On Her Way to College with a 94% Academic Average
Midwood High’s Jillian Haynes leaped to a personal best of 36’-1.25” in the triple jump and 17’-6.5” in the long jump for second place in both events at the May 23, 2010 New York City Public School Athletic League (PSAL) Brooklyn Borough Championships.
Later that same day, Jillian showed her versatility on the track by running 25.55 secs in 200m, and two weeks later at the City Championships she ran a personal best of 25.00 in the 200m final. Prior to that, at the 2010 Penn Relays, she clocked a 58.32 secs split on the 4x4 relay -- another personal record (PR) for her. That Jillian weighs only 96 lbs and stands 5’ 1” in height makes her accomplishments amazing and truly exemplifies the expression, “great things come in small packages”.
Born 17 years ago in Brooklyn, New York to Barbadian immigrants William and Sandra Haynes, Jillian, a member of the Midwood High School Class of 2010, graduated with a 94.07% academic average and was accepted into the University of Albany upstate New York to continue her academic pursuits. She wants to become an emergency room physician.
Guided by her personal philosophy, “always give a task a try before you say you can’t do it”, Jillian identifies her father as her personal philosopher, who constantly encourages her through his philosophy: “Never be afraid to work hard for whatever you want and hard work always pays off in the end. To see that end we must be persistent.” Another of Dad’s often said words of wisdom that Jillian takes seriously is, “Never close a door on an opportunity that at first sight seems difficult.”
As an athlete, young Jillian says her biggest disappointment to date was when she qualified to compete at the National Championships for High Schools in America but never participated as a result of what she believes was the budgetary constraints of her school. Her father believes that had his daughter gone to the Nationals she might have had scholarship offers because the Nationals are frequented by college scouts.
Greatest Accomplishments
Jillian lists her greatest accomplishments as having the privilege of representing her school at the Penn Relays every year for four consecutive years, graduating with a 94% average, and getting accepted into university. “What more could I have asked for?” she said. “I guess hard work really pays off in the end.”
This well rounded student athlete is also an integrated member of her Brooklyn community. She plays in the steel band Tenor Pan for the Chronical Atlantic Symphonic Steel and Brass Orchestra and is a member of the Black Heritage Alliance at her school.
Her advice to other young people, especially student athletes, is “remember that you are a student first; that is why they call you “student athlete”. And don’t let what other people describe as your limitations stop you from pursuing your dreams and goals.”
She suggests that it always helps to emulate someone of positive statue. For her, that person is USA’s quarter-miler Natasha Hastings. “I see her as the only athlete from the PSAL that is representing on the national level. For me, I either want to be there with her or to take the baton from her (pun intended) and continue the race as a PSAL representative.”
Jillian then wants to blaze a trail that others can follow and hopefully inspire them to emulate her.