WGOL
Listen Live
Local Weather
Russellville, AL
59°

School board honors Jolly for 'exemplary service' to local students, teachers

For John Jolly, his There’s a Way, Inc., a non-profit corporation established in 2001 to benefit Franklin County high school seniors and teachers, was always about the kids and never about him.

Seventeen years later, as the time demands of running the foundation along with some recent health issues have contributed to Jolly ending the foundation, it was time to say ‘thank you’ to Jolly for all he’s done to better the future of Franklin County students and educators.

The Franklin County Board of Education passed a resolution at its May 15 meeting in appreciation of Jolly for his “many years of exemplary service.” 

Through the 2018 scholarship awards, There’s A Way has awarded 878 scholarships to Franklin County and Russellville City Schools graduating seniors. Additionally, Jolly wanted to recognize the efforts of outstanding teachers, so his foundation also annually awarded Outstanding Teacher Awards with a stipend for the teacher to use at his or her discretion. There’s A Way awarded 245 of these teacher awards since 2001.

“We truly appreciate Judge Jolly and all of his efforts to encourage our students in Franklin County to continue their education either through higher education or through job training in preparation for a career,” Franklin County superintendent of education Greg Hamilton said. “Most people don’t realize the amount of work he dedicated for this organization, all in the name of helping education.”

Student scholarships averaged around $1,200 and were as much as $1,700 this year. Jolly was always careful to award scholarships in proportion to the enrollment at each high school, so all schools were represented. All seniors were invited annually to apply.

In a 2007 interview, Jolly talked about why he started the foundation.

“I enjoy working with the administrators, and I have a great relationship with them,” he said. “I’ve also met some really outstanding students, and not just the ones who receive scholarships. My reward is seeing students graduate and accomplish something, whether they go to college, trade school or Bible college.”

Jolly’s wife Jeanette serves as a There’s A Way director. She’s seen first-hand the time her husband dedicated to scholarship program.

“It takes a tremendous amount of time, and he’s raised a lot of money and given out a large amount of scholarships,” Jolly said. “It’s been a full-time job with him. He’s very meticulous about this program. It was just time to give it up.”

Jolly ran There’s A Way out of an office donated by CB&S Bank. 

Jolly served 15 years as Franklin County District Attorney and 18 years as Circuit Judge for Alabama’s 34th Judicial Circuit.

He and his wife have one daughter, Ginger, a Russellville High School graduate. Jolly is a United States Army veteran and a former marathon runner.

“There’s really no way to accurately measure how much John Jolly and There’s A Way have helped the students and teachers of Franklin County,” Hamilton said, “and we wanted to find a way to say thank you for his unselfish efforts.”

comments powered by Disqus
Copyright © 2024 Franklin Free Press All Rights Reserved.
Designed and Hosted by RiverBender.com
113 Washington Ave. NW | Russellville, AL 35653 | 256-332-0255