Born and raised in Athens, Loleeta Linston-Jones has been a teacher and mentor to students at Howard B. Stroud Elementary for the last 25 years. She graduated from Cedar Shoals High School before going on to Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama where she received her degree in education. A proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, Loleeta gave back to her community in college through service work, providing emotional support to folks in nursing homes and doing peer counseling in women’s jails. 

 

After beginning her career as a long-term substitute, Loleeta became a kindergarten teacher. Despite initially wanting to teach upper grades, she fell in love with early childhood education, and remained a lead kindergarten teacher for 21 years. In 2021, she took her passion for literacy and targeted instruction into her current role as an Early Intervention Program (EIP) teacher, working with students in need of additional academic support. 

 

In addition to her paid work in education, Loleeta does the important work of being her parents’ primary caregiver. She has two adult children, both of whom are graduating college: a daughter who graduated in May 2025, and a son who will graduate in December 2025. Loleeta lives in North Athens with her husband Trone Jones, a fellow teacher and basketball coach at Oglethorpe County High School, and their sweet cats, Alice and Jody.

 

What do you love most about the work that you do?

 

So many different things. What I love most, and I tell my administrators this, is when I see the lightbulb come on, meaning the students have grasped the instructional concept. I work with students in different grade levels, some who struggle and some who have begun to achieve. Once a student understands the concept that I’m trying to teach, and they get it, I call that the Lightbulb Effect. They say “Ms. LJ, I understand!” And then they prove that they understand it. That’s the greatest pleasure. The lightbulb. It comes on and they understand my instruction. That’s my primary reason for teaching. 

 

Where I teach, we have students from low income families. Our students are survivors. I have students who can cook a whole meal but can’t read Cat in the Hat. So I like to get on their level, get to know them, learn what they like and don’t like, and then I build community with my babies. And then the sky’s the limit. You can see in their faces that now they’re ready to be challenged. That’s my primary reason for getting up every morning for 25 years, is serving these babies.

 

What do you like to do in and around Athens?

 

I’m a simple person. I’m not a shopper. I like to do simple things like get in my car and drive around the city of Athens. Athens is growing. Every week something’s different. So for me to “woosah” I like to get in my car and just ride around my city. I’m not a person to go out to a lot of clubs or restaurants, I like to cook for myself. In my downtime I like to just enjoy my family and ride around the classic city. I’m a very simple person. 

 

If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would you go and why?

 

Honestly, people laugh at me when I say this, but the UK! I wanna go there and experience the culture. My coworkers and colleagues laugh, but I want to go. One of my girlfriends went, and she sent all these pictures, and there was so much historical value there. 

 

If you could see any band or musician, dead or alive, who would you see and where?

 

I love all genres of music. But if I could go to any concerts right now…. Hmm. I like Mary J. Blige, I like Kendrick Lamar, I like Hall and Oates. I love a variety of music. But I think I’d say Mary J. Blige. If she came to Atlanta I’d love to see her there. 

 

What advice would you give to your younger self?

 

“You’re stronger than you think you are.” I never thought in a million years that I’d be able to take care of two people I love the most without losing my mind. But I am. 

 

Do you have a favorite book? 

 

Promise you won’t laugh? Anything by Judy Blume! I can sit here at 48 and read Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret or any one of Judy Blume’s books. I was introduced to her in the ‘80s, and I had an issue with reading. I could read, but I couldn’t comprehend. My mom said, “Let’s try chapter books.” I’m not sure who told her about Judy Blume, but she introduced me to her and I just wanted to read more Judy Blume. And the thing about it was, I had to read to my mom. And each time I’d get into it she’d ask me three or four follow up questions. She was working on my comprehension. 

 

One day I walked in my room and my mother had bought me a whole set of her books. So if I could go back, I’d read Judy Blume from the first book she published all the way to the one where she answers questions [Letters to Judy: What Your Kids Wish They Could Tell You].

 

It sounds weird, I guess it’s because I’m from the elementary world. But some things just don’t change. I loved Ms. Blume so much I wrote her a letter when I was little. 

 

Do you have a favorite movie?

 

I’m looking forward to the new Black Panther. But I’m a simple person. When I come home, I’ll look at clips from Judge Judy and Judge Mathis, and then I’ll look at MSNBC or CNN and get my blood pressure up a little bit, and that’s it. I don’t really have a set show other than the Judge shows. I’m a simple person!

 

If you could put any message on a billboard, what would it be?

 

“Don’t quit.” 

 

I used to tell the ladies at the jail, look at the words “DON’T QUIT” and you have “DO IT.” So the billboard would say “DON’T QUIT.”

 

If you could have lunch with anyone dead or alive, who would it be?

 

I’d love to have a conversation with Esther Rolle. I was a huge fan of her because she was very educated and she was very hands-on within the African American community at the time. She played Florida Evans on Good Times. She was very headstrong and positive and motivational. I’d love to pick her brain. 

 

And if I could choose a second person it would probably be President Obama. I’d just love to sit down and listen to him speak. We’d go somewhere simple. A cafe. Maybe Jittery Joe’s. 

 

What three words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word home?

 

Family, love, safety.