Mrs. Jewell Ralph |
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Mrs. Jewell Walker Ralph’s commitment to her community through education started early in life. The then Ms. Jewell Walker, was raised in Huntsville, Alabama in a family that believed that Christian education was critically important to developing the whole child—physically, academically, socially, and of course spiritually. Jewell truly loved Oakwood Adventist Academy from the time she was greeted by Mrs. Anne Galley when she entered first grade at what was then known as Anna Knight Elementary School, until the time she graduated from what was later named Oakwood Adventist Academy. She truly has “OAA in her DNA”. Jewell loved bible class with Pastor T. Marshall Kelly (who would later officiate in her wedding many years later) and admired the dedication of all her teachers including Iris Sutton who provided advice through turbulent teen years. At OAA, Jewell held various class officer and student government positions, and sang on the OAA choir. She used her affinity for science to obtain various scholarships to assist her through college. A true “Oakwoodite,” Jewell matriculated through Oakwood University where she received her Bachelor of Science. She later obtained a Masters of Science from Johns Hopkins University.
Jewell currently serves as the principal at Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies, a high school in Maryland. As a result of the importance of higher education that was reinforced at OAA, she pours into students the understanding that college education is a path to a productive and sustainable life. Jewell believes that it is important to meet children where they are by holding and hosting meetings, mentor groups and one-on-one sessions to discover their individualized needs as well as fostering their lifelong goals. As a high school principal, Jewell has developed many partnerships to support her school and the community in which it serves. One such partnership was with the Maryland Food Bank and her school so that her school can serve as a community food pantry for those students and families in the community who are nutritionally insecure. In addition, she developed a school outreach partnership with two privately-sponsored social and emotion wrap-around service programs to assist students and their families with trauma and other psychological or emotional needs. Jewell is a true 21st century leader, who is always looking for opportunities to help the community and its youth. She was nominated by her staff for the Baltimore County Maryland Public School Principal of the Year for 2017-18. She has always endeavored to use her leadership skills to build community partnerships with other community leaders in an effort to exemplify her adopted motto “One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world” – Malala Yousafzai. This can be seen through her involvement as a member of the National Alliance of Black School Educators, First Vice President of Baltimore County Alliance of Black School Educators, Public Relations Liaison for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®--Omega Eta Omega Chapter, as well as a Fellow with Leadership Baltimore County. Jewell currently resides in Maryland where she and her husband and two children attend the Emmanuel-Brinklow Seventh-day Adventist Church. |