academy is very dear to me.
Through many wonderful mentors, classmates, leadership courses and other experiences I have learned not only how to love others for their differences, but mine as well. I’ve learned in WA that differences are strengths and it is through them that we change the world and others in it. Williamsburg has offered such a safe place for me to truly be myself. I have learned that I am a leader. Being a leader means building others up, as well as yourself. I have always been taught to be selfless and to be aware of other people’s needs, but probably one of the most important lessons I have learned is to never forget and be aware of myself. I have learned to value every little thing about myself; my strengths, weaknesses, failures, ins and outs, and by doing so I have learned to
value these things in other people and to love them for all the good that they are. WA is so much more than just a school that teaches you the basics. They help you find purpose, passion, and joy.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you Williamsburg (mentors, classmates, and classes) for helping me to find joy and love in my education, as well as build me as a leader and a person.