LeKeshia Jones of Natchez has carried her love for children into the summer by starting a Summer Camp for Kids

The substitute teacher for the Natchez-Adams School District is a 1998 graduate of Natchez High School and is working toward her degree in elementary education.

&uot;I’ve always enjoyed working with kids,&uot; Jones said. &uot;I love kids. Ever since I was in high school I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I used to teach my little sister also.&uot;

She got the idea to hold a summer camp from teachers at Frazier Primary School who thought summer tutoring would help their students.

&uot;I was trying to think of something to do for the summer to help the kids because that’s what I love,&uot; Jones said.

The children range in age from 4 to 8-years-old and sign up for the morning sessions at weekly intervals for a small fee.

To assist the students with their tutoring, Jones has prepared a classroom for them and decorated it with school materials.

The camp gives the children fun activities for the summer but it also helps them &uot;keep in mind&uot; the things they learned during the school year or improve their skills, Jones said.

&uot;I just feel that I can help them out,&uot; she said.

Many of the children benefit from the small class size and the one-on-one attention, Jones said.

For example, one of her eight-year-old students struggled in school but Jones has been helping her with her math and reading.

&uot;She’s doing better already,&uot; Jones said.

When she first began thinking about a career, Jones said she thought about teaching computers on the secondary level until she began substituting at Frazier Primary School.

&uot;I just enjoy working with the little ones,&uot; Jones said. &uot;They’re so funny.&uot;

Jones graduated from the Natchez campus of Copiah-Lincoln Community College this spring and plans to transfer to Alcorn State University to finish her education.