Multilayered, multi-tasking the norm for Central senior

Caleb Jones is a young man with many layers. He plays football for the Cape Girardeau Central High School Tigers, he's a newly minted Eagle Scout, he does American Indian dancing and he loves anything to do with military history.

In Boy Scouts for about three years, Jones has raced up the ranks, earning the Eagle Scout designation in June. He was recognized for that accomplishment with an honor court in December.

His project was building a park bench out of pine for the nature trail behind Lynwood Baptist Church. He got the idea from his friend Alex Huggins, who created a park bench of a type of African wood for the Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau.

Jones, a senior at Central, said he received help from several of his fellow scouts; his brother, Noah; his parents, Dianna and Wally; and Sam Herndon, who works with the older Scout group Venture Crew 4248 and is assistant scoutmaster for Troop 2, Jones' troop.

"I always wanted to make something for Lynwood and for the veterans here in Cape," Jones said.

Jones, a frequent visitor to Noah's Webelo dens at Alma Schrader Elementary School, began talking to Herndon about scouting. Herndon tried to encourage him, but Jones was 15 and thought it was too late, and even if he did join, he wouldn't make Eagle Scout. But he did, and according to Herndon, it's something only 2 percent of all Scouts complete.

"It was just one of these things [that] was going to be a major accomplishment in my life," Jones said. "I knew that I just wanted to get that. It was something to work toward. It was fun being able to camp with my friends [and] make a lot of new relationships. When I really put my mind to something, I'll blow through it; I'll really get it done fast."

Jones' motivations for starting to learn American Indian dancing two years ago was an outgrowth of his American Indian background on both sides of his family, scouting and his role of left tackle on the Tigers. The Venture Crew includes about 15 children, ranging from 14 to 18 years old. They practice each Sunday -- except holidays -- at St. Andrew Lutheran Church.

The group doesn't dance for show that much, but attends seminars and powwows. It was Herndon once more who encouraged him to join the Venture Crew, saying it would help the younger man with his footwork on the gridiron. Thinking anything that would help him with football was great, Jones decided to try it.

"It was really fun," Jones said.

At first, Jones said coaches and players poked a bit of fun at him, but they did think it was interesting, especially when it produced results.

"Dancing has really helped my footwork," he said. "When you dance, there's two beats. ... You've really got to move your feet to keep up with it. At first, you've really got to get used to it, then after a while you listen to the beat and just start dancing. ... When we do ladder drills, it's amazing how dancing will help your footwork."

On the dancing side of things, Jones said he and his brother plan to participate in the 2015 National Order of the Arrow Conference at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich.

"It's every three years. ... I'm going to go out and see how I do. My brother will go with me and he'll dance, too," Jones said, adding he'll be doing Northern Traditional, as opposed to Old Time Sioux.

"Old Time Sioux is the dad of Northern Traditional. The dress style is different," Jones said, and Old Time Sioux was how Native Americans danced on the Plains.

For the future, Jones has a couple of plans. He hopes to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. If not, he'll probably attend Southeast Missouri State University and earn a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. His dad did the same thing and is a state probation and parole officer.

Jones said he also may go into Army ROTC and come out an officer.

Herndon is a big fan of Jones -- from his success in scouting to his ambition. It's only been in the last year or so Jones has found he can do anything he sets his mind to.

"Caleb is a real good young man that's only beginning to realize he's a good young man," Herndon said. "He's had his challenges in high school" and it took years of "encouraging, nudging and occasionally shoving to get him moving along."

Herndon suspects Jones has a military career in his future, but right now he's just trying to finish high school.

"He's pretty much rough and rowdy and fun. He likes to have a good time. Whatever he does, he does it full-bore. I don't think there's anyone more surprised than him when he's successful," Herndon said.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

388-3639