On October 29, 2021 about 40 SBHS students gathered in room 765 to hear an inspiring speech from Florida State Senator Shevrin Jones. Jones was born and raised in Miami Gardens and has been involved in his community since he was young.

“My story is simple, I choose not to play politics,” he said.

After graduating from college he started teaching at Everglades Senior High school and after went on to teach at FAU High school. While teaching he made sure to treat his students with the same respect he expected from them.

Jone decided to run for office when he saw a problem in the educational system with the rules always changing, and some of his students not being able to keep up.

When he ran for senate his opponents would use his background as a way to discredit him, which resulted in him doubting himself.

He struggled with imposter syndrome, which he defined as not feeling qualified to sit a particular table as anybody else. He learned to become more confident in himself and realized that not everyone will support him and his ideas, but at the end of the day his job is to serve as best as he can.

“Your interest is not everyone’s interest,” said Jones. “We have to find our support systems and lean on them”.

Jones wants teenagers who are struggling with mental health to know that you are not alone. He advises them to find the people you can lean on, and learn to lean on them.

“I will not die the man that could have been that never was,” he said.